KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal has completed its preparation to issue E-Passport from coming year 2020. The government began to issue MRP (Machine Readable Passport) replacing the earlier hand-written passport since December 2010. After about 10 years since the MRP was launched, the government has made up its mind to go for E-passport. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has already concluded the international tender procedure not to miss out on the deadline fixed for next year – 2020.
The MoFA has followed all the mandatory guidelines given by International Aviation Organization (IAO) regarding issuance of E-passport. Ramkaji Khadka, Director of the Passport Department confirms the news saying that all the preliminary requirement and necessary procedures have already been completed by the present government for issuing the E-passport to the Nepalis. Those applying for E-passport record their personal details such as regarding print of retina and thumb impression, Khadka said. A micro-chip is inserted in the E-passport. Such facility is not present in the MRP. There is no point of getting duplicate E-passport through forgery as is the case with MRP.
Since both the passport department and consular office are under construction, it is being planned to issue the E-passport from a newly constructed building located in Tripureshwor.
In some of the modern airport terminals, E-passport is not even examined such is the level of reliability and confidentiality in case of E-passport. And there is no chance of any make-up and act-up by a carrier of E-passport. Such a possibility is very less. People sometimes use the MRP of others to fly to foreign countries by changing their appearance accordingly. Since sensors disclose the real identity of passport-carrier, there is almost nil chance of missing the E-passport. Since both the passport department and consular office are under construction, it is being planned to issue the E-passport from a newly constructed building located in Tripureshwor.
Passport department has recorded data according to which not less than 60,00,000 MRPs have already been issued in the last 10 years. Just 800,000 more MRPs are still left with the government and in another one and a half year, the government will have issued all these remaining MRPs. Of late, the passport department has been issuing 600,000 passports every year.
Expenses shot up twice
It is estimated that both the government as well as Nepalese citizens need to spend twice the money they paid for the issuance of MRP. As the cost exists today, it takes Rs 5,000 to get a new passport issued from one’s own district and Rs 10,000 from the capital. However, it will cost not less than Rs 12,000 to get E-passport issued. Director Khadaka says that the high cost for E-passport is all due to more cost money involved in making E-passport compared to the MRP.
E-passport in 114 countries
More than half of the world population crisscross the planet Earth from one continent to other and from one country to another in search of employment, education, tourism, and medical diagnosis by using the E-passport in the process. Till now, a total of 114 countries have issued E-passport to their citizens. International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) has already issued directive saying that no country will be issuing MRP to their citizens on/from 2025 and therefore, all countries need to streamline their passport office to issue E-passport henceforth. Nepal conforming to the directive of ICAA has already on the verge of issuing E-passport to its citizens.
Possibility of hacking the E-passport
Though E-passport is considered highly secured, but the possibility of hacking cannot be ruled out completely. Director Khadka explains two ways to hack the E-passport. A hacker can hack the chip of E-passport from a particularly noted distance or can simply go online to hack the E-passport once put to use for traveling any country. Therefore, the E-passport holder must be alert while using and carrying it, cautions Khadka.
Three types of passports
The government has issued three types of passports until now. Diplomatic passport of red color, the special passport of blue color and simple passport of green color for common citizens are in circulation at present in Nepal. A total of 601 diplomatic passports of red color and more than 15,000 special passports of blue color have been issued in the last one decade. Under the special service of speedy delivery of passport, the government has been charging Rs 15,000. Those who can wait for a day after applying for a passport to take a delivery tomorrow pay Rs 12,000. There are others who pay Rs 10,000 to take delivery of passport after 3 days from the day of filing an application for the same. Of course, there is always an option open for an applicant to apply for a passport from his/her own district on payment of only Rs 5,000.
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