Welcome to the world of hassle-free passport
CHANDIGARH: From doing away with police verification and marriage or divorce deeds to enabling applicants to apply anywhere in India, the recent amendments by the Ministry of External Affairs have made obtaining a passport an easy affair.
WHERE DO YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR A PASSPORT?
Now, you can apply from anywhere in India. Choose the Regional Passport Office (RPO) and the Passport Seva Kendra where you want to submit the application even if the residential address in the form doesn’t fall in the jurisdiction of the said RPO. The police verification, if required, will be conducted at the temporary address specified in the form.
HOW CAN SINGLE PARENTS APPLY FOR PASSPORTS FOR THEIR KIDS?
The consent of both the parents is no longer required for passport. Now the applicant can furnish the name of only one parent or legal guardian in the online form.
Also, the divorcees and those separated can drop the name of their former spouse without having to provide the divorce declaration or decree.
WHAT FOR ADOPTED, ORPHANED OR THOSE BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK?
Adopted children can simply give a declaration on a plain paper declaring the adoption. Children born out of wedlock would be required to give a statement that the other parent has not given consent for the passport.
In case of orphaned kids without any proof of date of birth, a declaration on the official letterhead from the head of the orphanage or the child care home authenticating the DOB of the applicant would suffice.
DO YOU STILL REQUIRE ATTESTATION?
No, applicants can submit the required annexures in the form of self-declaration on a plain paper without any attestation or affidavits.
HOW WILL ELDERLY AND CHILDREN GET RELIEF WITH FTOKENS?
The RPO at Chandigarh has introduced an F-token facility for four categories of applicants: 1. children below six years of age; 2. their parents; 3. senior citizens, and 4. physically handicapped. This means they have to take an online appointment, but don’t have to wait in a queue.
IS THERE ANY RESPITE FROM POLICE VERIFICATION IN PERSON?
Police verification has now been restricted to those with a criminal record. As such, no cops will visit the residence of the applicant.
IS OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION REQUIRED FOR A TATKAL PASSPORT?
The Ministry of External Affairs has done away with the mandatory requirement of Annexure F, which entailed the recommendation of a Class I officer.
WHAT IS MPASSPORT SEVA MOBILE APP?
The mpassport Seva mobile app available in Android and IOS platforms lets you apply, pay for, and schedule appointments for passport services.
HOW INDISPENSABLE IS THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE?
Married applicants don’t require to furnish the marriage certificate or the erstwhile Annexure K anymore.
WHICH DOCUMENTS CAN SERVE AS PROOF OF DATE OF BIRTH (DOB)?
Apart from the birth certificate (BC) issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths or the Municipal Corporation or any other prescribed authority, the MEA has now allowed the following documents to be accepted as DOB proof. These include:
* Transfer/school leaving/matriculation certificate issued by the school last attended/recognised educational board, PAN Card, Aadhaar Card/ E-aadhaar, copy of the extract of the service record of the applicant (only in respect of government servants) or the Pay Pension Order (in respect of retired government servants), duly attested/certified by the officer/in charge of the administration of the ministry/department of the applicant, driving licence, Voter Card issued by the Election Commission, a policy bond issued by the public Life Insurance Corporations/companies.