| Passport Services Overview |
| Q1: | What are the various passport services and which form has to be filled in? |
| A: | The various passport services are:
- Issue of Fresh Passport: You can apply for fresh passport if applying for the first time.
- Re-issue of Passport: You can apply for re-issue of passport if you want another passport in lieu of an existing passport for any of the following reasons:
- Change in existing personal particulars.
- Validity expired within 3 years/ Due to expire.
- Validity expired more than 3 years ago.
- Exhaustion of pages.
- Damaged passport.
- Lost passport.
If you ever held a passport in the past, no matter how much long back or at what age, you should choose the Re-Issue category only.
- Miscellaneous Service: Issue of Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
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| Q2: | What types of passports are issued in India? |
| A: | Following three types of passports are issued in India:
- Ordinary Passport: An ordinary passport has blue cover, and consists of 36 or 60 pages. It is valid for 10 years from the date of issue and can be renewed for another 10 years. An Indian citizen can use this passport for ordinary vacation or business travel.
- Diplomatic Passport: Has maroon cover ; Issued to designated members of the national government, judiciary , statutory authorities, diplomats, official public couriers and any other person specifically authorised by the Govt
- Official Passport: Has grey cover ; Issued to designated Non-gazetted govt servants or any other person specifically authorised by the Govt deputed abroad on government business.
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| Q3: | How do I apply for a passport in the new system? |
| A: | For issue of fresh passport and re-issue of passport, you need to fill the application form online via e-Form Submission (preferred) or via Online Form Submission. For Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) also you need to fill the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) Application Form online via e-Form Submission (preferred) or via Online Form Submission.
Under the new system it is mandatory for all applicants, including infants, to be physically present at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) to give their biometrics(fingerprints) and photographs. |
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| Minor |
| Q4: | What is the definition of minor for issue of passport? |
| A: | Applicants less than 18 years of age are considered as minor for issuance of passport. |
| Q5: | I have a one-month old baby? Does the baby require a separate passport or his/her name can be endorsed in one of the parents passport? |
| A: | Endorsement of child's name in parent's passports is not allowed anymore. As per the amended instructions , a minor should have a separate passport. |
| Q6: | In case of minor's passport, whose father is abroad, is it mandatory to obtain father's consent to apply for the child's passport? If so, what is the procedure? |
| A: | If parent(s) of the minor holds a valid passport, then attested photocopy of passport needs to be submitted along with the application form. Spouse name should be endorsed on the parent's passport. If parent(s) hold a valid passport, but spouse name is not endorsed, then they must get the spouse name added in their passport. For this, they have to apply for re-issue of passport and get the specified change done in personal particulars. |
| Q7: | We are planning to apply for passports for our kids (minors). Is it necessary that my name should be included in my wife's passport? |
| A: | If either parent of a minor holds a valid passport with spouse name endorsed, passport will be issued to the minor without any police verification. Original passport of parent(s) should be presented for the verification of particulars. If parent(s) hold a valid passport, but spouse name is not endorsed, then they must get the spouse name added in their passport. For this, they have to apply for re-issue of passport and get the specified change done in personal particulars. Thus, it is necessary that spouse name should be endorsed on the parent's passport. |
| Q8: | Is it necessary that both parents should have passport before applying for their child's passport? |
| A: | It is not necessary that both parents should have a passport before applying for their child's passport. The advantage of either parent holding a valid passport with spouse name endorsed is that it exempts their child from the Police Verification process. |
| Q9: | I am a minor who is 16 years old. Is it possible for me to obtain a full validity passport of 10 years? |
| A: | Minors between 15 to 18 years of age can apply either for a 10-year validity passport or they can apply for a passport, which is valid till they attain the age of 18 years. Fee for a 10-year validity passport is higher than fee for a passport, which is valid till they attain the age of 18 years. A 10-year validity passport cannot be issued to applicants without police verification on submission of parent's passport. If passport is required on an urgent basis, they can apply under Tatkaal scheme. |
| Q10: | What would be the validity of a minor's passport? |
| A: | The validity of a minor's passport is restricted to five years or till they attain the age of 18, whichever is earlier. But the minors aged between 15 to 18 years can apply either for a 10-year validity passport or for a passport which is valid till they attain the age of 18 years. Different fees are applicable depending upon which category they are applying for. |
| Q11: | Who can apply for my minor daughter's passport in India as I am on ship at Singapore as second engineer? |
