Five big changes to the Indian passport in 2025

The Indian authorities have introduced key updates to the Indian passport to improve security and efficiency. These updates will make journeys hassle-free and safer for Indian passport holders. These are the five major changes to the Indian passport in 2025.
E – passport
E–passports were launched this year. Although they look similar to physical passports, their chips store the biometric details of the passport holder to speed up security checks at airports and enhance security. Once your passport expires, an e-passport will be issued.

Birth certificate mandatory
A birth certificate has been made mandatory for applicants who were born after October 1, 2023. This is the only document that proves the date of birth for this section of applicants. However, those born before this date can submit a school certificate, PAN card, voter's ID, or driving licence to prove their date of birth.
No address on passport
Residential addresses will no longer appear on the last page of the passport. This step has been introduced to protect the privacy of the passport holder. Instead of printing the address on the physical passport, it will now be available digitally by scanning a barcode. So, the personal details of the passport holder, like the address, would only be accessible to the authorities.

Parents’ name would be removed
Indian passports will no longer have parents’ names to avoid unnecessary disclosure of personal data. This update is especially beneficial for families that prefer to keep their details private and for single parents.
Colour-coded passports
A colour-coding system will be introduced to easily identify different types of passports. This update will make immigration and security checks quicker and more efficient. Ordinary passports will be navy blue, while white passports are issued to government officials. The diplomatic passport is maroon, the emergency certificate has been colour-coded grey, and the immigration passports are orange.