Indian passport

An Indian passport is a passport issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India to Indian citizens for the purpose of international travel. It enables the bearer to travel internationally and serves as proof of the Republic of India citizenship as per the Passports Act (1967). The Passport Seva (Passport Service) unit of the Consular, Passport & Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs functions as the issuing authority and is responsible for issuing Indian passports on application to all eligible Indian citizens. Indian passports are issued at 97 passport offices located across India and at 197 Indian diplomatic missions abroad.

As of 31 December 2023, 6.5 percent (92,624,661) of Indian citizens possessed a valid passport, with Kerala having the highest number of passport holders of all Indian states. Previously, passports were not popular among the masses due to a time-consuming and complicated process and limited access to the passport facilitation centres located only in major cities. With the expansion of centres and technological improvements, accompanied by increased outsourcing of professionals and an expanding middle-class, the percentage is expected to go up.

History

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British Indian passport

British Indian Empire

British Indian passports were issued to British subjects of the British Indian Empire, as well as to British subjects from other parts of the British Empire, and subjects of the British protected states in India (i.e. British protected persons of the 'princely states'). These passports were introduced in British India after the First World War. The Indian Passport Act of 1920 required the use of passports, established controls on the foreign travel of Indians, and foreigners travelling to and within India. The passport was based on the format agreed upon by the 1920 League of Nations International Conference on Passports. However, the British Indian passport had very limited usage, being valid for travel only within the British Empire, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Sweden and Holland.

Dominion of India

The use of the passport was discontinued after the establishment of the Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan in 1947, and its bearers were entitled to opt for Indian, Pakistani or British nationality.

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Joint India-Pakistan passport issued to migrants to enable them to visit family, friends and ancestral homes located on the other side of the Radcliffe line.

Passport laws were made strict in both the countries in 1952. Initially, Indian passports were granted only to "respectable" people. A literacy test was required, and passports were denied to Communist Party of India members. Only in 1967 did the Supreme Court rule that every citizen had the right to a passport.

Types of Indian passport

• Template:Color box Ordinary Passport (Navy Blue) is issued to ordinary citizens for private travel, such as for vacation, study and business trips (36 or 60 pages). It is a "Type P" passport, where P stands for Personal. Since 2024, all Ordinary Passports issued have been ePassports, with a data chip embedded into the document from the Regional Passport Office of Nagpur and Bhubaneswar for trial. Post this, it will be implement in all RPOs of India.
• Template:Color box Official Passport (White cover) is issued to individuals representing the Government of India on official business, including members of the Indian Armed Forces stationed abroad. It is a "Type S" passport, S stands for Service. Since 2021, all Official Passports issued have been ePassports, with a data chip embedded into the document.
• Template:Color box Diplomatic Passport (Maroon cover) is issued to Indian diplomats, Members of Parliament, members of the Union Council of Ministers, certain high-ranking government officials and diplomatic couriers, as well as their dependants. Upon request, it may also be issued to high-ranking state-level officials travelling on official business. It is a "Type D" passport, with D standing for Diplomatic. Since 2008, all Diplomatic Passports have been ePassports, with a data chip embedded into the document. Many visa requirements normally applied to Indian citizens are waived for Diplomatic Passport holders.

In addition, select passport offices in India, as well as overseas missions, were authorised to issue regular India-Bangladesh Passport to Indian nationals resident in West Bengal and the North-Eastern States; India-Sri Lanka Passport to Indian nationals resident in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry; and the India-Pakistan Passport to Indian nationals whose ancestral homes lay on the other side of the Radcliffe Line. These three passports respectively permitted travel to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan only and were not valid for travel to other foreign countries. Both India and Bangladesh stopped issuing the India-Bangladesh Passport in 2013 due to changes in ICAO regulations.

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Indian Ordinary Biometric Passport Preview

Tatkaal and SVP

Tatkaal Passports (for urgent needs), and Short Validity Passport (SVP) are also available and these are likely considered Ordinary Passports once issued.

Biometric passports

Biometric passports are known as ePassports in India. In April 2024, The Union Government finally started the test rollout of Biometric Passports to ordinary citizens. It started with the testing of the project at Regional Passport Offices (RPO) in Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Ranchi. For example, in Tamil Nadu, the Regional Passport Office in Chennai started issuing e-passports on March 3, 2025. As of March 22, 2025, over 20,700 e-passports had already been distributed in the state, demonstrating a positive response from the public.

Post successful pilot launch and requisite certifications, it is be rolled out at remaining Regional Passport Offices across India in a phased manner starting in 2025 with an aim of completing it by mid-2025.

The new e-passport features a built-in antenna and an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip. These are both within the passport’s cover. This advanced design allows secure storage of the holder’s personal and biometric data.

Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0

On the occasion of the 13th Passport Seva Divas, held in June 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar commended the work of passport officials both within India and abroad. He highlighted their role in what he described as a “remarkable transformation” in passport service delivery over the past decade.

During the event, the Minister officially announced the nationwide implementation of e-passports, marking a significant advancement in the Indian passport infrastructure. He also unveiled updates under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which introduces the use of advanced and emerging technologies aimed at improving efficiency, security, and transparency in the issuance and management of passports.

