The Indian government has implemented a comprehensive modernization of its passport system in 2025, marking one of the most significant overhauls since the Passport Seva Programme’s inception. These changes focus on enhanced security, improved privacy, accelerated processing, and broader accessibility across the country.
Core Digital Transformation: e-Passport & PSP 2.0
The most transformative development is the nationwide rollout of biometric e-Passports under Passport Seva Programme 2.0 (PSP 2.0), officially launched on June 24, 2025. India has joined over 120 countries in issuing chip-enabled passports.
The e-passport incorporates an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip storing encrypted personal and biometric data including fingerprints and facial features. These passports are visually identified by a small gold-colored symbol printed below the front cover. The technology adheres to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, ensuring global compatibility.
Security Features of e-Passports:
The RFID chip employs multiple encryption layers including Basic Access Control (BAC), Extended Access Control (EAC), Passive Authentication (PA), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to prevent unauthorized access, cloning, and tampering. This dual-layer protection—combining printed information with digitally encrypted chip data—makes forgery significantly more difficult.
Major Changes to Passport Documentation & Personal Information
Birth Certificate Requirement (Mandatory for Applicants Born After October 1, 2023)
One of the most significant procedural changes requires individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, to submit an official birth certificate as the sole proof of date of birth. The certificate must be issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporation, or designated authorities under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
For individuals born before October 1, 2023, alternative documents continue to be acceptable, including Aadhaar cards, Voter ID, PAN cards, driving licenses, school leaving certificates, and other government-issued documents.
Removal of Residential Address from Passport
In a privacy-focused reform, residential addresses are no longer printed on the last page of passports. Instead, this information is digitally embedded in a barcode that immigration officials can scan when necessary. This change significantly reduces identity theft risks and unauthorized personal data exposure.
Removal of Parents’ Names
Parents’ or legal guardians’ names have been eliminated from passports, protecting family privacy and particularly benefiting children of single parents and separated families. This aligns Indian passports with international privacy standards where focus remains on individual identity.
Colour-Coded Passport System
India has introduced a simplified passport colour-coding system for immediate identification at immigration counters:
- Red Passports: Reserved for diplomats and high-ranking government personnel
- White Passports: Issued to government officials for official travel purposes
- Blue Passports: Standard issue for ordinary citizens (Emigration Check Required – ECR, and Emigration Check Not Required – ECNR holders)
This differentiation accelerates immigration processing and enables faster security verification.
Accelerated Processing Times
Passport Processing Time Comparison: Before vs After 2025 Rules
Normal Processing Reduction
Normal passport processing time (excluding police verification) has been reduced from approximately 30-45 days to just 7-10 working days, primarily due to automation under PSP 2.0. For passport reissues without police verification requirements, processing occurs within 7-10 working days.
Police Verification Acceleration
The introduction of the mPassport Police App has dramatically reduced police verification timelines. The app enables field officers to digitally upload verification reports directly from applicants’ homes, eliminating paperwork.
Verification time has been reduced from the previous 15 days to just 5-7 days in 25 states and union territories operating the digital system. In metro cities with the mPassport Police App, verification typically completes within 5-7 days, compared to the previous 7-10 days.
With both elements combined, total passport issuance now typically ranges from 7-10 days (without police verification requirement) to 30-45 days (with verification in slower-processing regions).
Tatkal (Emergency) Processing
Tatkal applications continue to be processed within 1-3 working days, meeting urgent travel requirements.
Expanded Service Access: Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs)
The government has announced a major expansion of the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra network, increasing from 442 POPSKs to 600 by 2028-29. This represents an expansion of approximately 158 additional centers.
- Increase the annual customer base from 35 lakh to 1 crore citizens over the next five years
- Extend passport services to rural and underserved areas
- Reduce the need for long-distance travel to passport offices
- Make services universally accessible in Lok Sabha constituencies lacking dedicated centers
The POPSK initiative, launched in 2017, has already served over 1.52 crore citizens, demonstrating its effectiveness in decentralizing services.
Revised Fee Structure (2025)
Passport fees remain unchanged since 2018, providing affordability and predictability:
| Passport Type | 36 Pages | 60 Pages | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal (Adult) | ₹1,500 | ₹2,000 | 10 years |
| Tatkal (Adult) | ₹3,500 | ₹4,000 | 10 years |
| Minor (Normal) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,500 | 5 years |
| Lost/Damaged (Reissue) | ₹3,000 | ₹3,500 | 10 years |
The stability in fee structure ensures accessibility for all economic segments.
Passport Seva Programme 2.0: Technological Framework
PSP 2.0 represents a complete overhaul of India’s passport service delivery system, featuring:
- State-of-the-art digital ecosystem with cloud infrastructure and automated workflows
- Advanced process automation reducing manual intervention and human error
- Real-time tracking allowing applicants to monitor application status
- Integrated stakeholder database connecting police, municipal authorities, and passport offices
- Enhanced cybersecurity with government ownership of data centers and databases
- Mobile van passport services bringing facilities directly to remote areas
- Online portal improvements with user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation
Impact Assessment on Indian Citizens
Positive Impacts:
Enhanced Security: e-Passports with RFID chips make forgery virtually impossible and reduce identity theft significantly.
Faster International Travel: Automated e-gates at airports enable quicker immigration processing, reducing queues and wait times.
Privacy Protection: Digital storage of residential addresses and removal of family information protects personal data from unauthorized exposure.
Improved Accessibility: POPSK expansion brings services to remote areas, eliminating the need for long-distance travel for rural citizens.
Faster Processing: Combined efforts of PSP 2.0, mPassport Police App, and digital systems reduce total processing time by up to 50% in well-connected areas.
Concerns & Limitations:
While e-passports offer security advantages, researchers have identified potential RFID vulnerabilities, including skimming (unauthorized data reading), eavesdropping, and cloning risks. The 10-year validity period creates a window where encryption standards may become obsolete before passport expiry. The government has not provided comprehensive transparency regarding data access controls or limits on scanning by non-immigration entities.
Geographic Variations in Implementation
Metro Cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai)
- Police verification: 5-7 days
- Total processing: 12-17 days (with verification)
- Advanced PSKs with Saturday operations and automated systems
Tier-1 Cities
- Police verification: 7-14 days
- Total processing: 14-24 days
- Adequate PSK infrastructure and partial digitalization
Tier-2/3 Cities and Rural Areas
- Police verification: 14-30 days
- Total processing: 21-45 days
- Limited PSK presence (being addressed by POPSK expansion)
Timeline of Implementation
- April 1, 2024: e-Passport pilot project launched in selected cities (Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, and others)
- February 28, 2025: Official notification of amended Passport Rules regarding birth certificate requirements
- March 14, 2025: Biometric e-Passport rollout initiated at additional centers
- June 24, 2025: Nationwide rollout of PSP 2.0 and e-Passports announced
- 2028-29: Target completion of 600 POPSKs network
Who Benefits Most?
Primary Beneficiaries:
- Frequent international travelers (faster processing)
- Rural and remote area residents (POPSK expansion)
- Children of single parents (privacy from removal of family names)
- Young applicants born after Oct 1, 2023 (standardized documentation)
- Government employees (faster processing with exemptions)
Affected Applicants:
- Those with incomplete documentation (stricter requirements)
- Applicants in rural areas without POPSK (temporary inconvenience until 2029)
- Individuals with pending legal issues (stricter verification through mApp)