India Rolls Out Passport Seva 2.0 and E-Passports, Modernizing Travel Documents Nationwide

India has officially launched Passport Seva 2.0, a major upgrade to its passport issuance system, introducing chip-enabled e-passports with advanced security features. The initiative was formally unveiled during the 13th Passport Seva Divas event on June 25. The program is intended to modernize and simplify passport services across the country while aligning India’s travel documents with global standards.

New Technology and Faster Services

The new e-passports contain an embedded RFID chip that stores encrypted personal information, including biometric data and travel details. They comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, using multiple security layers such as Basic Access Control, Extended Access Control, and Public Key Infrastructure to protect against unauthorized access and document forgery.

The rollout follows an initial pilot program launched in April 2024 at Regional Passport Offices in Nagpur and Bhubaneswar, which issued over 80,000 e-passports by late 2024. The system leverages artificial intelligence and cloud computing to reduce processing times, while the mPassport Police App, now active in 25 states and Union Territories, has cut police verification times from several weeks to between five and seven working days.

At the launch event, Jaishankar stated, “The e-Passport initiative marks a significant shift in travel documentation.” He later commended passport officials for delivering “a remarkable transformation in service delivery over the previous decade.”

Expansion Plans and Key Details

The Ministry of External Affairs has allocated ₹1,000 crore to open 400 new Passport Seva Kendras and modernize 600 existing facilities by 2029. The initiative also includes partnerships with India Post for last-mile delivery and mobile passport vans to reach more citizens. Ten new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras have recently opened, bringing the total nationwide count to 450.

India currently processes about 1.46 crore (14.6 million) passports annually, an increase of roughly 60 percent compared to the 0.91 crore issued in 2014. Since the original Passport Seva system’s launch in 2010, over 13 crore (130 million) passports have been processed. As of mid-2025, e-passports are being issued in 13 cities, including Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, and Ranchi, with plans for nationwide coverage.

Existing passports remain valid until their printed expiry date, and there is currently no additional fee for obtaining an e-passport, with the standard ₹1,500 charge for a 36-page adult passport still in effect. The new chips are protected by security protocols, and personal data is purged from government systems after the passport is personalized, ensuring no central biometric face database is maintained.

Sources: The Hindu, NDTV

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team