Govt reveals expected launch date for new e-passport service

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is planning to launch a new e-passport service from May this year, ARY News reported.

According to details, a microchip with all biometric information of an individual would be embedded in each e-passport to help authenticate the identity of the traveller.

Now, 2 pictures of the passport holder will be displayed on the main page of the new e-passport. The launch of the e-passport service will also help the airport authorities to complete the travel procedure within the shortest span of time.

The new e-passport can also accept additional information that may be required in the future and can only be added by the Pakistani immigration and passport authorities.

The introduction of e-passports that can neither be forged nor copied would be the most important step in this regard.

On the other hand, the installation of e-gates for e-passport service has not completed by the authorities. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) holds the responsibility to install e-gates.

The interior ministry had also launched an SMS service to inform people six months prior to the expiry of their passports.

Last week, the federal government had notified a cut in the fee of a 10-year passport after Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed announced the decision.

According to a notification issued by the Director-General Immigration, the fee of the 10-year passport is set at Rs4500 for the normal procedure and Rs7500 for an urgent procedure.

Earlier, according to the online portal of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, Rs 5400 were charged for the routine process of a 10-year passport while Rs9000 were charged for an urgent process.