The government has made the process of passport issuance simple and liberal and there is working going on for an e-passport facility, said officials on Tuesday.
Talking about the welfare of Indians residing overseas at the inauguration of the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said passport and visa rules have been simplified and e-visa has enabled easier traveling for the Indians.
“Our Embassies and Consulates are being connected to the Passport Seva Project worldwide. This will prepare a centralized system connected to the passport service for all of you. Now, one step ahead, work is also going on for issuing chip-based e-passport,” said the Prime Minister.
“This will prepare a centralized system connected to the passport service for all of you,” he added. “Going one step ahead, work is on for issuing of the chip-based e-passport.”
Along with passport issuance, the rules related to visa are also being simplified, said Modi.
Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa division at the Ministry of External Affairs, at a briefing, said passport seva has been revolutionized for the past few years.
More than 290 passport centers have been opened in the country and the aim is to have such facilities in all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, he added.
“There has been an elaborate liberalization and simplification of the passport seva,” he said.
The world is moving towards e-passport and India too has decided to adopt this technology, said Mulay.
Talking about Indian citizen’s influence overseas, Narendra Modi said Indians overseas have helped the country in establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with.
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