India is moving towards a fully digital and secure passport system. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that by the year 2035, every Indian citizen will have an e-passport instead of the traditional printed passport. As of May 2025, more than 80 lakh e-passports have already been issued within the country, and Indian embassies around the world have issued another 60,000 to citizens living abroad. The rollout is happening in stages, and anyone who applies for a new passport or gets their existing passport renewed on or after May 28, 2025 will automatically receive an e-passport.
Even though the new e-passport looks almost the same as the old booklet, the biggest difference lies in the technology hidden inside it. A small electronic chip is embedded under the Ashoka Pillar symbol on the front cover. This chip stores the personal details of the passport holder, making the document much harder to forge or misuse. The government believes that shifting to e-passports will significantly enhance the security and efficiency of international travel for millions of Indians.
One of the main reasons behind the introduction of e-passports is to improve security. Fake passports and document fraud have been major concerns globally. The embedded chip in the new passport makes it extremely difficult for criminals to duplicate or tamper with passport information. Officials say that this upgrade will ensure higher protection for Indian travellers and reduce the risk of identity theft.
Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary of the Consular Passport and Visa Division, has explained that e-passports follow international aviation standards. This means that Indian passports will now match the safety and technological features already used by many developed nations. According to him, e-passports are not only safer but also make the travel experience smoother and faster for passengers.
For travellers, the biggest change will be at immigration counters. Currently, immigration officers manually check each passport and verify the traveller’s details, which takes time and often leads to long queues. With e-passports, this process becomes much simpler. Passengers will be able to place their passports on a touchscreen scanner at the airport gate. The embedded chip will verify their identity instantly, and the gate will open automatically if everything matches.
This system is similar to the ‘trusted traveler program’, which is widely used in airports across the world. In India, the concept is comparable to the Digi Yatra program, which allows passengers to pass through airport checkpoints using digital identity verification. With e-passports, a large part of the immigration process becomes automated, saving time for both passengers and officers. Immigration officials will only need to conduct additional checks in exceptional cases.
The MEA believes that as e-passport usage increases, airport wait times will reduce dramatically. This will make international travel more convenient for students, tourists, business travellers and families.
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To support this major transition, the government is also expanding its infrastructure for passport services. The Ministry of External Affairs is opening Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) Facilitation Centres in every Lok Sabha constituency across the country. These centres are intended to make it easier for people to apply for, update or renew their passports without travelling long distances.
So far, PSK Facilitation Centres have been established in 511 Lok Sabha constituencies, and the ministry plans to open similar centres in the remaining 32 constituencies soon. This expansion will help ensure that the entire population—urban and rural—has access to passport services without difficulty.
The government says that its goal is not only to introduce secure passports but also to streamline the entire passport-issuing system. Efforts are being made to simplify procedures, reduce paperwork and offer faster processing. Digital tools, online application systems and biometric verification are being strengthened to support this shift.
In the coming years, the MEA will continue issuing traditional passports only until existing stocks run out. As older passports expire, more citizens will automatically move to the new system. By 2035, every passport in circulation is expected to have a chip.
Officials also believe that the introduction of e-passports will improve India’s global standing. Since these passports comply with international airport and security guidelines, Indian travellers will face fewer delays and smoother verification abroad. This will especially help frequent travellers and professionals who regularly visit multiple countries.
Another important benefit is the long-term reduction in fraud. With chip-based passports, the risk of creating fake passports or manipulating data becomes almost impossible. This helps protect the identity of citizens both in India and overseas.
As the transition continues, the government is encouraging people to learn about the features of e-passports and the new immigration process. It also reassures citizens that the new passport does not change any travel rules—only the security and verification system.
With millions already using e-passports and many more to receive them in the coming months, India is making a major move towards a secure, efficient, and future-ready passport system. The goal of ensuring that every Indian carries an e-passport by 2035 marks a significant step in the country’s digital transformation journey.
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