Public Notice - Machine Readable Passports - Government of India

[caption id="attachment_1544" align="alignleft" width="300"] Indian Government Has Released a Public Notice for Replacement of Non Machine Readable Passports with Machine Readable Passports by November 2015.[/caption] Government of India Ministry of External Affairs CPV Division (Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi) No. VIII/410/1/2013 PUBLIC NOTICE

1. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24th November 2015 for globally phasing out all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). From 25th November 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny visa or entry to any person travelling with a non-MRP passport.

2. All handwritten passports with pasted photos earlier issued by Government of India are considered non-MRP passports. All 20-year validity passports will also fall in this category. The Government started issuing MRP passports since 2001. All new Indian passports are ICAO-compliant MRP passports.

3. Indian citizens residing in India and abroad and holding handwritten passports as well as 20-year passports with validity beyond the 24th November 2015, should, therefore, apply for re-issue of passports and obtain MRP passports well before the deadline in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining foreign visa or immigration problem.

Source:  Passport Seva (Ministry of External Affairs), Govt. of India