Indian Passport

Rights of Applicants
If you have any complaint, please approach the RPO/PO heading the office in your area.
If you are not satisfied with the service, you can either write to the Chief Passport Officer or fax or telephone him.

Postal address
Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg,
New Delhi - 110 001. Telephone: 3384519 Fax : 3384461

Are you applying for the first time?
You can obtain an application form from the Passport Office (free of cost) or the Head Post Office (Rs. 3) or submit a photocopy of the form. After filling all columns carefully and legibly the application may be submitted to the Passport Office concerned (where you are resident when applying) either in person or through a representative or by registered post.

Proof of residence is essential i.e., a self-attested photo copy of the ration card or voters' identity card or water tax bill or telephone bill or electricity bill or running bank account or income tax assessment order of last three years or appointment letter of reputed companies on letterhead (any one of them will do).

Proof of date of birth and educational qualifications is also essential i.e., a self-attested photo copy of birth certificate or school certificate or in case of illiterate/ semi-literate persons a sworn affidavit to be attested by a magistrate, as per specimen given in the form.

Furnish 6 photographs (black & white or colour) :

* Size 35 mm x 45 mm;
* Frontal view of full face against a light background; photos taken with coloured or dark glasses and in uniform are not acceptable;
* 4 photographs pasted on the form and signed across partly on the photo and partly on the form and 2 photographs (unsigned and name written on the back) to be put in an envelope and stapled to the form.

Attach NOC in original if you are in the service of Central/State Government, Public Sector Undertakings, Statutory Bodies and the like.

Do you need a passport urgently?
You require a verification certificate (as per specimen at Annexure G of the application form) from any officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary and above in the Central Government or equivalent in the State Government, Colonel and above or its equivalent in Air Force and Navy, General Manager of a Public Sector Undertaking, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, SSP of a district or one of those listed in Annexure 'G' (page 16 of the application form). An out of turn passport is issued only in cases of specified emergencies, on production of documentary evidence.

Passport for minors
It is preferable to have a separate passport for a minor. A number of foreign Diplomatic Missions are refusing to grant visas if minor's name is included in the parents' passport.

Apply as for fresh passport with the following additional documents:

* Attested photocopies of parents' passports;
* If neither of the parents has passport, then an affidavit from both parents (specimen at Annexure 'D' of the passport form);
* In case either of the parents holds a passport, copy of the same, alongwith an affidavit from the other parent (specimen at Annexure 'D' of the passport form);

Column 20 of the application form to be signed by parent/ legal guardian and at column 23, affix the minor's signature or thumb impression.

Emigration Check Not Required Stamp
Following persons are entitled to get the ECNR stamp on their passports:

* Gazetted Government Servants;
* Income-tax payees;
* Persons holding professional degrees;
* Persons staying abroad for more than 3 years;
* Spouses of the above mentioned categories;
* Persons holding graduation or higher degrees;
*
Seamen in possession of Continuous Discharge Certificate and Sea Cadets and Deck Cadets (i) who have passed final examination of three year B.Sc. Nautical Sciences Courses at T.S. Chanakya, Mumbai, or (ii) who have undergone three months Pre-Sea training at any of the Government approved Training Institutes after production of Identity Cards issued by the Shipping Master, Mumbai/Calcutta/Chennai;
* Persons holding permanent Immigration Visas of any country e.g. Green Card in USA;
* Persons holding diplomas from recognised institutions like Polytechnics or certificates of vocational training from Government/recognised institutions;
* Nurses possessing qualifications recognised under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947;
* Dependent children of parents eligible for ECNR, as above (upto 24 years of age);
* All persons above the age of 60 years;
* All visitors to Pakistan and Bangladesh;
* All visitors going to any country in Europe (except the Commonwealth of Independent States) or North America.

Emigration Clearance Rules
* Even if you do not have the ECNR stamp, you can visit Bangladesh, Pakistan and all countries in Europe (except the Commonwealth of Independent States) and North America without emigration clearance.
* In any case, Protector of Emigrants can grant emigration clearance to certain categories of skilled/semi-skilled workers for a period of six months if application is made through authorised recruiting agent and there is a valid employment visa. In case the person concerned is leaving the country for non-employment purposes, he can obtain suspension from emigration clearance for the specified country and for the specified period from Protector of Emigrants.

Fees
May be paid either by bank draft in favour of the Passport Officer concerned or in cash at the counter of the Passport Office.

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 5 weeks (now however it seems that it takes 12 weeks). If you already hold a passport then your next passport should be re-issued in one week.

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.(This time frame might not be valid anymore and it could take longer).

If you have applied for a duplicate passport to an office other than the one which issues the passport you have lost or damaged, you should get your passport in 6 weeks (time frames again need to be checked).

Delivery of Passports
Passports are normally delivered only to the applicant or despatched 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 : How to apply for a duplicate?

If you lose your passport, then:

Please inform the nearest police station and obtain a copy of the FIR;
Also kindly inform the Passport Office or Indian Mission which 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 office;

Apply for a duplicate passport with
* application for lost passport;
* copy of the FIR;
* affidavit (specimen at Annexure 'B' of the passport form);
* copy of lost passport, if available;
* Fee Rs. 2500/-. (This fee needs to be verified).

Damaged Passport : How to apply for a replacement?

If your passport gets damaged, you are entitled to get it replaced. Apply for a duplicate passport with the following documents:

* application for a damaged passport;
* damaged passport;
* affidavit (specimen at Annexure 'B' of the application form);
* Fee Rs. 2500/-(This fee needs to be verified).

Expired Passport : How to apply for re-issue?
If you are a holder of a passport, then you are entitled to an automatic re-issue of a passport, without prior police verification. You can apply one year before the passport expires or within 2 years after it expires to obtain this expeditious service.

You are required to submit only:

* Fresh application form;
* Previous passport;
* Proof of residence only if the present address is different from that given in the previous passport.

(Verification Certificate or any other document - not required).

Miscellaneous services : change of name

If you change your name, please get your passport booklet changed. Please approach the RPO/PO concerned in good time. In case of marriage, re-marriage or divorce:

* Fresh application form;
* Certified marriage certificate or an affidavit from husband and wife (Annexure 'A' of application form);
* In case of divorce, divorce deed authenticated by a court;
* In case of re-marriage, divorce deed or death certificate of spouse duly authenticated.

In other cases:

* Fresh application form;
* Two original newspaper clippings giving notice of change of name;
* Affidavit (Annexure 'A' of the application form).

The cost of obtaining a standard passport

INR 1000 - Fresh Passport (36 pages) of 10 years validity.

INR 1500 - Fresh Passport (60 pages) of 10 years validity.

INR 600 - Fresh Passport for Minors (below 15 years of Age) of 5 years validity or till the minor attains the age of 15 which ever is earlier.

INR 2500 - Duplicate Passport (36 pages) in lieu of lost, damaged or stolen passport.

INR 3000 - Duplicate Passport (60 pages) in lieu of lost, damaged or stolen passport .

Download, Indian Passport Application Form (PDF)