KATHMANDU: The Nepal government is replacing Machine Readable Passport (MRP) with an e-passport starting today.

The service will begin from the new office building of the Department of Passport based at Tripureshwor, said Director General of the Department Dornath Aryal.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka will unveil the e-passport amidst a ceremony at 2 pm today. According to Aryal, the new passport has a revised map of Nepal with the emblem of of Nepal on its cover.

The Department of Passport has a policy to gradually replace MRP with e-passport.

The service seekers can obtain the e-passport withing a single day. The Department had signed an agreement with a French company IDEMIA Identity and Security to this effect for Rs 2,480,000,000 in 2020.