For the first time, Indian passport in UAE holders are seeing three different passport booklet designs in use at the same time. This rare moment has created curiosity among Indian expats and even a collector’s buzz among families.
The Indian passport in UAE now comes in three versions — the pre-2021 booklet, the 2021 redesigned version, and the latest ePassport with a chip and antenna. The new ePassport has been officially introduced by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai.
All three passports are valid until their expiry date. There is no need to replace older booklets unless it is time for renewal.
The easiest way to tell the designs apart is the cover. The 2021 version moved the words “Republic of India” to the top and “Passport” below the emblem. The new ePassport keeps the same layout but adds a small gold chip symbol at the bottom front cover.
The biggest change is in the numbering format. Older passports use one letter followed by seven digits, while the ePassport uses two letters and six digits.
The ePassport also comes with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip that stores personal and biometric data. This makes travel safer and prevents forgery.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the ePassport follows global security standards and ensures that the data cannot be changed or duplicated.
Indian missions in the UAE are expected to share more details soon.
