The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), has announced a major enhancement to citizen services through the enablement of the Passport Verification Record (PVR) on the DigiLocker platform. DigiLocker is a secure, cloud-based platform under the Digital India programme that enables issuance, storage, sharing, and verification of digital documents and certificates.

This initiative marks a significant step in advancing the vision of Digital India by simplifying document management for citizens and reducing reliance on physical records. With this integration, Passport Verification Records can now be securely accessed, stored, shared, and digitally verified within the DigiLocker ecosystem, promoting paperless, contactless, and citizen-centric service delivery, the MeitY said in a release on Thursday.

Upon successful verification, citizens will be able to fetch their respective Passport Verification Records in the “Issued Documents” section of their DigiLocker account. This integration will enhance the convenience and accessibility of official verification documents (OVD) for citizens while ensuring that their records remain secure, trusted, and digitally verifiable within the DigiLocker ecosystem.

The availability of PVR on DigiLocker offers multiple direct benefits to citizens:

*    Convenience and anytime access: Citizens will be able to seamlessly access and retrieve their Passport Verification Records from the “Issued Documents” section of their DigiLocker account after successful verification, through both the web portal and mobile application, without the need to carry or store physical copies

*    Faster processes and reduced paperwork: Digital access to PVR is expected to significantly streamline verification-related processes in areas such as travel, employment, and compliance, thereby reducing manual paperwork and saving time for both citizens and institutions that rely on verified passport records

*    Secure, tamper-proof, and authentic records: PVRs made available through DigiLocker are issued in digital form directly by the relevant government systems, ensuring authenticity, integrity, and protection against tampering, in line with DigiLocker’s secure architecture.

*    Easy digital sharing and verification: Citizens will be able to digitally share their PVR with authorised requesters through DigiLocker, enabling instant, consent-based access and verification, and reducing the need for attested photocopies or multiple physical submissions.

*    Support for paperless and green governance: By moving passport-related verification records into a fully digital workflow, the initiative furthers the Government’s efforts towards paperless governance, resource efficiency, and environmentally responsible administrative practices.

The integration of PVR with DigiLocker represents a pivotal milestone in modernising citizen services and strengthening India’s digital public infrastructure. It reinforces the ‘Citizen-First’ approach by combining secure digital records with user-friendly access, thereby enhancing transparency and trust in government processes.

The collaboration between MEA and NeGD, MeitY underlines a whole-of-government approach to leveraging digital platforms for secure and efficient service delivery. The move is expected to benefit millions of passport applicants and holders by streamlining verification, improving service turnaround, and deepening the adoption of secure digital documents across public and private use-cases.