Passport Query

✅Apply before the passport expires.

• You should apply for passport renewal online at least 6 months, or up to 1 year before the passport's expiry.
• For international travel, your passport should be valid for at least 6 to 12 months.

✅ Apply before planning your travel

• If you are planning to travel abroad, check the validity of your passport beforehand.
• You should apply for passport renewal at least 6 months to 1 year before your passport expires.

If your current and permanent address details are different, you can provide both in your passport application. However, you must submit valid address proof for both the current and permanent address.

Step-01 - Visit the official Portal

First, visit the Passport Seva Website, i.e. www.passportindia.gov.in

When applying for a Passport in India, applicants above 5 years of age are not required to submit, as their live photograph is captured by the officials on the appointment day.

However, minors below 5 years of age must submit a passport-size photograph while applying. The photograph must fulfil all the criteria prescribed by Passport Seva India.

Passport Seva Mobile App

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the nodal department in India responsible for the issuance of passports. To facilitate this, they have developed a user-friendly Passport Seva Portal, which provides all the necessary information to its users. To simplify this process, the MEA has launched the Passport Seva Mobile App.

Appointment Availability at Nearest Passport Seva Kendra

While submitting a passport application online, applicants must select the nearest Passport Seva Kendra for their appointment. On the day of the appointment, the applicant's documents are verified by the officials. Applicants can check appointment availability online through the Passport Seva Portal. To do this, applicants need to follow some steps, which are stated below: -

Passport Status Tracking Through Speed Post

Once the passport is dispatched from the Regional Passport Office (RPO), applicants can track their passport online. For this, applicants receive an SMS from India Post which consists of a tracking number. With the help of this number, applicants can track their passport from the India Post website.

Steps to track the Passport through India Post

To track the status of a Passport, the applicant must follow the steps given here:

If you are applying for a new passport or renewing the existing one, it is mandatory to provide an emergency contact during the process. While renewing a passport, you can update or add a new emergency contact. For this, you need to apply for a passport or its renewal online through the Passport Seva Portal.

• The passport application form is submitted online through the Passport Seva Portal. The application form can be submitted in two modes: Normal or Tatkal.
• During the entire process from registration to passport delivery, applicants receive various SMS or emails on their registered mobile number and Email ID. These alerts provide updates on the status of their application.

Here we have shared some stages when an applicant receives SMS/Email.

Passport police verification status can be checked either online or offline. The online status can be viewed from the Passport Seva Portal.

Registration is important to submit a passport application form online. Users can register by following the procedure given below.

Passport User Registration Form

To apply for a passport, you first need to fill out a registration form.

To apply for a passport, every applicant must register on the Passport Seva website. Once registered, you can apply for a new passport or renew an existing one. During registration, you will generate a user ID and password. After logging in with these details, you can submit your passport application and perform other important tasks.

Application Fee payment is the most important step while submitting a passport application online. After submitting the application form, you need to pay and schedule your appointment. You can pay the passport application fees online via various modes, such as

• If you want to change or update your name in your current passport, you need to follow a procedure.
• First, you must issue a public notice in your local newspaper regarding the name change, which is called a "Public Notice of Name Change".
• The Indian government has made it mandatory to issue such a public notice if you wish to change your name due to marriage, divorce, religious conversion, or any other reason.

Required important additional documents

A damaged passport, even if the damage is minor, can cause issues while travelling. If your passport is damaged, for example, if it is torn or has ink or other stains, it will be considered damaged. In such instances, you must apply for a new passport under the 'Reissue' category, stating that your passport is damaged.