E-Chip-based Passports on Cards: Telangana RPO gears up to launch

The MEA selected Hyderabad as one of the 12 centres in India under a pilot project to launch the newly introduced e-Chip Passports

Hyderabad: Good news for Telangana passport applicants: Soon, you can fly using electronic chip-based passports. The Telangana Regional Passport Office is making necessary arrangements following the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) instructions to launch ‘e-Chip Passports’ in Hyderabad.

The MEA selected Hyderabad as one of the 12 centres in India under a pilot project to launch the newly introduced e-Chip Passports. The other 11 states include Chennai, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Surat, and Ranchi.

Though the MEA announced the launch of e-Chip-based passports some time back, the project could not take off in time due to multiple reasons. According to sources in the RPO, Telangna, the new passports are likely to be launched shortly.

The new e-Chip passport is similar to the existing passport, but will have a chip with a highly advanced security system and contain full details of the applicant. The e-passport will be prepared and printed at the Indian Security Press (ISP) in Nashik by inserting the e-Chip. An RFID chip and antenna will be embedded in the cover, and a gold-coloured symbol will be printed below the front cover to mark it as an electronic embedded passport.

The e-Chip passport will have several special features, including the biometric data of the passport holder and a digital sign chip stored in it. While the passport holder is travelling, the full details of the person will be visible in the airport system.

Another important aspect is that the e-Chip passport cannot be tampered with, and if a person attempts to tamper with the chip, the passport service system will receive an alert. Passport authentication will not be completed after this. All embassies in the country and abroad will be linked to the e-passport project. Indian embassies in the US and UK have already been added to this project.

To issue a normal passport (existing passport), it takes about one week to 10 days, but the new e-Chip passport will be issued in just seven days. The sources also said that the existing passports will continue, and applicants applying for fresh passports will receive new e-Chip passports. Once the new e-Chip passport is issued, the old passport will be cancelled automatically.

To get an e-Passport, the application process remains the same as that for a regular passport. Applicants can apply by logging in through the online portal www.passportindia.gov.in, scheduling an appointment at the nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), and submitting their biometric information.

The Telangana Regional Passport Office is processing around 4,500 to 5,000 passport applications, including normal and tatkal, through five Passport Seva Kendras and 14 Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSKs).