The ghost image of a passport applicant. Picture by Jai Prakash

To counter fake passport racketeers, the external affairs ministry has introduced a “ghostly” device that would be too hi-tech for forgers to make duplicates of the essential document.

The external affairs ministry launched a new series (L) of passport booklets on April 22 in all passport offices of the country, including Patna. The new passports would now have ghost images of the applicant.

Ghost image passport services are slightly different from holograms although similar in principle. From now on, superimposed on the applicant’s original photograph would be his or her “ghost image”, something like the ones seen of Mahatma Gandhi on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currencies, passport authorities explained.

Personal data such as name, address, date of birth and passport registration number will be embedded in tiny fonts on the ghost image to prevent counterfeit. None of the data will be visible to the naked eye, but can be seen with a magnifying glass and can’t be forged.

Regional passport officer Anand Kumar said: “The new passport series, having ghost prints of the photograph, is an attempt to strengthen the passport delivery mechanism leaving no scope of duplication.”

The officer added that from this year, the L series has replaced the K series of passports. The passport booklets printed at Nashik, has provided sets of letter screen image (LSI) machines to the regional passport offices that would help imprint the ghost image.

After filing the necessary information of the applicant that includes name, date of birth, address and after affixing the scanned photograph, the ghost image of the photograph, along with the applicant’s information will be printed in dots on the booklet by using the LSI machine at the regional passport office.

The regional officer assured that it would not be easy to duplicate the details and the photograph on the L series of booklets.

“Cases of passport duplication will come down sharply because of the L series booklets,” the regional officer said.

However, if you miss your ghostly alter-ego on your week-old passport, fret not.

The launch of new passports does not mean those with old ones will face any trouble. The old ones are completely valid. But from now on, anyone fearing duplication can avail the ghost-image passport service. All processes to get a passport remain unchanged, said officials.

The introduction of the new series, online application and issuance of passports through Passport Seva Kendra is an attempt by the Centre to curb terror acts, which were mostly handiwork of people using fake passports.

This would help the government counter the likes of Pune-based hawala racketeer Hasan Ali and Calcutta American Centre attack mastermind Farhan Malik, who in connivance with agents got fake passports to carry out terrorism and criminal activities.

“Hasan Ali had obtained a passport from the regional passport office in Patna in 1997 by giving false information. But the matter came to light in 2010. An FIR was lodged against him in this connection in December 2010,” the passport officer said.