In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar reiterated the government’s commitment to citizen-centric governance and praised the dedication of passport personnel who contributed to modernizing the passport delivery system.

Physical appearance

Early passports dating back to the British Empire were handwritten; in addition, more than a hundred thousand handwritten passports were issued between 1997 and 2000 with 20-year validity dates. These passports have been ruled invalid by the Indian government and holders must replace them with machine-readable versions with validity for 10 years due to ICAO regulations.

Versions prior to 2021 had deep bluish cover with golden coloured printing. The Emblem of India emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The words भारत गणराज्य in Devanagari and REPUBLIC OF INDIA were inscribed below the Emblem whereas पासपोर्ट in Devanagari and PASSPORT in English were inscribed above the emblem.

The latest version of 2021 has the official name of the country and "Passport" engravings' positions changed mutually. The passport has the passport number perforated. The pages have been re-designed.

The standard passport contains 36 pages, but frequent travellers can opt for a passport containing 60 pages.

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Bio-data page of an Indian Passport Issued from 2021 to present

Identity Information Page

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Bio-data page of an Indian passport issued from 2013 till 2021

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Bio-data page of an Indian passport issued prior to 2013

• The Bio data page contains the following information:
  • Type: P- Stands for "Personal", if it's a Diplomatic or Service passport then it listed as "D" or "S"
  • Code: (listed as IND for "India")
  • Nationality: भारतीय / INDIAN
  • Passport number
  • Surname
  • Given name(s)
  • Date of birth
  • Sex
  • Place of birth
  • Place of issue
  • Date of issue
  • Date of expiry
  • Photo of passport holder
  • Ghost picture of the passport holder (only passports issued since 2013)
  • Signature of the passport holder
  • The information page ends with the Machine Readable Passport Zone (MRZ).
• The Demographics page at the end of the passport book contains the following information:
  • Old passport no. with date and place of issue
  • File number

Passport note

All passports contain a note in Hindi and English, nominally from the President of India, addressing the authorities of all countries and territories:

The note bearing page is typically stamped and signed by the issuing authority (Passport Office) in the name of the President of India.

Languages

The text of Indian Passport is printed in Hindi and English, the two official languages of India. (As per article 343 of the Indian Constitution).

Emigration check

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A page in the Indian passport (issued before 2007) with Emigration check note. In passports issued after 2007, a blank first page means Emigration Check Not Required status.

Holders of Emigration Check Required (ECR) type passports need a clearance called an Emigration Check from the Government of India's Protector of Emigrants when going to selected countries on a work visa. This is to prevent the exploitation of Indian workers (especially the unskilled and less-educated) when going abroad, particularly to Middle Eastern countries. ECR type passport holders travelling on a tourist visa do not need a clearance; this is known as an Emigration Check Suspension.

Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) status passports are granted to:

• Indian nationals born abroad;
• Indian nationals holding at least a matriculation certificate;
• All holders of diplomatic or official passports.
• All gazetted government servants;
• All income-tax payers (including agricultural income-tax payers) in their individual capacity;
• All graduate and professional degree holders (such as architects, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, scientists, lawyers, etc.);
• Spouses and dependent children of category of certain holders of ECNR passports;
• Seamen in possession of a continuous discharge certificate;
• Sea Cadets and Deck Cadets who have:
  • Passed their final examination on a three-year BSc Nautical Sciences Course at TS Chanakya, Mumbai; and
  • Undergone three months' pre-sea training at any of the government-approved training institutes such as TS Chanakya, TS Jawahar, TS Rehman, Maritime Training Institute (SCI), or National Institute of Personnel Management, Chennai, after production of identity cards issued by the Shipping Master at Mumbai, Kolkata, or Chennai;
• Persons holding a Permanent Immigration Visa, such as visas issued by the UK, USA, or Australia;
• Persons possessing a two years' diploma from any institute recognized by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) or the State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT), or persons holding a three years' diploma or equivalent degree from an institution such as a polytechnic recognized by the union or a state government;
• Nurses possessing qualifications recognised under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947;
• All persons above the age of 50 years;
• All persons who have been staying abroad for more than three years (whether in one continuous period or in aggregate), as well as their spouses;
• All children up to the age of 18 years.

In accordance with a ruling by the Ministry of External Affairs, passports issued from 2007 onwards do not have the ECNR stamp affixed; instead, a blank page 2 of the passport is deemed to have been ECNR endorsed. As a result, only ECR stamps are now affixed to Indian passports. For passports issued before January 2007, no notation in the passport means ECR. For passports issued in or after January 2007, no notation in the passport means ECNR. If Emigration Check is Required, there will be an endorsement in the passport regarding ECR.

Features

Since 25 November 2015, Indian passports that are handwritten or with an original date of expiry extending to 20 years have not been valid under ICAO travel regulations. With more recent Indian passports the personal particulars of the passport holder, that were hitherto printed on the inner cover page, are printed on the second page of the document. Another added security feature in the newer non-handwritten passports is a ghost picture of the holder found on the right side of the second page. Apart from stymieing criminals from printing fake passports, recent changes also help prevent smudging of the document because of inkjet printers.

