22-6-2017: The Passports Act, 1967 A commemorative postage stamp

A passport is about a journey. The image of a blue passport flashes in one’s mind when someone dreams of a voyage to a foreign land. This was not the case in India until the beginning of the 20th century, though our forefathers had travelled far and wide over centuries. The use of the British India passport was discountinued after the independence of India in 1947. At the time of independence in 1947, the number of passports issued was around 25,000 in a year. The passport work, being on the Union List, was allocated to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Passport Control Manual was updated in 1949. The Indian Passports Rules 1950 Surperseded the India Passports Rules 1921.