The use of the passport was discontinued after the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, and its bearers were entitled to opt for Indian, Pakistani or British nationality.
The Indian Passport Act of 1920 required the use of passports, established controls on the foreign travel of Indians, and foreigners travelling to and within the provinces of India.[3] The passport was based on the format agreed upon by the 1920 League of Nations International Conference on Passports.[4]
However, the British Indian passport had very limited usage, being valid for travel only within areas governed by the British Empire, Italian Empire, Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden and Dutch Empire.[5]
A British Indian passport could be issued to persons who were British subjects by birth, naturalisation, a British protected person or the spouse or widow of such persons. The passports were issued by the passport offices run by provincial governments and were valid for five years after issue. In 1922, applicants were charged INR 1 to receive a new passport.[6] The price was raised to INR 3 by 1933.
Official note from the Viceroy of India on the first page of the British Indian passport.
The cover of passport was of navy blue colour with the emblem of the British Empire (i.e. the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom) emblazoned on the front cover. The word "British Indian Passport" was printed above the emblem and "Indian Empire" printed below. The text of the passport was printed in English and French. Other details were hand-written.
Bearer detailsedit
The passport includes the following details describing the bearer:
Passport number
Name of bearer
Place of issue
Date of issue
Accompanied by [wife, children]
National status - British subject by [birth or naturalisation]
Profession
Place and date of birth
Domicile
Height
Eye colour
Hair colour
Distinguishing features
Validity and expiry dates
The passports also included the photographs of the bearer and accompanying spouse. Latter half of the passport book was allocated for the visa and port of entry and departure stamps.
Passport noteedit
Last page of the passport describing the rules and regulations
The passport contains a note from the Governor General that is addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that he or she be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The note inside of Indian Passports states:
These are to request and require in the name of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford him every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need.
By the order of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
The note bearing page is stamped and signed by the issuing passport officer with the provincial government of the place of issue.
^. Historical Atlas of the British Empire. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
^MumbaiSpace Indian Passport History October 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 (No. 34 of 1920)
^. Archived from the original on 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
^Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali Zamindar (2007). The Long Partition and the Making of Modern South Asia. Columbia University Press. p. 162. ISBN978-0-231-13846-8.
^The Times of India Directory and Year Book, Including Who's who. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 1922. p. 775.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Passports of British India.
Text of the Indian Passport Act 1920
- images from Passportland.com
British India - Folded Large Passport (1920) - Description and images of India's earliest passport.
Indian Empire : British Indian Passport (1931) British Indian Passport issued in 1931
October 30, 2023
british, indian, passport, passport, proof, national, status, travel, document, issued, british, subjects, british, india, officially, mentioned, indian, empire, british, subjects, from, other, parts, british, empire, subjects, british, protected, states, indi. The British Indian passport was a passport proof of national status and travel document issued to British subjects of British India officially mentioned as the Indian Empire British subjects from other parts of the British Empire and the subjects of the British protected states in the Indian subcontinent i e the British Protected Persons of the princely states The title of the state stamped on the outside cover but not inside the passport was the Indian Empire 1 which covered all of India Pakistan Bangladesh and Myanmar Burma British Indian passportThe front cover of a British Indian passport TypePassportIssued byIndian EmpirePurposeIdentificationThe use of the passport was discontinued after the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947 and its bearers were entitled to opt for Indian Pakistani or British nationality Contents 1 History 2 Issuance 3 Physical appearance 3 1 Bearer details 3 2 Passport note 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe use of passports was introduced to British India after the First World War 2 The Indian Passport Act of 1920 required the use of passports established controls on the foreign travel of Indians and foreigners travelling to and within the provinces of India 3 The passport was based on the format agreed upon by the 1920 League of Nations International Conference on Passports 4 However the British Indian passport had very limited usage being valid for travel only within areas governed by the British Empire Italian Empire Switzerland Austria Czechoslovakia Germany Spain Norway Sweden and Dutch Empire 5 nbsp Muhammad Ali Jinnah s passport issued by the Indian government Issuance edit nbsp A stamp on a British Indian Passport A British Indian passport could be issued to persons who were British subjects by birth naturalisation a British protected person or the spouse or widow of such persons The passports were issued by the passport offices run by provincial governments and were valid for five years after issue In 1922 applicants were charged INR 1 to receive a new passport 6 The price was raised to INR 3 by 1933 nbsp 1931 passport application by Mohandas Karamchand GandhiPhysical appearance edit nbsp Official note from the Viceroy of India on the first page of the British Indian passport The cover of passport was of navy blue colour with the emblem of the British Empire i e the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom emblazoned on the front cover The word British Indian Passport was printed above the emblem and Indian Empire printed below The text of the passport was printed in English and French Other details were hand written Bearer details edit The passport includes the following details describing the bearer Passport number Name of bearer Place of issue Date of issue Accompanied by wife children National status British subject by birth or naturalisation Profession Place and date of birth Domicile Height Eye colour Hair colour Distinguishing features Validity and expiry datesThe passports also included the photographs of the bearer and accompanying spouse Latter half of the passport book was allocated for the visa and port of entry and departure stamps Passport note edit nbsp Last page of the passport describing the rules and regulationsThe passport contains a note from the Governor General that is addressed to the authorities of all other states identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that he or she be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms The note inside of Indian Passports states These are to request and require in the name of the Viceroy and Governor General of India all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford him every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need By the order of the Viceroy and Governor General of India The note bearing page is stamped and signed by the issuing passport officer with the provincial government of the place of issue See also editBritish passport Indian passport Pakistani passport British nationality law Indian nationality law Pakistani nationality law Bangladeshi passport Bangladeshi nationality lawReferences edit Dominions 1931 1947 Historical Atlas of the British Empire Archived from the original on 2015 12 22 Retrieved 16 December 2015 MumbaiSpace Indian Passport History Archived October 6 2010 at the Wayback Machine Passport Entry into India Act 1920 No 34 of 1920 History of Passports Archived from the original on 2009 04 15 Retrieved 2009 02 23 Vazira Fazila Yacoobali Zamindar 2007 The Long Partition and the Making of Modern South Asia Columbia University Press p 162 ISBN 978 0 231 13846 8 The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who s who Bennett Coleman amp Company 1922 p 775 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Passports of British India Text of the Indian Passport Act 1920 A 1927 Indian passport images from Passportland com British India Folded Large Passport 1920 Description and images of India s earliest passport Indian Empire British Indian Passport 1931 British Indian Passport issued in 1931 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title British Indian passport amp oldid 1163947036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
