INDIA – Handwritten Passports to Become Invalid
November 27, 2015
The Indian government has announced that handwritten passports or passports valid for 20-years may no longer be accepted by foreign embassies and consulates as of November 24, 2015. The U.S. Embassy in India has already stated that handwritten Indian passports will no longer be recognized for obtaining a visa, as of this date.
Handwritten passports have been discontinued since 2001 but many Indian nationals still hold these outdated passports that are handwritten or valid for 20 years. The Indian government continues to encourage Indian nationals to obtain new passports.