Government of India

Ministry of External Affairs

CPV Division

(Patiala House, Tilak Marg , New Delhi )

No.VIII/410/1/2013

Dated:9th December 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 (MRP's) 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-complaint 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.
For more details related passport service , passport website (www.passportindia.gov.in ) or the national call centre (toll free no: 1800 - 258 - 1800) may be accessed