Biometric Passports: Features, How They Work and Benefits

It’s a fact that you can save a significant amount of time while you travel abroad with the help of biometric passports. With these, you no longer need to wait in queues for long periods of time, as it gets examined within a matter of seconds. Moreover, these are much safer options than regular passports.

Wondering how? Keep reading to know more.

What Is a Biometric Passport?

A biometric passport also called an e-Passport or a digital passport contains an integrated microchip containing all of your personal data. It has the international biometric emblem at the bottom of the front cover and otherwise has the same appearance as a conventional passport.

E-Passports were introduced in 2006 to combat the growing threat of identity theft and terrorism.

What Are the Features of E-Passport?

The E-passport remains valid for 5 to 10 years and depends on the applicant's age. There are 41 security features in these passports. A few features of an e-passport are as follows:

Chip's memory will have a capacity of 64 kilobytes
Your biometric data will be kept on file in the electronic passport
The chip will have the holder's photograph and 10-finger fingerprints on it
The embossed holographic graphics on the electronic passport will change colour when moved under the light
Your demographic data will be kept on file in the electronic passport
In order to make the document more secure, your iris scans will be there
Your coloured photograph and digital signature

How Does an E-Passport Work?

A tiny silicon chip with 64 kilobytes of memory is integrated into the jacket of the e-passports. This chip contains all important security-related information, such as the applicants’ digitally signed personal information. The front and back covers of the passports are probably thicker, and reading them might take a few more seconds.

These new passports can potentially store up to 30 visits. Additionally, they will each have a distinctive digital signature that can be easily validated with a certificate.

When someone makes a passport authentication attempt with malicious intent, such as tampering with the chip, the system will be able to detect it and will fail immediately.

What Are the Documents Required for an e-Passport?

Here are the document requirements for a biometric passport that first-time applicants will need:

Any Proof of Address - It can include your Aadhaar card, water bill, electricity bill, proof of gas connection, telephone bill, rent agreement, or passbook of any active bank account with a photo attached to it.

Moreover, applicants must note that they have to present details of all the places they have resided in for the previous year.

Proof of Birth - Include the applicant's birth certificate from any legitimate authority, driving license, voter card, Aadhaar card, life insurance policy in the name of the applicant, transfer, matriculation, or school leaving certificate.

Individuals already having regular passports but are applying for re-issuance require to submit the following documents:

Observation page
Original passport
ECR or non-ECR page
Photocopy of the first and last page of the passport

How to Know If You Have a Biometric Passport?

Since 2010, if you've requested a new passport, it will be biometric. The front page of your passport is the ideal place to start if you're unsure. If there is a little camera-shaped mark near the bottom, your passport is biometric.

What Are the Benefits of a Biometric Passport?

Besides knowing the meaning of biometric passports, one should also know its benefits. A few of the benefits of biometric passports are:

By adding more security mechanisms, it lessens the risk of identity fraud
It incorporates biometric data like fingerprints, iris, and faces. These details aid in the identification of e-passport holders
It aids in the discovery of fake documents
The e-passports are exceedingly challenging to change as a result. As a result, it limits the entry of unauthorised people into any country using false documents
It defends citizens' right to privacy
If the chip is bent, the system will receive a warning, and it will prevent it from authenticating the passport

What Is the Difference Between a Biometric Passport and a Standard Passport?

The vast majority of passports in use today are machine-readable, which means that the identity page, also known as the data page, has printed information that an optical scanner can scan.

An e-Passport, on the other hand, is a regular passport with an embedded chip that contains the holder's personal information as well as trip information. E-passports add an extra layer of protection by further validating the bearer's identity and strengthening the connection between the passport and its owner when combined with additional digital security elements, such as biometrics.

Additionally, in use situations, the chip is anticipated to transmit data at airport counters in a matter of minutes, saving both travellers and airport workers time and hassle.

What Information Does a Biometric Passport Contain?

The following are the details on an e-passport that you can find:

The chip will have the holder's photograph and fingerprints on it
The embossed holographic graphics on the electronic passport will change color when moved under the light
Your biometric data

Now that you know what a biometric passport is, you now understand the significance of an e-Passport for both the government and the general public. This electronic chip-embedded passport will improve security and speed up the passport verification process when traveling.

FAQs About Biometric Passports

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Where can one use an e-passport?

At present, one can use an e-passport in 120 different countries worldwide. They can use it as document proof and for the purpose of traveling outside the country.

Which website can one use to apply for an e-passport in India?

To apply for an e-passport, individuals need to visit the Passport Seva website. Then they need to log in with their existing ID or register themselves.