Do not deface passportcover, says MEA in stern warning to travel agents
Hyderabad: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has asked passport holders to ensure the travel document’s cover is not defaced. It also sent a communication to this effect to the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Hyderabad.
On Thursday, regional passport officer Dasari Balaiah released the MEA’s stern warning through an official statement to the media here. “The outer cover of the Indian passport carries the national emblem with Ashoka Chakra and has security features. Pasting adhesives or promotional stickers by agents can mask the national emblem and tamper with the security features. It may also cause difficulties in assessing the genuineness of the passports and thereby lead to issues for Indian travellers at immigration points,” the release stated. It highlighted the alarming trend where travel agents have been defacing the cover of Indian passports by pasting their agency or company stickers. The practice undermines the sanctity of the passport.
