India’s e-Passport: What It Is, How to Use It, and Why It Matters

The Government of India is working in tandem with the changing landscape of technology. It has started rolling out the e-Passport, a smarter and more secure version of the traditional passport, to its citizens. This new travel document aims to make international travel safer and more convenient for Indians. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is an e-Passport?

An e-Passport is a regular passport with an added layer of digital security. It includes an electronic chip and an antenna embedded in its back cover. This chip stores the same information printed on the passport’s photo page- such as your name, date of birth, and passport number- along with your biometric data, all in an encrypted format.

The biggest benefit? It becomes much harder for anyone to tamper with or forge an e-Passport.

Where Has It Been Launched?

The e-Passport project was launched as a pilot program on April 1 2024. Initially, 13 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs), including those in Nagpur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, and Amritsar, began issuing these passports.

In Tamil Nadu, the service officially started on March 3 2025, at the Regional Passport Office in Chennai. By March 22, 2025, more than 20,700 e-Passports had already been issued in the state.

How to Get an e-Passport

If you are applying for a new passport or renewing an old one at one of the selected RPOs, you may automatically receive an e-Passport. There is no special process; just follow the normal passport application steps through the Passport Seva Kendra or online via the official portal.

Once issued, your e-Passport will look very similar to a traditional one, but it will contain an electronic chip on the back cover.

Benefits of the e-Passport

Stronger Security: Your personal data is encrypted in the chip, making it difficult to tamper with or duplicate.

Faster Immigration Checks: At many international airports, e-Passports can be scanned automatically, reducing waiting time.

Global Compatibility: The e-Passport meets international standards and can be used in automated systems around the world.

Forgery Prevention: The dual presence of printed and digital data makes fake passport creation much harder.

The Future Plan 

The government plans to expand e-Passport issuance to all passport offices across India in phases. 

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