Latest news with #PassportSevaProgramme2.0
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Regular passports valid, touts spreading fake info: RPO chief
Pune: Passport agents and touts are exploiting the launch of e-passports to spread false information that regular passports are no longer valid, said Arjun Deore, regional passport officer at Pune RPO, on vested interests trying to drum up unnecessary business, there have been instances where citizens were misled into believing they need to replace their existing valid passports immediately with e-passports."There is misinformation circulating among people. Citizens with passports valid for several years are being told that their documents are no longer valid because 'passport' offices are now issuing e-passports. There are vested interests — certain agents who want to generate new applicants — who are spreading this kind of misinformation," said warning comes as Pune RPO (regional passport office) has now transitioned to issuing only e-passports since the first week of May 2025, making it one of the major passport offices in India to implement the new technology under the Passport Seva Programme 2.0. "All passports that we have been issuing since the first week of May are e-passports," Deore Pune RPO chief emphasised that citizens should not fall for these misleading claims. "Unless your passport is damaged or invalid, it remains perfectly acceptable for use. Only those who genuinely need new passports — those with expired passports, exhausted pages or damaged documents — should apply. Citizens should not apply merely for the novelty of having an e-passport," he per the ministry of external affairs, all regular passports issued under the previous Passport Seva Programme 1.0 remain completely valid and can continue to be used for travel purposes, subject to normal validity periods and other provisions under the Passports Act, e-passport rollout at Pune RPO is part of a nationwide expansion of the technology, which was initially piloted in smaller offices in Nagpur and Bhubaneswar last year before being extended to major regional the digital nomenclature, e-passports are still physical booklets identical to regular passports, with one crucial addition — an embedded RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that stores passport data securely."The term e-passport does not mean it can be downloaded to a mobile phone or any digital device. It remains a physical booklet. The only difference is that it contains an embedded chip," explained Deore. The booklet features a distinctive chip logo on the front cover though the actual chip is located on a different page chip technology, similar to that used in debit cards, enables automated identity verification at immigration counters and significantly enhances security by making tampering extremely RPO wins national awardRegional Passport Office, Pune, received the first prize for "innovative steps and citizen-centric initiatives" during the recent Passport Seva Divas celebration. Minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita presented the award to Arjun Deore, regional passport its notable achievements, Pune RPO became the first passport office to install an 80kW rooftop solar plant in Jan 2025 under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, generating 25% of its monthly electricity needs and saving Rs1 lakh per month.
The Wire
13-07-2025
- The Wire
The E-Passport Paradox: How a Security Upgrade Creates Deeper Risks
Rights Abhishek Baxi 5 minutes ago The e-passport is neither free of security vulnerabilities nor is focussed on protecting the privacy of the person from the world. Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty. The Government of India has initiated a significant modernisation of its travel documentation system with the introduction of the chip-based electronic passport, or e-passport. This move, part of the government's Passport Seva Programme 2.0, began in April 2024 and is already rolling out in select cities. This move places India among more than 120 nations that have adopted this International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-compliant technology. The idea is to offer enhanced security, faster immigration processing and seamless global travel. But behind the glossy pitch of digital convenience – and a gold chip symbol below the national symbol – lies a bigger concern: privacy without protection and innovation without oversight. What's on the chip? Each e-passport is equipped with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip embedded in the back cover. This chip securely stores biometric information such as facial data and fingerprints, and personal details, all encrypted with advanced security protocols like Basic Access Control (BAC; which restricts chip access to authorised scanning devices) and Extended Access Control (EAC; which adds an extra security layer for sensitive biometric information). When an immigration officer scans the e-passport, the chip's digital signature confirms authenticity; a live biometric scan then matches the data on-chip to the traveller. According to India's Passport Seva FAQ, 'the underlying technology supporting the security of the e-passport is the Public Key Infrastructure solution, which is the foundation for safeguarding sensitive information and confirming the integrity and origin of the personal and biometric data stored on the chip'. But the FAQs stop short of outlining who beyond immigration authorities – if anyone – may lawfully scan or store this data. Can e-passports be scanned without consent, transparency or oversight – can private entities like airlines or banks access this information? Which devices qualify as certified readers? Are there limits on how long the scanned data may be retained? When MP R. Dharmar raised a question in the Rajya Sabha asking for 'the steps being taken to ensure the security and privacy of personal data stored in chip-based e-passports', the response from Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state for external affairs, on April 3, 2025 focused on the security aspect of e-passports, skipping the privacy question. 