Friday, June 24, 2011

Applying for Indian Passport - Some helpful hints are here !!

My views on applying for a passport based on my experience at Trivandrum passport office. The system at passport office is not big enough to cater the enormous crowd coming to office daily. The officers are doing a stupendous work, but the applicants are guaranteed a horrid time.

The tips given here are aimed at reducing the amount of time one has to spend at the passport office.


ONLINE APPLICATION TIPS 

1. Apply online at http://passport.gov.in/ 

2. Three different services are available -
    - Apply for fresh passport,
    - Renew passport after expiry,
    - Apply for reissue in lieu of lost / damaged passport

3. The rules for filling the application is given in the site itself.

4. After application filling is completed click "Save".
 IMPORTANT NOTE: Don't click "Reprint Application" after filling the online form. This button is present right next to the "Save" button. If clicked this will direct to another page and whatever entered in this page will be lost.


5.Once "save" is clicked you will get an application reference number and an appointment time.

6. IMPORTANT: The appointment time can be changed from this screen now. It is not possible later. Select a new appointment date and click save. The new appointment time, application number will be displayed. The filled up application will also be displayed. This can be printed directly or saved in your PC for printing later.  Note that the application can be taken back from the server upto the appointment date. This can be done by entering the application reference number and applicant's date of birth.

7. The printed out application still has some fields to be filled by hand. Fill these details and affix your photo. The checklist of documentery evidences needed are given at the end of the application itself.



SUBMITTING APPLICATION AT PASSPORT OFFICE


1. Be at the passport office after 11.30 am but before 12.30pm. 
Note 1: The appointment time  obtained during application submission is not taken into consideration at all. People begin to queue up from 7am. The office starts only at 9 am. So if you reach by 9am there will be a long queue and this queue extends outside the office too. By 11 am the queue will become thin.
Lunch break is at 1:00pm. The token will be issued till 1pm only.

Note 2: While outside passport office lots of agents will appear who will offer to file the application. They does this at a charge ranging from Rs.50 to Rs.100. Normally this is not required. You can get the application filed and checked inside the office too by some ex servicemen stationed there.

2. When the queue reaches the token issuing person collect a file cover and tag from the token issuing person itself.

3. Tag the documents inside the file cover with the application coming first followed by copies of supporting documents. If needed get this done by the exservicemen on a chargable basis (Ranges from Rs. 10 to Rs.100).

4. Give the file to the token issuing person. Intimate him orally whether you are applying for tatkal (emergency) or normal way. He will stamp a token number.

5. Take a look at the display board to know which token number is being serviced now. If your token number is within 100 of what is being displayed and time to break for lunch (ie 1pm) is more than 1hr, Wait here for your call
If either of the condition is not met, immediately leave the place.

6. Return to the office at around 4pm. If you are applying for tatkal, try to take a friend also along with you. Show the token stamped file to the security at the gate and he will let you in.

7. Inside the office, if application is tatkal, ask your friend to stand in the queue to meet the officer at room no. 1. This is important and can save you atleast 1 hour.

8. Take a look at the current token number. If your token number has not reached, wait for your turn.

9. If your token number was called earlier, Wait for crowd to be less in any one of the 4 counters. Approach the counter with the file. The person at the counter will tell something for not coming forward when your number was called. Don't tell anything, just smile.

10.  The person will accept the application, collect the fee and issue a receipt if the applying in normal way. Application procedure is over. Return home happily !!

11. If tatkal the person will verify the documents, write something in your file and will ask you to meet the officer in room no 1.

12. Your friend who is already standing in the queue must have reached almost near the room no 1. Just swap postions and ask your friend to take rest while you stand in queue with the file.

13. Meet the officer who will check your application and ask some questions regarding your job, house address etc. If everything is ok the officer will recommend for tatkal.

14. Take the file back to the previous counter, submit the fees and get the receipt. Buy something for your friend for his help and return happily.


General Note:
For renewal applications, if there is no address change and your spouse name is already in the existing passport/if your spouse name is not needed in the passport, no supporting documents is needed except photocopy of the old passport. This is applicable for both tatkal and normal method of applying

Normally tatkal applications for renewal will not be entertained if the old passport was issued in a different passport office.

For fresh applications the documents needed are specified in the online application itself.



2 comments:

Rajesh KR said...

Good narration of the procedures. Useful for those applying for passport, especially ,at TVM centre

Anonymous said...

I have submitted my document in 7th jun for TATKAL Passport Application. its been one month and the status is still showing as "Passport application has been submitted along with applicable fees and supporting documents" And since it is a takal application, the deadline for processing the file is one month as per my knowledge and its allready more than a month.can u plez help if any one know about it

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