Features of the New Passport

The Passport Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to providing travel documents which conform to international standards. The new passports of the Kingdom of Bhutan are machine readable documents with enhanced security features making it extremely difficult to alter or forge. They conform to the international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The cover of the booklets features a gold-foil embossing of the crest of the Royal Government while the inside incorporates traditional designs.

The personal data page contains the identification details of the bearer and includes:

1. A digitalized photograph of the holder embedded in to the page.
2. Secondary image (ghost image)
3. Invisible fluorescent imprint of the Raven Crown
4. Multi-tone mould made water mark.
5. Security laminate
6. Machine readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of the page which contains mandatory identity elements (bearer’s personal & passport details) that is read by special readers at airports. All the information on the data page can also be read by the human eye.

The personal details of the applicant is verified and entered in to the Passport Database. The personal data page on the passport is then printed and security laminated on special passport printers and laminators. The personal data page is then visually inspected while the machine readable zone is read on two different travel document readers for quality assurance.