Will ensure efficacy of e-passport security features, says Jaishankar

New Delhi, February 4

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said all care was being taken regarding security aspects of e-passports which would be rolled out in the coming months.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister said the e-passports would be secured by the digital signature of the issuing country, which would provide data authentication to countries citizens would travel to.

Certain digital keys will also verify e-passports at multiple stages. “The current Passport Seva Project includes robust safeguards for data privacy as well as adequate measures for data security. Passport data is used for the specific purpose for which it is obtained,” Jaishankar said.

“The digital signature which will secure the data will be sent to other countries for recognition purposes. The e-passports will ensure multiple layered security as the data will be on paper such as regular passports and also on the verified chips,” he said.

The minister said the transfer of existing visa citations would not be required in the case of e-passport as they would continue to have physical visa pages.

The government was planning to issue e-passports to its citizens, starting in 2022-23, said Jaishankar.

This will be a combined paper and electronic passport, with an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID chip) and antenna embedded as an inlay in the back cover. The passport’s critical information will be printed on its data page as well as stored in the chip.

No need to transfer existing visa citations

The transfer of existing visa citations will not be required in case of e-passport as these will continue to have physical visa pages. — S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister