India’s transition to electronic passports has reached a major milestone, with officials confirming that over 80 lakh e-passports have been issued within the country since May 2025, alongside 62,000 issued by Indian missions abroad. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the shift is now fully operational for all applicants.

“Every citizen who is applying for a new passport or renewal will now receive an e-passport. Since 28 May 2025, all passports issued in India are e-passports,” said DS Mubarak, Joint Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa).

A New Verification System

According to officials, the upgrade marks a fundamental shift in identity validation.

“Version 1.0 captured biometrics; Version 2.0 compares the live biometric data of the applicant with the data already available

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