Indian citizens living in the UK, India or abroad have been advised to urgently replace their handwritten passports with machine readable counterparts, to ensure hassle free travel. This passport rule is also applicable to other countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and other South Asian countries. The International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO) set a deadline of the 24th November 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-machine Readable Passports (MRPs).
Thereafter, other countries hold the rights to deny visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-machine readable passport.
The Government of India has been issuing Machine Readable Passports since 2001. The Passports, However, issued before 2001 and particularly those issued during mid 1990s with a validity of 20 years will fall in this category. By the end of October 2015, it is estimated that there are approximately 250,000 handwritten passports are still in circulation. Approximately 6.2 million Indians hold valid passports.
Indian citizens residing in UK, India or abroad and holding such passports with validity beyond the 24th November 2015 should apply for re-issue of their passports in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining valid visa or international travel.
The Government of India has advised that all passport issuing authorities in India and abroad have instituted a simple and fast track procedure for renewal of passports.
For more details related to Indian passport services logon to: www.passportindia.gov.in
