Passport Information

There are mainly two types of passports issued to Indian individuals by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. These are:

• Ordinary passport: Ordinary passports are issued to individuals who wish to use it for general purposes such as travel to foreign countries on business or holidays.
• Official/Diplomatic passport: Official or Diplomatic passports are issued to individuals who are looking to travel to foreign countries on various official duties.

What is the application procedure for an Indian passport?

An Indian citizen who wants to apply for Indian passport can do so online on the Passport Seva website or through the passport Seva app. Here is the detailed application procedure to be followed:

• The first step towards passport application is to register on the passport Seva online portal. In case the applicant is registered, he/she can log in to the portal with the help of the registered login ID and password.
• Click on ‘Apply for Fresh Passport/ Re-issue of Passport’ link.
• All the details required in the form must be provided by the applicant before submitting.
• Click on the ‘Pay and Schedule Appointment’ link available in the ‘View Saved/Submitted Applications’ section for scheduling an appointment.
• After making the payment and booking an appointment, the applicant should click on the ‘Print Application Receipt’ link and take a print-out of the application receipt which has the Application Reference Number (ARN).
• The applicant then has to visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) as per the date of appointment. All original documents have to be carried along during this appointment.
• For those who wish to apply for the Indian passport offline, the application form has to be downloaded and printed before submitting the same at one of the passport-collection centres. Another option is to purchase the application form, fill all the details and submit it at the centre. This has to be accompanied by all requisite documents.

What are the fees for Indian passport application?

What documents are required for Indian passport application?

While applying for a passport, the applicant has to submit the following set of documents:

• Passport application form
• Proof of address
• Proof of date of birth
• Documentary proof for any one of the Non-ECR categories

1. For Proof of Address

• Passbook of an active bank account containing a photo of the applicant
• Landline or postpaid mobile bill
• Rental agreement
• Electricity bill
• Voter ID card issued by Election Commission of India
• Water bill
• Income Tax Assessment order
• Proof of Gas connection
• Aadhaar card
• For minors - Copy of the first and last page of parent’s passport
• Certificate from Employer of reputed companies on their letterhead
• Copy of the first and last page of the spouse’s passport stating the applicant’s name as the spouse of the passport holder.

2. For Proof of Date of Birth

• Aadhaar card/e-Aadhaar
• PAN card
• Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India
• Driving license
• Declaration from the Head of the Orphanage or Child Care Home confirming the date of birth of the applicant on official letterhead.
• Birth certificate.
• Transfer certificate/school.
• A copy of the service record of the applicant (applicable for government employees) or pension order (retired government employees) duly attested or certified by the officer of the relevant department of the applicant.
• Copy of the policy bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporation/Companies stating the date of birth of the insurance policyholder.

How do I book an appointment for applying for an Indian passport?

Here is how an applicant can go about booking an appointment for passport application:

• Visit the Passport Seva portal and login with registered login ID and password
• Go to ‘Apply for Fresh /reissue passport’ link
• Fill in the required details and submit the application form
• Click on the ‘Pay and Schedule Appointment’ link located under the ‘View Saved/Submitted Applications’ section for scheduling an appointment
• The appointment slot is allotted to the applicant as per selection

How can I track the dispatch status of my passport?

For checking the passport delivery status after completion of passport application, applicants can make use of the Tracking Utility feature offered by India Post. Applicants can also reach out to the nearest Speed Post centre to confirm the status as appearing on the website. In case the Speed Post officials are unable to locate the consignment, or if the passport consignment is returned to the sender, applicants will have to reach out to the concerned Regional Passport Office. The future course of action will then be provided by the officials.

Passport Dispatch Via Post

Individuals who wish to get their passport urgently can physically collect the document from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) where the application was made. Applicants who want to collect their passport from an RPO will have to submit an application stating the reason for urgent document collection. The application has to be submitted to the official present at the RPO. The final decision around the delivery of the document will depend upon the concerned Regional Passport Officer.

Passport Collection - Mailman

Applicants must collect their passport personally if they want to do so through the mailman. However, in case the applicant is unable to collect the passport himself/herself for some reason, it is up to the mailman to hand over the document to the applicant's family members post verification of their ID proof. The mailman can also return the passport to the issuing RPO in absence of valid ID proof from the applicant's family member.

In case the post authorities return the applicant’s passport to the issuing RPO due to unavailability of the applicant, he/she will need to get in touch with the concerned RPO and submit an application mentioning the problem. The authorities will then dispatch the document once again upon request from the applicant. Current residential address proof also has to be sent along with the application apart from any other proofs that the RPO would require.

How long is an Indian passport valid for?

An Indian passport is usually valid for 10 years from the date of issue. The Date of Issue and the Date of Expiry of a passport are mentioned in the passport. A passport comprises 36 or 60 pages as per the requirement of the passport holder.

A passport holder must check for the validity of the passport and make sure that it is not expired for it to be considered as a valid document. In case a passport has expired, the passport holder can request for renewal of the same on the Passport Seva Portal. The portal allows the citizens of India to carry out any tasks with regards to passport application online.

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