'The main benefit of the e-passport,' the minister said, 'is its enhanced ability to maintain the integrity of its data'. He added: 'Since the e-passport has the data in printed form on the booklet, as well as encrypted in the chip, it makes it harder to forge.' On other occasions too, responses to related questions have been unsatisfactory. Chinks in the armour The government's public messaging and parliamentary statements have consistently framed the e-passport initiative around two primary benefits: enhanced security and greater convenience. Beneath the surface of official assurances lies a complex and troubling landscape of technological vulnerabilities. The very features that deliver the e-passport's promised convenience are also the source of its most significant privacy risks. The use of RFID technology for contactless communication is the e-passport's primary architectural weakness. This design choice exposes the passport to several well-documented attack vectors, including skimming (the clandestine reading of the chip's data by using a concealed RFID reader), eavesdropping (a passive attack where an adversary intercepts the wireless communication between a legitimate immigration reader and the e-passport during an official inspection), and cloning (creating a perfect, bit-for-bit digital copy on a blank RFID chip). The vulnerabilities are not limited to the hardware but extend to the very protocols mandated by the ICAO 9303 standard, which India's e-passport adheres to. A 2021 research paper – titled ' Discovering ePassport Vulnerabilities using Bisimilarity ' – points out significant privacy flaws in the standard's core authentication protocols, BAC and its more advanced successor, Password Authenticated Connection Establishment. These protocols are meant to ensure "unlinkability", meaning an adversary should not be able to track a passport holder by linking their presence at different checkpoints. However, the research demonstrates that these protocols fail to meet this requirement. Then there's the biometric paradox. The inclusion of biometric data is marketed as a definitive security enhancement, tying the document irrevocably to its owner. This perception, however, is dangerously flawed. Biometric identifiers are immutable: once compromised, they cannot be reset like passwords. And as public-facing attributes, they can be captured without an individual's consent. Storing these unchangeable biological traits on a cloneable RFID chip creates a permanent and high-value target for identity thieves. The security posture of the e-passport is further weakened by its long operational lifespan. Indian passports for adults are valid for ten years. A ten-year validity period creates a substantial window for advances in cryptanalysis. Encryption algorithms considered secure at the time of the passport's issuance may become vulnerable to being broken by more powerful computers and new analytical techniques before the passport expires. The data that is secure today may not be secure five or ten years from now, yet it will remain on the chip for the document's entire lifecycle. Gaps in the data protection regime The government's narrative strategically conflates two distinct security concepts: data integrity and data confidentiality. The heavy emphasis on ensuring data integrity (the idea that the data can be neither hacked nor copied) effectively sidesteps the more critical privacy question of who can read this authentic, unaltered data (ensuring data confidentiality). This focus on thwarting counterfeiters creates a public perception of a holistically secure document, while leaving the more subtle but profound risks of surveillance and unauthorised data access largely unaddressed. And there's the question of who the ultimate controller of an Indian citizen's e-passport data is. In theory, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 designates the citizen as the "data principal", the owner of their personal data. In practice, however, the e-passport system sets up the state as the de facto controller with ultimate and overriding power – essentially, the "data fiduciary". Moreover, the vast exemptions under the DPDP Act mean it can process this data without the consent or knowledge of the citizen. In the event that a citizen's e-passport data is misused – whether it is cloned by a criminal organisation, shared improperly with a foreign government or collected for domestic surveillance by a national agency – the path to legal recourse is unclear and likely non-existent. Such systems expose citizens to new forms of digital harm with no effective means of holding the powerful to account. Writing for The Statesman, consumer rights advocate Shrey Madaan calls it 'paternalism, packaged in a chip'. (As an aside, a widely appreciated move is the decision to remove key personal information like the residential address (to safeguard privacy) and parents' names (to accommodate diverse family situations) from the physical booklet. This too serves to concentrate power. The citizen loses the ability to passively share their details from the document and becomes entirely dependent on the state's infrastructure to verify their own information.) Citizen vs the state In a way, the e-passports mark a paradigm shift in the relationship between the Indian citizen and the state. A traditional passport is a static document, a piece of property over which the citizen exercises near-total control, revealing its contents only when they choose to physically present it. An e-passport can be queried and tracked silently. When combined with a legal framework that grants the state sweeping powers to access its data, the passport is transformed from a tool of the citizen into an instrument of the state. The system's architecture is overwhelmingly focused on proving the authenticity of the document to the state, not on protecting the privacy of the person from the world. It is engineered to stop someone from altering the data on the chip, but not to stop them from copying it wholesale or tracking its movements. This prioritisation of state-level verification over individual privacy transforms the passport from a private document owned by the citizen into a trackable digital token controlled by the state. The transition to e-passports is an irreversible global trend, and India's participation is not misplaced. The issue lies in the implementation. The current approach has created a system where the promise of convenience is overshadowed by the peril of unchecked surveillance and unmitigated security risks. The absence of clear privacy rules, oversight mechanisms and citizen rights threatens to erode trust in the new system. Without sufficient guardrails, the promise of secure e-passports risks giving way to a surveillance architecture invisible to the very individuals it's meant to protect. Abhishek Baxi is an independent technology journalist exploring the intersection of technology, culture and society. He writes on consumer tech and enterprise innovation, analyses Big Tech, unpacks technology policy and shares unsolicited opinions on X as @baxiabhishek. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
News18
30-06-2025
- News18
Passport Seva 2.0 Explained: What Is An E-Passport, How To Apply, What Are The Benefits?
