Indian passport will no longer be valid as address proof

The Indian passport is all set to undergo certain changes making it look different.

The External Affairs Ministry has decided to issue a different coloured passport for certain categories and the printing of the last page with the address of the holder will be discontinued.

The Ministry said that it has decided to issue an orange jacket passport to holders with ECR (Emigration Check Required) status while those with non-ECR status will continue to be issued the blue passport.

In a statement, the MEA said, “As the last page of the passport would not be printed now, the passport holders with ECR (Emigration Check Required) status would be issued a passport with orange passport jacket and those with non-ECR status would continue to get a blue passport.”

The change would ease the ECR verification process, thereby, enabling quick emigration and avoiding long queues.

With the External Affairs Ministry deciding to issue a different coloured passport for certain categories, and discontinue printing of the last page, the Indian passport will look different.

The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement, said it has decided not to print the last page of the travel document with the address of the holder, and also to issue an orange jacket passport to holders with ECR (Emigration Check Required) status. Those will non-ECR status will continue to be issued the blue passport.

The removal of the last page would mean that passports may no longer serve as a valid proof of address.

As per the statement, “The move also helps resolve various issues pertaining to passport applications including examination of where mother/child had insisted that the name of the father should not be mentioned in the passport and also be relating to passport issues to children with a single parent and to adopted children.”

The new passport booklets would be designed by the Indian Security Press (ISP), Nasik, in due course.

The MEA said, “Till such time the new passport booklets are designed, manufactured and made available to the ministry by ISP, Nashik, the passports and other travel documents would continue to be printed with the last page.”