Earlier this year, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, the secretary to the government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs, announced that India will soon introduce an e-passport for citizens. In a Twitter post, he said that the next-gen passports will ensure the security of biometric data and smooth passage through immigration posts globally. He further mentioned that these passports are ICAO-compliant and will be produced at India Security Press in Nashik, Maharashtra. The E-passport is not a new idea as several countries including Germany, the UK, and Banglades currently issue biometric passports.
How an e-passport works
At first glance, an e-passport looks just like a regular passport. However, an e-passport comes fitted with a small electronic chip, something similar to as seen on a driver’s licence. The microchip stores all the information that is printed on your passport including name, date of birth, address and other details. The microchip will help immigration counters to quickly verify the details of a traveller. The move will also help to reduce the circulation of fake passports. The chip is rumoured to have enhanced security features, making it difficult for fraudsters to tamper with the information stored.
Currently, travellers have to spend lots of time at immigration counters to complete the formalities as the officials have to physically go through each detail on the passport. With an e-passport, the time spent at an immigration counter is expected to go down by more than 50%. The microchip is also said to store biometric details along with other information which makes it easier to identify a traveller digitally. The chip can store details of your previous trips.
What is biometric data
In simple terms, biometrics is the metric that is related to features of your body. This data has to be unique and it can be your eyes, fingerprint, face and other features. One of the most common examples of biometric technology that most of us use daily is the smartphone’s fingerprint and facial recognition feature. These security features use your unique physical characteristics to verify your identity.
In the case of e-passport, this biometric data can be your fingerprints. The government already saves your fingerprints before issuing a new passport. With this information stored in the microchip, it will be easier to compare and verify your identity at any immigration counter.
The procedure to apply for a new passport will remain the same and there will be no changes in the application form as well. As per the reports, all 36 passport offices in India under the Ministry of External Affairs will issue e-passports. The issuance process will also remain the same.