Fees

The price for a standard passport in India:

• Template:Indian Rupees1500 – Fresh issuance or reissue of passport (36 pages, standard size) with 10-year validity.
• Template:Indian Rupees2000 – Fresh issuance or reissue of passport (60 pages, 'jumbo' size) with 10-year validity.
• Template:Indian Rupees3500 – First time applicant or renewal with expedited ('tatkaal') service (36 pages) with 10-year validity.
• Template:Indian Rupees4000 – First time applicant or renewal with expedited ('tatkaal') service (60 pages) with 10-year validity.
• Template:Indian Rupees1000 – Fresh passport issuance for minors (below 18 years of Age) with 5-year validity or till the minor attains the age of 18, whichever is earlier.
• Template:Indian Rupees3000 – Duplicate passport (36 pages) in lieu of lost, damaged or stolen passport.
• Template:Indian Rupees3500 – Duplicate passport (60 pages) in lieu of lost, damaged or stolen passport.

Indian passports can also be issued outside India, for which fees vary by country.

Senior Citizens and children below 8 years get 10% discount as per official Fee Structure

Issuance

Passport Seva Kendra

In September 2007, the Indian Union Council of Ministers approved a new passport issuance system under the Passport Seva Project. As per the project, front-end activities of passport issuance, dispatch of passports, online linking with police, and Central Printing Unit for centralised printing of passports will be put in place. The new system is trying to be 'timely, transparent, more accessible and reliable manner' for passport issuance. The applicant has to apply for fresh/reissue of passport through the Passport Seva system at one of the 77 Passport offices known as "Passport Seva Kendra"s operating throughout the country.

Biometric passport

India calls Biometric Passport as ePassport.

India initiated the first phase of biometric Biometric-passport for Diplomatic passport holders in India and abroad. The new passports have been designed locally by the Central Passport Organisation, the India Security Press and IIT Kanpur. In the first phase new passports will have a 64KB chip carrying a photograph of the passport holder and in subsequent phases it will have fingerprints.

India initiated the first phase deployment of Biometric Passports in 2008, only to diplomatic passport holders. On 25 June 2008 Indian Passport Authority issued the first Biometric passport to Pratibha Patil, the then President of India.

Since 2008, the Government had plans to issue e-passports to all of its citizens. The Government has authorised Indian Security Press to float a global three-stage tender for procurement of ICAO-compliant electronic contactless inlays along with its operating system, which is required for the manufacture of Biometric Passports. The necessary procurement have been initiated by India Security Press, Nasik by calling for Global tender for the supply of electronic contactless inlays.

During the 2022 Union budget of India speech, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Biometric Passports with embedded chip will be rolled out in 2022–23. The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that the digital passport will allow greater security for personal data as well as smoother immigration process.

In April 2024, The Government has finally started the test rollout of Biometric Passports to ordinary citizens. It started with the testing of the project at Regional Passport Offices (RPO) in Bhubaneswar and Nagpur. Post successful pilot launch and requisite certifications, it will be rolled out at remaining Regional Passport Offices across India in a phased manner in 2025.

Passport power and visa requirements

Visa requirements for Indian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of India.

Passport Power Ranking and visa-free travel

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Visa requirements for Indian citizens

  Republic of India

  Freedom of movement

  Visa not required

  Visa available both on arrival or online (eVisa)

  Visa on arrival

  eVisa

  Visa required prior to arrival

Template:As of, Henley Passport Index ranks Indian passport at 85th place, with visa-free or visa on arrival access to 57 nations and territories to Indian citizens.

The Passport Index currently ranks the Indian passport at 69th place out of 199 passports on global ranking with a mobility score of 75 (based on visa-free or visa on arrival access to nations or territories).

Indian citizens are allowed to live, work, and study in Nepal under the provisions laid out by the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Foreign travel statistics

According to the statistics these are the numbers of Indian visitors to various countries in 2017 (unless otherwise noted)

Gallery of historic images

• British Indian passport issued during the colonial days
  British Indian passport issued during the colonial days
• Indian passport, valid only for India-Pakistan travel, issued to migrants to enable them to visit family, friends and ancestral homes located on the other side of the Radcliffe line
  Indian passport, valid only for India-Pakistan travel, issued to migrants to enable them to visit family, friends and ancestral homes located on the other side of the Radcliffe line
• Passport issued by the Dominion of India (1947–1950)
  Passport issued by the Dominion of India (1947–1950)
• Cover of a passport (1986)
  Cover of a passport (1986)
• Passport Cover (used till March 2021)
  Passport Cover (used till March 2021)
• Indian Ordinary Passport (2021)
  Indian Ordinary Passport (2021)
• Indian Official Passport (2021)
  Indian Official Passport (2021)
• Indian Diplomatic Passport (2021)
  Indian Diplomatic Passport (2021)
• Indian Ordinary Passport (2024) with Biometric Passport logo
  Indian Ordinary Passport (2024) with Biometric Passport logo

See also

• Visa requirements for Indian citizens
• Visa policy of India
• Indian nationality law
• Overseas Citizenship of India
• The Passports Act

External links

• Template:Official website