Indian residents in the UAE looking to renew their passports are to be issued with a "next generation" document, as part of a push to cut down on airport waiting times and curb fraud.
Indian missions in the country began issuing the e-passport, which is fitted with a chip containing digital data about the holder, on October 28. Authorities said the upgraded document would help to ease the immigration process for hundreds of millions of citizens all over the world.
The country joins more than 140 states, including the US and UAE, that use e-passports.
Indians in the UAE have been informed their current passports will remain valid, with the new document to be issued when they come to renew.
“This is an important reform introduced by the government of India in the passport system for Indian citizens both in India and abroad,” A Amarnath, charge d’affaires of the Indian embassy in the UAE, said at a media briefing in Dubai on Thursday.
“The e-passport is a next-generation travel document as per global best practices, combining the traditional passport document with advanced technology. The biggest enhancement in the e-passport is the embedded chip that is an added security feature. It is essentially a digital copy of the information that is otherwise contained physically in the passport.
"It also means that if somebody tries to fake the passport, it will be easily detectable when they travel across immigration. This is an important feature to prevent forgery or tampering of passport documents issued to Indian citizens.”
The UAE is home to more than four million Indian citizens, making it the country's largest diaspora. About 400 Indian passports are printed in Abu Dhabi every day, with about 1,200 produced every day in Dubai.
Biometric process
The e-passports issued in India will capture biometric information of citizens, including fingerprints and eye scans. Collection of biometric data has still to begin in the UAE so citizens in the country will not yet go through the process.
Senior diplomats said passports issued previously would continue to be valid. Upgrading the country's passports "is a very important step in terms of making services easy, accessible and secure for Indian citizens and aligning it with global practices", said Satish Kumar Sivan, India's consul general in Dubai.
“Your existing passport, or old passport, is good for travel purposes. So your old passport will be valid for the entire period – five years or 10 years, so you don't have to change your passport. But from October 28, if there is a renewal, that will be an e-passport.”
The turnaround time to issue a passport in the UAE will remain 48 hours, the diplomats said. They urged citizens to be patient while uploading documents and photographs into the new online portal.
“There may be minor delays in the initial few weeks, but we expect the system to stabilise,” Mr Amarnath said. “Our intention is very clear that we aim to turn around the passports efficiently.”
No additional fees
There will be no extra charges for the e-passport. A new online portal has also been launched in to which a photograph, supporting documents and signature must be submitted ahead of seeking an appointment at BLS International, the official Indian passport service centre.
Uploading all data in the system will slash wait times at the centre. The new online system will contain all the old passport data so citizens will not require to fill out previous information.
Unlike the earlier system, minor changes and corrections in the application can be made without paying an additional fee.
Officials said only ICAO compliant high resolution photographs that meet the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation will be accepted.
Further details are available on the website of the Consulate General of India Dubai.
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Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
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Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
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Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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- Price: Not announced yet
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Install an air filter in your home.
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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
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New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
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What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
