Smart Chip Passports Now Available for Indians in UAE
Indian expatriates can now get their ePassport with embedded chips through a new online portal. The upgraded Global Passport Seva Program (GPSP 2.0) will issue these chip-embedded travel documents to all passport applicants from October 28, 2025. These new Indian passports come with advanced technology that stores digitized holder information in an electronic chip and enables quick clearance at immigration checkpoints worldwide.
The smart-chip passports provide improved security through Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) solutions that safeguard the digital information. Biometric data stored in embedded microchips aligns Indian travel documents with international passport standards. The upgraded platform allows applicants to upload documents and make edits without extra charges, so the waiting times at BLS Centers have reduced significantly.
Indian Missions Launch Smart Chip Passports in UAE
Image Source: Times of India
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General in Dubai launched their upgraded Passport Seva Program (GPSP 2.0) on October 28, 2025. This change affects UAE’s entire Indian expatriate community of 4.3 million people who make up about 35% of UAE’s population.
Both diplomatic offices announced that passport services will now run exclusively through the new online portal at https://mportal.passportindia.gov.in/gpsp/AuthNavigation/Login[51]. UAE’s previous passport system stopped working on October 27, 2025.
The new system offers simplified processes. Applicants must register on the portal and generate applications from their homepage before printing the submitted form. They then need to schedule appointments through BLS International’s website. The final step requires applicants to visit their BLS center with supporting documents.
This new technology marks the most important advancement in India’s passport services abroad. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that existing passports will work until they expire, so holders can choose when to replace them.
Indian missions believe this digital revolution will create a faster, more transparent, and user-friendly passport process for UAE’s large Indian community.
What Makes the New Indian ePassport Different?
Image Source: Keesing Platform – Keesing Technologies
India’s new ePassport represents a major technological leap from traditional paper passports. A small gold-colored symbol on the front cover identifies these biometric travel documents. They contain an RFID chip and antenna hidden inside the passport cover.
Traditional passports only show visible information. The ePassport stores printed data and digitally signed electronic records. The secure chip contains:
- Biometric data including the holder’s photograph and fingerprints
- Personal information like name, date of birth, and passport number
- Digital signatures from authorities who issued the passport
The next-generation passports use advanced security protocols that make forgery much harder. The chip’s data stays protected through globally accepted encryption standards. These include Basic Access Control (BAC), Passive Authentication (PA), and Extended Access Control (EAC).
PKI technology forms the security backbone to verify stored data’s authenticity and integrity. This technology blocks unauthorized access and confirms information legitimacy at border controls worldwide.
The ePassport boosts international travel through better identity checks at automated border control systems and e-gates. India has joined over 120 countries that use these ICAO-compliant biometric passports. Other nations include the US, Canada, France, Japan, and Australia. This advancement puts Indian travel documents at the same level as global standards.
How Can Indian Expats Apply for the ePassport?
Image Source: Gulf News
The new Indian ePassport application process in the UAE works through a digital system on the Global Passport Seva Program (GPSP 2.0) portal. Indian nationals need to register on the official website by clicking the “Register” link at https://mportal.passportindia.gov.in/gpsp/AuthNavigation/Login.
The application process requires you to:
- Log in with your registered credentials
- Generate a new application from the Applicant Home Page
- Complete and submit the form online
- Print the submitted application form
- Book an appointment through BLS International’s website: https://indiavisa.blsinternational.com/uae/appointment/bls_appmnt/login
You need ICAO-compliant photographs that meet international standards before your appointment. All passport photos must meet these requirements by September 1, 2025. BLS centers are “fully equipped to follow ICAO standards by trained staff.”
The new system comes with practical benefits. You can upload your ICAO-compliant photographs, signatures, and supporting documents directly to the portal. This feature substantially reduces your waiting time at BLS centers. On top of that, it lets you make minor corrections to applications at BLS centers without retyping forms and saves you from extra charges for edits.
Your traditional passport stays valid until it expires, so you can choose when to replace it with the new ePassport.
Indian expatriates in the UAE will benefit from the new ePassports, which serve 4.3 million residents. These modern travel documents come with embedded chips that meet international standards and provide better security through encrypted protocols. The electronic chip technology makes immigration clearance faster at airports worldwide by improving identity checks.
Passport services abroad have changed completely with the launch of Global Passport Seva Program 2.0 portal. All new applications now follow a simple online process. Current passport holders can keep using their documents until they expire. This practical solution lets expatriates adapt to the new technology at their own pace.
The new system brings real advantages to applicants. People can now upload their documents online and spend less time at BLS centers. The system also lets users fix minor mistakes without filling out new forms or paying extra fees. While everyone needs time to learn the new procedures, Indian missions have clearly put user convenience first.
India has joined more than 120 countries that use ICAO-compliant biometric passports. This move shows India’s dedication to giving its overseas citizens modern and secure identification. The UAE’s Indian diplomatic missions launched this service together to help their large community. Smart chip passports are more than just an upgrade – they help Indian nationals in the Emirates travel more easily across borders.
