MEA to stop issuing orange-coloured passports

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday decided to not issue separate orange-coloured passports to its Emigration Check Required (ECR) holders and to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport.

At a meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in the presence of General (Retd.) V.K. Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, the decision of the MEA on both these issues were reviewed in the light of these representations.

"After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, the MEA has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with an orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders."

Earlier, a decision was taken by the MEA on the recommendations of a three-member committee, comprising officials of the MEA and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), whether to print the last page of the passport or not.

However, the MEA received several individual and collective representations requesting to reconsider these two decisions.

The MEA issued passports with an orange colour jacket to passport holders with ECR status, with a view to help and assist them on a priority basis.