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Travel E-Passport – Benefits and Future Prospects

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In the Budget Speech 2022, FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced that India will soon issue electronic passports with integrated chips. This financial year, e-passports with integrated chips will be introduced to facilitate international travel. These chip-enabled e-Passports along with the highly recommended travel insurance coverage will offer increased security capabilities and will provide residents with a much better experience. The e-passports will preserve biometric information while also making it easier to go through immigration checkpoints throughout the world.

What is a Travel e-passport?

An electronic passport can be defined as a worldwide tourist document that includes identifying information such as passport details, name, nationality, date of birth, and a digital microprocessor chip carrying details such as biometrics, photos, and signatures. Biometric passports are scanned using specialised equipment.

To increase travel document protection and traceability, an e-Passport integrates chip-enabled passports with a biometric ID card. It is equivalent to a regular passport in regards to registration, verification, as well as information.

What are the advantages of having an e-Passport?

Here are some of the benefits of an e-Passport over a regular Passport.

1. Saves Time

Passengers using an electronic passport do not have to wait for long periods because it could be reviewed in a couple of seconds.

2. Easier Tracking

It maintains track of passenger's biometric information for easy tracking. Data breaches and the production of fake passports can be prohibited as a result.

3. Authenticity

If an e-passport authentication is tampered with, it will automatically fail. To avoid redundancy, the e-Passport procedure contains many levels of protection.

4. Safety

No one can wipe information from an e-passport, which raises the element of safety. The measure will also help to reduce the number of fake passports on the street.

How does it help an Average Person during the Pandemic?

Despite the decreasing pace of COVID-19, foreign travel is expected to pick up soon. Innovative solutions like e-passports will boost security while also making international travellers' lives easier by minimising long lines at customs. The biometrics on the electronic chip may be compared to both the passenger as well as the travel paperwork being submitted. This will help in the faster recovery of global tourism in a pandemic-affected context.

It's worth mentioning that the e-passport's improved security features will make it much more acceptable to a wider variety of nations. It also implies that the list of nations where an Indian passport bearer can travel visa-free is likely to grow.

What is the future of e-Passport?

The method for submitting an application for a fresh passport will remain the same, as will travel insurance. The Ministry of External Affairs plans to provide electronic passports to all 36 Indian passport offices. The issuing method will remain unchanged. Over 120 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany, have previously accepted the e-passport model, which includes the biometric e-passport infrastructure.

To transition away from printed documents, the government will start distributing e-passports this year, all equipped with integrated electronic chips. Although the procedure will not be completely paperless because services like visa stamping will still exist, it will considerably reduce the need for paperwork by automating the process as much as feasible.

The introduction of e-passports with integrated chips is a positive step for the Indian travel and tourism sector since it will make international travel easier, allowing more individuals to travel abroad. This would increase the influx of international tourists making the country a top choice for international vacation spots for people around the world. The move will also enhance security, first and foremost, because it would be difficult for criminals to forge or steal an e-passport.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the introduction of e-passports with embedded chips is an important development for the travel and tourism industry. Holders of these new passports will be able to cross international borders more easily, making international travel a less stressful affair for people from all walks of life. Perhaps you should consider getting an e-passport when your current one expires. However, in regards to additional security, while travelling, we still highly recommend buying travel insurance. A travel insurance plan is a one-of-a-kind policy that provides financial assistance if something goes awry while you are on a trip. It covers a variety of circumstances, such as medical crises, money theft, passport loss, airline cancellation, as well as missing luggage. They are tailored to meet individual needs and will pay for most unexpected events on your trip. The coverage of these plans is also top-notch, and you can expect to receive fair and timely payment for covered events when you need them most.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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