A passport is an important document without which, you cannot travel outside the country. It is also important because it is accepted as a valid address and photo id proof almost everywhere. Getting a passport has usually been a hassle and people preferred to pay off middlemen to save the trouble. However, obtaining a new passport or renewing one is now really a child's play because the entire procedure happens online and is easier than you may assume. In this article, I will guide you through the steps involved.
1. The first step in this process involves visiting the
Passport Seva website and registering your name. The registration is free and only requires your minimal personal details.
2. Next, download the e-Form from here
passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/Resources/PassportApplicationForm_Main_English_V1.0.zip. Extract the contents of the ZIP file—a PDF file—to your desktop. This is the offline form that you are supposed to fill.
3. Open the PDF document. Choose "Fresh Passport" from the dropdown list in front of "Applying for". Select the type of application as Normal. In case you are wondering, you can also apply for Tatkaal if you need the passport urgently, by paying an additional amount over the normal application fee.
4. Select the radio button in front of "36 Pages" (or "60 Pages" if you are going to be a frequent traveller). Assuming that you are aged 18 years and above, select "Not Applicable" for "Validity Required".
5. Enter your name, middle name, and surname in the appropriate dialogue boxes. You needn't worry about capitalisation as the form automatically takes care of it. Fill in the rest of the details as appropriate by referring to the screenshot.
6. You must also fill in Family Details about at least one of the following: father, mother, or legal guardian. The rest of the details can be filled by referring to the screenshot.
7. In the Emergency Contact Details section, provide the contact details of the person who could be contacted in case of any problem. This can be a family member, relative, friend, or colleague.
8. There is also a References section in which you must furnish contact details of two people who reside near your residential address.
9. In case this application is for renewal of passport, you can fill in the required details about the previous passport under the Previous Passport/ Application Details
10. In most cases, you can safely mark No in all the answers to the queries under Other Details.
11. Check the checkbox near Agree, fill in the place of submission, the date, and click Validate & Save button. An XML file will now be created, which you must save to your computer.
12. You can now log into your account and upload this file to finish the application process.
13. Now that you are done with submitting the application, you are required to get an appointment to physically visit your Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). You can locate your PSK by visiting this hyperlink
http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/locatePSK/locatePFCInp.
14. Before you get an appointment, you are required to pay the application fee. You can use internet banking, credit, or debit card. The fees can be calculated by clicking on this hyperlink
http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/fee/feeInput.
15. Once the payment is made, select a convenient time slot from the ones provided on the screen to visit the PSK. You will receive a PDF file of the receipt, which you must print to take along to the PSK. Finish off the application process.
16. You are required to carry a photocopy set of documents along with the originals when you visit the PSK. The list of documents required when you visit can be checked at this hyperlink
http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/docAdvisor/attachmentAdvFresh in case of a fresh application. The best address proof is a 1-year bank statement, which you can easily get from your bank. Other address proofs will require supporting documents. You will also need a documentary proof of your date of birth. This can be your birth certificate or any certificate such as SSC, HSC, or school leaving certificate from a recognised educational institution. For those who do not have any of these date of birth proofs and have not studied beyond 5th class, a sworn affidavit before a notary stating the date and place of birth as per Annexure A will be required.
17. The status of your application goes live just a couple of days after the application is submitted and you can track it from within your account.
18. Police verification of your physical address takes place after a few days. You may receive a phone call from your local police station to the number you had provided in the application and you must visit it along with the same set of documents as during the PSK visit. In case it takes too long to receive such a call, you can visit the local police station to enquire about whether the application has been forwarded over there from the PSK.
19. Once the police verification of your physical address is done, the application is sent back to the PSK, which sends it to the district police headquarters for final verification, and then it finally goes back to the PSK. After this stage, the passport is printed and couriered to the applicant.
20. The applicant will receive an SMS notification about the passport being sent to the residential address. It is advisable for the applicant to be physically present to receive the passport by providing any valid id proof to the courier. However, if this is not possible, the passport can be received by a blood relative after furnishing his/her id proof to the courier. If there is nobody to receive the passport at the said address, the passport is returned to the PSK and the applicant will have to collect it from there.
