The Ministry of External Affairs of India (MEA) has revealed a new look to the Indian passport. This new version is expected to have enhanced security features with better tracking ability and will prevent duplication.

The new passports were first released in Kochi’s passport offices and subsequently, will be available in all other passport offices. Indian nationals going in to apply for a new Indian passport or looking to renew an expired Indian passport, will now be supplied with this new version. The following new features are expected in the new Indian passport –

• New security features have been embedded within the passport to prevent fraud and duplication.
• Lotus being India’s national flower, a unique version of the flower has been imprinted upon the second page of the passport. This is expected to be rotated with other Indian symbols of national prominence.

• The new version of the Indian passport will not have the signatures of a passport officer. Thanks to the enhanced security features, this will be unnecessary.
• They have also done away with separate columns to enter the passport holders’ name and address.
• These new passports will have security codes in them for identification and comparison to the parent database held within the MEA.
• Both the quality of paper and printing are of advanced quality making it tamper proof.

• Down the line, the MEA is expected to release a booklet version of the new secure passport for frequent travelers.
• This has been made possible with the collaborations between National Informatics Centre (NIC), Indian Security Press (Nasik) and MEA under the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• As additional features are added, there will be an electronic version as well. This e-Passport will have the traveler’s biometrics embedded in a chip in the passport.
• Subsequently, Indian airports will be equipped with automated, electronic gates at which point the traveler can use the ePassport to enter and exit India.

India intends to abide with international civil aviation standards and recommended practices, and policies for a safe, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector as this new version of the passport is released in all passport offices across India and though all Indian embassies abroad.