You can apply any time as long as all the required documents as required is available with you. For detailed instructions please see website www.passport.gov.in.  or  passport information booklet.

As regards reissue of existing Passports, the same can be applied even before one year of its expiry date. Further, most of the Embassies who issue visas insist on the passport validity more than six months to one year before they consider to issue visas. Accordingly, apply for reissue well before time and save the last minute rush.

Every passport issued has a new Number and validity. At present passports are issued every time for a ten year validity from the date of issue despite the application being for additional booklet/reissue. Tatkal passport are also issue for a 10 year validity on post-police verification basis. Only for Minor's passports are issued with five years validity or upto the age of 18.

Any one applying for a fresh passport, renewal, re-issue, additional booklet can apply on-line. Applicants applying for Miscellaneous service viz., ECNR, PCC, Change of residential address etc., cannot apply on-line. Website for applying online is www.passport.gov.in and for detailed instructions please go through the web information. If you are looking for Tatkal service, then applicants are advised to apply on-line alongwith Annexure “F” and “I” to enable the Passport office to accept the application across the counter and for dispatch within the stipulated date.

Yes. The applicant has to come personally to submit the application along with all required documents. Bring along the print out of the passport application which will bear the registration number and the date of appointment with the Passport office for submission of the application. Last few columns need to be filled by hand and application signed and submitted in the office. On-line application cannot be submitted on the basis of authority letter. Further, you can submit the application any day from the date of appointment automatically allotted by the computer until a fortnight.

How do I make the payment?

What do I do if I loose my passport?

What do I do, if I receive the passport with incorrect information or inadvertently receive some other’s passport due to postal/passport office errors?

Please return the passport immediately to this office. If mistake is on account of Passport office fault, we will rectify the same and return to you without any fees. A one page Correction letter will have to be filed by the applicant. If error was on account of the data initially furnished by the applicant in the application being wrong, then applicant will have to apply for booklet and submit it in the office with the full fees. If their was a mis-representation of facts, then penalty could also be imposed.

However,  applicants are requested to file on-line which will  ensure that the passports are delivered without any errors since the applicant has himself/herself fed the data.  Handwritten applications  are many times illegible and not written  in capital letters in dark ink and  the data entry operators are unable to decipher the correct  alphabet or figures on certain  occasions.

Yes. Passport applications can be submitted on the basis of authority letter. But the authorized person should normally be a blood relative and should carry a photo identity card for verification. Authorised Travel agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs, representing the applicant can also submit on the basis of authority.

Can one collect the fresh passport on the basis of authority letter?

Give full details in the appropriate columns in the application from. Further, obtain a Court order granting permission for travel abroad, which should be duly attested in original by the court and enclose the same to the application. If there are more than one case, the order should cover all the cases. Submit an affidavit about undertaking to follow the Court directions for travel abroad as per the terms laid down and to surrender passport as directed any time by the authorities concerned.

Suppression of information about pending court cases will attract penalty of upto Rs.5000/- and add to the delay in processing the application.

After submitting my passport applications what should I do?

Check whether the Travel Agent is authorised by the passport office or not. Approved travel agents who can submit applications to the Passport Office can submit in one day seven applications only on behalf of their clients. They are authorised only to submit the applications, for tatkal service the applicant him/her self has to visit Passport office. Fees for the various services are already indicated in our website http://www.passport.gov.in/ for comparison purposes.