Starting 17 November 2021, Nepal’s Department of Passport will start issuing electronic passports (e-passports) to citizens who apply for new or renewed passports.
Until now, Nepal has been issuing Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). The government will gradually replace existing MRPs with e-passports, although for the first few days they will distribute a limited number of e-passports. In order to move the data of the MRP system to the new system, and to make the printing work effective, the department is preparing to distribute both passport formats during the transition period. The department plans to convert e-passport distribution into full service within a week.
The features of Nepal’s e-Passport include the following:
- An electronic chip that contains the personal biometric data of the holder.
- The document has 64 pages.
- The second page is a polycarbonate data page.
- Images on the remaining pages depict Nepalese heritage, culture, livelihood, wildlife and places. The national flag of Nepal and the Lophophorous (a pheasant native to Himalayan forests and shrublands) appear on the inside page of the first and last cover of the e-passport.
Sources:
Government of Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Passports
Fiscal Nepal
Hamro Global Media
Khabar Hub
Online Khabar
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