| A: | Either parent/guardian can apply for minor's passport. You would however need to get Annexure H duly attested by the Consular section of the nearest Indian Mission. To check the complete list of documents to be submitted along with the application form, please click on "Documents Required" link on Home page. |
| Q12: | Is it true that passport applications for minors under 18 require consent of either both parents or legal guardian? |
| A: | It is necessary that either parent/legal guardian should give his / her consent while applying for minor's passport. Following documents have to be submitted in the given cases:
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| 1. | Passport application of a minor with consent of both parents | Annexure "H" |
| 2. | Applied by Legal Guardian | Annexure "H" |
| 3. | Minors with single parent (One parent deceased) | Annexure "H" |
| 4. | Applied by one parent/guardian when consent of one or both parents is not possible | Annexure "G" |
| 5. | Parents are separated but not divorced | Annexure "C" |
| 6. | Single parent of the child born out of wedlock | Annexure "C" |
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| Q13: | My spouse is living in another country. How do I get his/her signature for consent while applying for my child's passport? |
| A: | Consent of the spouse, who is abroad, is required for submitting the application of their child. It should be in the form of a Sworn Affidavit duly attested by the Indian Embassy/Consulate abroad (as per Annexure "H"). To check the complete list of documents to be submitted along with the application form, please click on"Documents Required" link on Home page. |
| Q14: | I want to apply for my child's passport. Are signatures of both parents mandatory on Annexure H to be submitted along with the application? What if my spouse is refusing to sign the form? |
| A: | Yes, the signature of both the parents is mandatory on Annexure H to be submitted along with the application as it signifies that both parents are giving consent for the issuance of passport to the child. Annexure H is the declaration of applicant's parents or guardian for the issuance of passport to the minor. If either of the parents is not giving consent, then the parent applying for the minor's passport needs to submit Annexure G. To see the format of Annexure H and G, please click on "Annexures/Affidavits" link on Home page. |
| Q15: | I wish to apply for a passport for my child who is 12 months old. Can I apply for a 60 pages booklet? |
| A: | No. Only 36 pages passport booklet are issued to minors. |
| Q16: | If parents have passport with adverse Police Verification Report or they have a criminal background, can passport be issued to minor on an urgent basis? |
| A: | In such cases, minors can be issued passport under Tatkaal scheme subject to the approval of the RPO / Competent Authority |
| Q17: | I want to apply for my minor child's passport. I hold a valid passport but spouse name is not endorsed. Can I apply for my child's passport without submitting my passport copy? |
| A: | If parent(s) of the minor holds a valid passport, then attested photocopy of passport needs to be submitted along with the application form. Spouse name should be endorsed on the parent's passport. If parent(s) hold a valid passport, but spouse name is not endorsed, then they must get the spouse name added in their passport. For this, they have to apply for re-issue of passport and get the specified change done in personal particulars. |
| Q18: | Do I need to carry photographs of my 3 months old child while visiting the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK)/Passport Office (PO)? |
| A: | Minor applicants below the age of 4 years need to carry a passport size photograph for the processing of application at the PSK/PO. For applicants above the age of 4 years, photographs will be captured at the PSK/PO itself.
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| 1. | Paste ONLY ONE COLOUR photograph as per the specifications given below | Do not paste black and white photographs |
| 2. | Paste your recent passport size photograph (4.5 cm length x 3.5 cm width) in colour in the box meant for affixing the photograph | Dimensions of photograph should not be smaller than the box (i.e. 4.5 cm length x 3.5 cm width) provided in the application form |
| 3. | Background of the photograph should be plain white and the dress should be in dark colour | Photograph with dark background or in uniform, or with eyes hidden under coloured or dark glasses will not be accepted |
| 4. | Photograph should fit within the given box | Photograph in computer print will not be accepted |
| 5. | Frontal view of the full face should be visible in the photograph | Photograph is NOT to be signed |
| 6. | Photograph should be printed on good quality photo paper | Distracting shadows on the face or on the background should not be there |
| 7. | Print of the photograph should be clear and with a continuous-tone quality | Eyes must not be covered by hair. Glares on eyeglasses should be avoided with a slight upward or downward tilt of the head |
| 8. | Expression of the face should be natural (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows) | Photograph should not be damaged, for example: torn, creased, or marked |
| 9. | Eyes must be open and both edges of face must be clearly visible | Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly visible |
| 10. | Head should be in the centre of the frame and both ears should be visible | Photographs cut from group photographs are not acceptable |
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