What is Passport?

An Indian passport is issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to Indian citizens for the purpose of international travel. It enables the bearer to travel internationally and serves as proof of Indian citizenship as per the Passports Act (1967)

What are the types of Passports in India?

There are three types of Indian Passport, which are:

• Regular Passport has a Navy Blue cover and is issued for ordinary travel, such as vacations and business trips.
• Diplomatic Passport has a Maroon cover and is issued to Indian diplomats, top ranking government officials and diplomatic couriers.
• Official Passport has a White cover and it is issued to individuals representing the Indian government on official business.

How can I get Indian passport?

An individual can apply online for the Indian passport through the Passport Seva website or the Passport Seva app. The detailed procedure of applying for the passport is mentioned below:

• The applicant who wishes to avail a passport needs to register on the passport seva online portal. If he/she has already registered, the individual needs to login to the portal using the registered login ID and password.
• Next, the applicant needs to click on ‘Apply for Fresh Passport/ Re-issue of Passport’ link.
• Following that, the details asked for in the form needs to be provided by the applicant and submitted.
• Next, the applicant needs to click on the 'Pay and Schedule Appointment' link under the 'View Saved/Submitted Applications' tab to schedule an appointment.
• Once the payment is made and the appointment is booked, the applicant needs to click on the ‘Print Application Receipt’ link and print the application receipt that contains the Application Reference Number (ARN).
• The next step involves the applicant visiting the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) on the date of appointment along with the original documents.

Passport for Minor

Applicants who are under 18 years of age are deemed minors with respect to passport issuance in India. A minor need to have a separate passport in that endorsement of his name in his father's passport is not permissible anymore under the guidelines issued by the government of India. Minors are issued a 36-page passport booklet.

Who Can Apply for Minor Passport?

The parent or the guardian can apply for a minor's passport. In other words, either the legal guardian or the parent ought to give his or her consent for issuance of a minor's passport.

What is Police Verification for Passport?

The police verification stage is an important security measure with regard to the issuance of passports in India. Applying for a fresh passport or a reissue will result in police verification, as per existing regulations. In certain cases, police verification is not required but this would depend on the application and existing documentation.

Firstly, there are three primary modes of police verification:

• Before the passport has been issued: Pre-Police Verification
• After the passport has been issued: Post Police Verification
• No Police Verification

What is Tatkal Passport?

As opposed to the normal application, a tatkaal application means quick verification and faster processing. Passports issued under this scheme is dispatched within 1-3 days from the time the applicant furnishes the required paperwork at the Passport Seva Kendra.

Reasons for Passport rejection

As per historical data, quite a few passport in India get rejected and some of the reasons are

• Mistake on application form while filling online
• Incorrect information
• Incorrect and unclear documents
• Fees not paid
• Police verification failure
• Criminal history
• Security reasons

What is the validity of Passport Fee?

The payment is valid for a period of one year from the payment date. If you have already booked an appointment, the validity will be for one year from the appointment date.

Can the scheduled appointment date be changed after making the payments?

Yes. After the appointment is confirmed by the Passport Seva Kendra, it can be rescheduled twice in one year from the date of appointment.

Are there additional charges to the Passport Fee?

Yes, there is an extra fee of 1.5% + tax levied on payments made through debit and credit cards. There are no charges if you use the internet banking of State Bank of India and its associate banks.

Will the fee be refunded if the appointment is not booked?

Once you have made the payment, you will not get a refund.