Last Updated: The Government of India has officially launched the nationwide rollout of e-passports as part of the revamped Passport Seva Programme 2.0 Passport Seva 2.0: The Government of India has officially launched the nationwide rollout of e-passports as part of the revamped Passport Seva Programme (PSP) 2.0. The initiative, announced by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, aims to enhance passport services with high-end digital infrastructure, improve security, and enable faster immigration clearance. 'We have rolled out PSP V2.0 across the country, leveraging advanced and high-end technologies to deliver citizen-centric services," Dr. Jaishankar said, highlighting the move as a milestone in India's Digital Public Infrastructure journey. What is an E-Passport? An e-passport is an electronic version of the traditional passport, embedded with a secure RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip in its cover. This chip securely stores biometric data, including the passport holder's photograph, fingerprints, and other personal information. The cover of the e-passport features a gold-colored symbol at the bottom — a global indicator that it complies with international e-passport standards. How to Apply for an E-Passport Visit the official Passport Seva website. Register as a new user or log in to your existing account. Fill in the e-passport application form. Schedule an appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office PSK (POPSK). Pay the required fee online. Visit the selected centre on the appointment date for document verification and biometric data capture. Key Benefits of E-Passports The introduction of e-passports is part of India's broader strategy to modernise citizen services, reduce paperwork, and improve efficiency across government functions. While currently available for new applicants, upgrades for existing passport holders may be offered in later phases. First Published:
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Business Standard
16-05-2025
- Business Standard
India begins issuing chip-based e-passports in cities: All you need to know
India has officially entered the league of over 120 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and Australia, by introducing chip-enabled biometric e-passports. This marks a significant advancement in modernising international travel for Indian citizens, aiming to bolster border security, reduce identity fraud, and simplify immigration procedures. When did India begin rolling out e-passports? The rollout of biometric e-passports began in April 2024 in a pilot phase as part of the upgraded Passport Seva Programme 2.0. Initial pilot phases took place in major cities such as Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Panaji, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, and Ranchi. The government plans to implement the new system nationwide by mid-2025, according to News18. E-passport issuance in Tamil Nadu began on March 3, 2025, at the Regional Passport Office in Chennai. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, over 20,700 e-passports had been issued in the state by March 22. What is an e-passport? An e-passport is a conventional passport enhanced with electronic features. It contains a built-in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip and an antenna embedded in its cover. This chip securely holds the holder's personal and biometric data, including fingerprints and facial recognition details. A gold symbol on the passport's front cover indicates that it is electronically enabled. Security protocols such as basic access control (BAC), passive authentication (PA), and extended access control (EAC) are used to encrypt this sensitive data, ensuring global standards of protection. The government launched e-passports to safeguard citizens' personal information and to curb duplication and misuse of passport credentials. How do e-passports speed up immigration? Biometric e-passports have become the international standard for secure travel, allowing for contactless verification through automated e-gates at immigration points. This technology accelerates border control by reducing wait times and eliminating the need for manual document inspections, thereby improving the overall travel experience. How does India benefit from aligning with global standards? By adopting biometric e-passports, India conforms to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines. This alignment places Indian travellers on par with those from technologically advanced countries, enhancing India's standing and credibility on the global stage. How can citizens apply and where are e-passports made? Indian citizens can easily apply for the new e-passports via the Passport Seva Portal or by scheduling appointments at local Passport Seva Kendras or Post Office centres for biometric enrolment. Importantly, all biometric passports are produced domestically at the India Security Press in Nashik. This not only ensures stringent data security but also supports the government's Make in India initiative, reinforcing national control over sensitive citizen information. >Log in: Use your registered credentials to access your account >Start application: Select the option 'Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport.' Choose 'Fresh' if this is your first time applying for that passport type, or 'Reissue' if you've previously held one >Make payment and book appointment: Complete the fee payment online and schedule an appointment at your preferred Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) >Save confirmation: Either print your application receipt or keep the SMS confirmation handy to show during your visit Why is the shift to biometric passports significant? In the wake of a post-pandemic resurgence in international travel — surpassing 1.5 billion arrivals globally in 2023 — countries are increasingly relying on biometric solutions to manage growing passenger volumes securely. Traditional machine-readable passports are prone to forgery and data manipulation, whereas biometric e-passports offer enhanced physical and digital security, significantly mitigating identity fraud risks. Future of travel: Towards a digital ecosystem India's introduction of biometric e-passports is only the first step toward a more comprehensive digital overhaul of the travel ecosystem. Upcoming innovations are expected to include mobile passport wallets, blockchain-based identity verification, integration with Aadhaar and DigiLocker platforms, and embedding visas directly onto passport chips. These advancements aim to eliminate paper-based travel documents entirely, paving the way for a seamless, fully digital, contactless, and intelligent travel experience. India's adoption of this technology is a decisive move toward securing borders, increasing efficiency, and redefining the future of international mobility for its citizens.
