Passport is not proof of citizenship, says MEA
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday has clarified that an Indian passport is not a conclusive proof of citizenship, it should be treated as just a travel document, as per reports.
On the occasion of Passport Seva Divas, officials said that while passports are issued to Indian citizens, their primary purpose is to facilitate international travel and establish identity abroad.
Earlier this year, during the hearing on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, the Supreme Court observed that Aadhaar is not conclusive proof of citizenship but only a document of identity.
The statement of MEA has raised questions among people regarding which documents are officially accepted as proof of citizenship.
Meanwhile, officials highlighted improvements in passport services, stating that processing time has been reduced to as little as five working days in several cases.
The average time spent by applicants at Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) has also come down to less than 45 minutes due to technology-based reforms and streamlined procedures, as per reports.
A major development discussed during the briefing was the nationwide rollout of chip-enabled e-passports.
Since May last year, newly issued Indian passports have included secure electronic chips containing biometric data and security features as per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, as per officials.
