e Passports For Indians By 2013?

Indian travelers will soon have access to their own e-passports, a concept introduced in almost all developed countries this year. The technology involves a microchip that contains the digitized facial image and personal details of the holder as it appears on the data page. These Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are being introduced to cut down on human error of immigration officials and paperwork, speed up the processing of visitors and safeguard against counterfeit passports. However, critics point out that the security threats involved with such a system may well outweigh the benefits thanks to the complexity of the technology. Since the technology requires co-ordination between the silicon chips and antennae to access data, experts fear the data could be “skimmed,” or read remotely without the bearer’s knowledge. Moreover, the RFID can give access to IDs easily, making it simpler to hack into passports. Despite the security concerns, the e passports will be out for Americans this August, although Indians will have to wait till 2013.If things work in its favor, all Indian passports, existing and new ones will be electronic soon.