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First Post
13-05-2025
- First Post
What are India's chip-based e-passports?
India is giving its passport system a high-tech makeover by introducing advanced chips with the traditional paper passport. These high-tech passports are not only expected to improve identification and security, they would also result in shorter queues, faster clearance at immigration checks read more India's e-passports come embedded with an antenna and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip, integrated into a special inlay. Image courtesy: e-passport India India is giving its passport system a high-tech makeover. To boost identification and security, the government has started rolling out e-passports, a modern version that integrates advanced electronic passport technology with the traditional paper passport. These new passports are part of a pilot programme under the Passport Seva Programme 2.0, which officially kicked off on April 1, 2024, as per the Ministry of External Affairs. The e-passports are currently being issued in select cities across the country, with a plan to expand the rollout nationwide in the coming months. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's a quick look at everything you need to know. How do e-passports work? India's e-passports come embedded with an antenna and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip, integrated into a special inlay. These advanced passports securely store the traveller's biometric and personal data — including facial images, fingerprints, name, date of birth, and passport number. All of this information is encrypted and shielded by global security protocols such as Basic Access Control (BAC), Passive Authentication (PA), and Extended Access Control (EAC), making the data difficult to tamper with. They are also easy to spot, thanks to a distinctive gold-coloured symbol printed beneath the front cover, setting them apart from regular passports. Also read: What is the new fast-track immigration programme that will ease international travel? Why this matters Biometric e-passports have become the global standard for secure and seamless international travel. With an embedded chip that enables real-time identity authentication, these passports allow for automated, contactless immigration checks at e-gates. The result? Shorter queues, faster clearance, and a far more convenient experience for travellers. With an embedded chip that enables real-time identity authentication, these e-passports allow for automated, contactless immigration checks at e-gates. File image/PTI Beyond speed and convenience, e-passports also significantly improve data protection. They minimise the chances of identity theft, forgery, and fake passport incidents during border checks. Further, by introducing this technology, India is aligning itself with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, placing its citizens on equal footing with travellers from countries that already use such high-security documents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So far, more than 120 countries — including the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, and Japan — have adopted chip-based biometric passports, and India is now officially joining that league. Also read: From Australia to UAE, how countries are rolling out easy visas for Indians Which passport seva centres are offering e-passports? E-passports are currently being issued in 13 cities across India as part of the initial rollout phase. These cities include Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Ranchi, and Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that this marks only the beginning. The nationwide rollout is expected to extend to all Passport Seva Kendras by mid-2025. E-passports are currently being issued in 13 cities across India as part of the initial rollout phase. In Tamil Nadu, the process officially began on March 3, 2025, with e-passports being issued at the Regional Passport Office in Chennai. By March 22, the state had already issued 20,729 e-passports. How to apply for an e-passport? Applying for an e-passport is straightforward and follows the same steps as a regular passport. Start by visiting the Passport Seva Portal, fill in the required details, pay the applicable fees, and book an appointment at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During your appointment, biometric data such as your photograph and fingerprints will be collected. All e-passports are printed and embedded with chips at the India Security Press in Nashik. This ensures that the entire production process is managed within the country, supporting the Make in India initiative and maintaining control over sensitive personal data. It's also worth noting that switching to an e-passport is not mandatory. Existing passports will continue to be valid until their date of expiry and can be used without issue. With input from agencies
