Assalamu Alaikum - Indian residents in UAE to get new e-passports when they renew
Assalamu Alaikum - Just a heads up for Indians living in the UAE: from October 28 the Indian missions here started issuing a new e-passport that has a chip with digital data about the holder. The idea is to make immigration smoother, reduce queues at airports, and make it harder for forgeries.
Officials say this upgraded passport follows global best practices and joins over 140 countries using e-passports. If you already have a regular passport, it remains valid for its full period (five or ten years). You’ll get the e-passport only when you go to renew.
The new passport’s key feature is an embedded chip that stores a digital copy of your passport data, which helps immigration spot fakes more easily. In India the e-passports will include biometric details like fingerprints and eye scans. For those in the UAE, biometric collection hasn’t started yet, so you won’t go through that process immediately.
Consular staff say the UAE turnaround time will stay about 48 hours, though there might be small delays while the new online portal settles in. You’ll need to upload your photo, supporting documents and signature to the portal before booking an appointment at the official passport service centre. The portal will pre-fill previous passport data so you don’t have to retype everything, and minor corrections can be made without extra fees.
There’s no extra charge for the e-passport. Make sure your photo meets ICAO high-resolution guidelines - otherwise it won’t be accepted. For further practical details, check the Consulate General of India in Dubai’s official communications.
May Allah make travel easy for everyone.
https://www.thenationalnews.co