Every new passport applicant in Telangana will receive an e-Chip passport, says RPO Telangana

Telangana now issues chip-enabled e-passports with advanced security and biometric data storage. Hyderabad is part of a national pilot project by the MEA. Existing passports remain valid until expiry. Citizens can apply via the Passport Seva portal for e-passports

Hyderabad: All passport applicants who have applied to obtain a new passport in the state will now receive ‘electronic chip-enabled’ passports.

According to Regional Passport Officer (RPO)-Hyderabad (Telangana), J Snehaja, the Ministry of External Affairs has commenced the launch of e-Passport as a pilot project in various Regional Passport Offices across the country, and the Hyderabad RPO is one of them. This is an MEA’s initiative to implement advanced technology to improve public services, and the introduction of e-chip passports is a significant step in that direction.

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“This new initiative ensures enhanced security features through the incorporation of e-Chip technology in every passport issued to citizens in Telangana,” she said.

An e-passport is a passport embedded with an electronic microprocessor chip that stores biometric and personal information of the passport holder. This chip-based e-passport complies with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and offers enhanced security against tampering and is less prone to forgery.

“The passport holders need not worry about the existing passports also called ‘machine readable passport’ (MRP) that they are currently using. They can use them till the passport’s validity expires. They will get e-Chip passports once they have applied (after the expiry of their passport is over) online and completed the process,” the RPO said

The e-Chip passport’s validity is ten years for adults and five years for children as similar to the existing passport.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad RPO has improved appointment cycle of 1 to 10 working days for normal passports, and 1 to 5 working days for Tatkal service. The Hyderabad RPO is processing an average of 4,200 applications daily and has handled approximately 9.02 lakh applications in 2024. These included passport issuance, Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), and other related services.

The RPO Hyderabad is currently operating five PSKs – Begumpet, Ameerpet, Tolichowki in the city, and one PSK each in Nizamabad and Karimnagar, across Telangana. Apart from these, the RPO is also handling another 14 ‘Post Office PSKs’ (POPSKs) in Telangana.

Key features of e-Passport:

• Embedded chip on the front cover of the passport (in gold colour)

• Stores biometric details, including the passport holder’s fingerprints, photograph, and iris scan

• e-Chip passport also stores demographic data, including passport holder’s name, date of birth, and passport number

• Contactless chip with secure access

• Pages in the e-Chip passport made of a special material that is resistant to tampering and forgery

• Passport number is unique to each individual, providing an additional layer of security

• Digital signature of the issuing authority

Steps to apply for the e-Chip Passport:

– Visit the Passport Seva Portal: www.passportindia.gov.in

– Register/Login, fill out the application form

– Select your PSK or POPSK

– Pay applicable passport fees: For normal: Rs 1,500 for a 36-page booklet & for Tatkal: Rs 3,500

– Schedule an appointment

– Visit PSK/POPSK for biometric data collection and document verification