India has officially become part of a group of over 120 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and Australia-that issue biometric e-passports to their citizens. This marks a significant milestone in strengthening national security, facilitating smoother international travel, and aligning with global standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). As international travel rebounds and border security becomes a global priority, India’s adoption of biometric e-passports positions it at the forefront of the technological evolution in identity verification.

What Is An E-Passport?

An e-passport or biometric e-passport is a different form from the usual passports that people are used to. The system uses advanced digital techniques to securely include the holder’s biometric information and other details.

At the core of the e-passport is a Radio Frequency Identification chip, which is embedded in the back cover. This chip has the data of the passport holder, like name, date of birth, and passport number. A small gold rectangle on the front cover signifies the passport’s electronic capabilities.

How To Apply For E-Passports Online?

For this, one needs to visit the Passport Seva Portal and register.
After this, log in to the portal using the login credentials.
Then you have to click on ‘Apply For Fresh Passport or Re-Issue of Passport’.
Once you complete this process, then comes the next step of Payment for finalising your application.
The next step is to book the slot.
You need to visit the original documents for the verification process.
After this, you need to monitor the status of your application for a passport.

Data and safety standards are met in biometric e-passports by using different digital encryption and authentication approaches, including:

Basic Access Control (BAC), access to the chip can be stopped by making sure only approved devices are allowed to scan it.

Passive Authentication (PA): Checks if the stored information is real and indicates any attempts to change it.

Extended Access Control (EAC): Enhances the protection of fingerprint data with another level of security. According to ICAO Document 9303, these standards allow for countries to be interoperable and their national verifications to function properly, even internationally.

Advantages of E-Passport

Improved Security
Recognition at the Global Level
Identity Fraud Prevention
It simplifies the process
Encourages Digital transformation

Here Are The List Of Indian Cities That Have Adopted E-Passports

India launched its biometric e-passport initiative as part of Passport Seva Programme 2.0, a technology-enhanced upgrade of the country’s passport issuance system. The pilot phase began in April 2024, targeting specific cities including:

• Nagpur
• Bhubaneswar
• Shimla
• Jammu
• Raipur
• Panaji
• Amritsar
• Chennai
• Jaipur
• Surat
• Hyderabad