Indian Passport Information

Indian Passport Information

A passport is a must when you plan to travel out of your country of residence. It is an identity card that endorses your legitimate citizenship. Without a valid passport, you will not be allowed to enter any country. Here you’ll find all the essential information you need when applying for fresh Passport, the documents required, the application fees and the two Passport scheme.

Please note: The below mentioned information is for Indian citizens only.

First time applicant

Application form is available from the Passport Office (for Rs.10) or the Head Post Office (at Rs 20). Photocopy of the form is not accepted.

For Online Registration, the applicant has to submit the print outs of the application form along with required documents to the respective passport office in the appointment date and time printed. Apart from this Passport Applications can be submitted at:

The counter of the Passport office

The speed post centres

District Passport cells

Passport collection centres

 An application for a passport may be submitted personally OR through a representative carrying an authority letter.

Documents required:

1. Proof of residence (Attested photo copy):

• Ration Card
• Voter’s identity card
• Utility Bills-Water bills / Electricity bills / Telephone bills
• Running Bank account or Income tax assessment of last three years
• Appointment letter of reputed companies on letterhead
• Certificate of Tehsildar / Gram Panchayat / Sarpanch as proof of residence in a village

2. Proof of date of birth and educational qualifications - any one of the following (Attested photo copy):

• Birth Certificate
• School Certificate
• In case of illiterate/ semi-literate persons a sworn affidavit is to be attested by a Magistrate, Tehsildar or Sarpanch as per specimen given in the form.

                                                            

3. 16 colour passport size photographs

Furnish 16 identical photographs (black & white or colour), Size 35mm x 35 mm

Frontal view of full face against a light background; photos taken with coloured or dark glasses and uniform are not acceptable

Photographs pasted on the form unsigned to be pasted on page 1 of the application form and 2 crossed signed photograph on the Personnal Particular Form

Note : All self-attested copies of certificates/documents would be checked against originals at the Passport Office at the time of submission of application.
Copies of certificates/documents sent by post should be attested by a Gazetted Officer.

Tatkaal Passport

To obtain a passport under the Tatkaal Scheme, a Specimen Verification Certificate and standard affidavit should be submitted along with the Tatkaal fee. All applicants seeking a passport out of turn under the Tatkaal Scheme should submit their application, documentation, colour photographs with white or light background with a specific fee. No proof of urgency is required for Out-of-Turn issue of passport. Post Police Verification shall be done in respect of all passports issued under the Tatkaal Scheme.

You can also obtain a passport under Tatkaal Scheme on submission of three documents from the 14 documents mentioned below, provided one of the three documents is a photo identity document and at least one of the three is amongst the documents indicated at (a) to (i). In addition, you need to submit a standard affidavit (Annexure “I”) on non-judicial stamp paper duly attested by a Notary:

• Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC)
• Service Identity Card issued by State/Central Government, Public Sector Undertakings, local bodies or Public Limited Companies
• SC/ST/ OBC Certificates
• Freedom Fighter Identity Cards
• Arms licenses
• Property Documents such as Pattas, Registered Deeds etc.
• Pension Documents such as ex-servicemen’s Pension Book/Pension Payment order, ex-servicemen’s Widow/Dependent Certificates, Old Age Pension Order and Widow Pension Order
• Railway Identity Cards
• Income Tax Identity (PAN) Cards
• Bank / Kisan / Post Office Passbooks
• Identity Cards issued by Recognized Educational Institutions
• Driving Licenses
• Birth Certificates issued under the RBD Act

(All above documents to be produced in original along with self-attested copies)

Fees

The following is the all-inclusive fee to be paid along with application form either by bank draft in favour of Passport Officer, or in cash

Fresh passport (36 pages) of 10 years validity                        Rs 1000

Fresh passport (60 pages) of 10 years validity                        Rs 1500

In case of bank draft, full name of the applicant should be written on the reverse of the bank draft.

Under 'Tatkal Scheme' on out-of-turn basis:

1. In case of issue of fresh passport

Within 7 days of application                                                 Rs 1500

Within 11-35 days of application                                           Rs 1000

2. In case of Duplicate Passport

Within 7 days of application                                                 Rs 2500

Within 11-35 days of application                                           Rs 1500

In case fee is paid by means of bank draft, full name of the applicant should be written on the reverse of the bank draft. Fee may be paid either by bank draft of a nationalized bank in favour of the Passport Officer concerned or in cash at the counter of the Passport Office. Applicants depositing forms at places other than passport offices need to pay the prescribed fee only by way of a demand draft in favour of the Passport Office concerned.

Original Documents

It is obligatory to produce the original documents for verification in case so required by the Passport Office.


Time frame for issue of Passports

If all your documents are in order, you should get your fresh passport in 12 weeks.

If you already hold a passport then your next passport should be re-issued in 1 week provided holding passport of same jurisdiction.

In case of damaged/ lost passports (except in case of habitual losers), provided you apply to the same office which issued your original passport, you should get passport in about 5 weeks.

If you have applied for a duplicate passport to an office other than the one which issue the passport you have lost or damaged, you should get your passport in 6 weeks.

However, in case of emergency, the Passport Officer can expedite the issue of passport.

Delivery of Passports

Passports are normally delivered only to the applicant or dispatched by registered post to the applicant's present address as given in the application form.

In case a passport has already been granted, in the normal course, the applicant may approach the Passport Office for counter delivery. Such passports can then be delivered at the counter.

Loss of Passport

To apply for a duplicate passport:

Please inform police station and obtain a copy of the FIR

Also inform the Passport Officer or Indian Embassy/Consulate that issued that passport. Passport is a valuable document and in case it gets misused, you can be held responsible, if you have not informed the police as well as the passport issuing authority

Apply for a duplicate passport with:

• Copy of the FIR
• Affidavit (specimen at Annexure 'B' of the passport form)
• Copy of lost passport, if available
• Fee Rs 2500