General information about Indian passport (2023)

General information about Indian passport

Indian Passport ServicesPlease visithttps://visa.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/uk/passport-services/english/#issuance-or-renewal-of-indian-passportbefore completing the online application form for the latest passport application instructions and procedures

Question - How to apply for passport renewal/new passport/lost and damaged passport?

The Indian Passport/Indian Passport Surrender service is outsourced to VFS (UK) and the application has to be completed online and submitted at one of the centres. Please press:https://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/welcomeLink

For more information, please contact:paspoort.london@mea.gov.in

Question - What is reissuing a passport after the full validity of the passport has expired?

Full passports are valid for ten years (five years for minors). The expiry date is always written on all passports. A passport holder can apply for a new issue of his/her passport one year before the expiry date of the passport or after the final expiry date of the passport.

Question - Can one apply for machine readable passport with normal validity of 10 years to replace a passport with 20 years validity or to replace a handwritten passport as this causes difficulties in obtaining a visa for many countries whose authorities oppose a passport with 20 years validity or a handwritten passport ;

Yes. It is in the best interest of the applicant to obtain a new 10-year passport as the Government of India has waived the issue of 20-year passport and handwritten passport as per the existing rules. Follow the same procedure as for reissuing a passport after it has expired.

Question – What should be the validity of a passport on the date of travel?

At least 06 months.

Question - How can I check the status of my passport application?

Send an e-mail to the Public Response Teaminf.london@mea.gov.inif the application is made to HCI London.

Question - If I send an email asking about the status of my application, what information should I provide first?

When emailing the Public Response Team, be sure to include details such as your full name, the center where you applied, your passport number, ARN or GBRL number, date of birth. This helps us identify your case more quickly. Please note that you may be asked for more information by mail.

Question - What are the normal processing times?

Processing times vary for different categories.

Question - What passport services are offered by HCI London through the Indian Visa & Consular Application Center in the UK?

The following services are offered:

• Reissue/renewal of passport after expiry of full validity of passport or exhaustion of pages or change of name/surname/signature or change/addition/deletion of spouse's name or change of address.

• Reissue of short validity passport in case of emergency/no valid visa.

• Issuance of a new passport in place of a lost/stolen/damaged passport.

• Issuance of a first passport to a newborn child.

Question - What is the procedure to follow to issue the first passport for a newborn child in the UK?

The birth of the child must be registered with HCI London as a prelude to applying for an Indian passport. A passport application can be made after obtaining the birth certificate from HCI London or the respective consulates, depending on the jurisdiction.

Question - How long can the passport be submitted for reissue before the expiry date?

The passport can be reissued up to one year before the expiry date.

Question - Can I request extra pages in my passport/extra booklet?

There is no option to add more pages or use an extra booklet. Applicants must apply for a new passport due to page exhaustion.

Question - Can my child (minor) travel on my passport?

All minors must have a separate passport. The old practice of including a child's name in the passport of one parent has been abolished.

Question - Do parents also have to sign the application for a new passport for a newborn child?

Yes. Both parents must sign that the newborn child's details on the application are correct and that the parents are responsible for their correctness.

Question - What are the requirements for adding the fingerprint of a newborn child to the application form?

Yes. Necessary. Reserved space is provided for this. A left thumb impression for a male child and a right thumb impression for a female child should be added in this designated place.

Question - Can the applicant request amendment or modification of the personal details in his passport at the time of re-issuance of his passport?

Yes. However, the applicant must clearly state in the appropriate place that they wish to change one or more personal details. It is worth noting that changes are not normally allowed unless credible evidence is provided to support the requested change of status. In addition, in some cases (such as a name change), the High Commission and its respective consulates may also want to know the purpose of the change request. Some personal data require special documents proving that the mandatory procedure has been followed. For more information, visit the relevant links.

Question - Can a UK address appear on an Indian passport?

Usually UK address is not allowed in Indian passport. However, only in exceptional cases where the applicant proves that he/she does not have a permanent address in India and in addition has an indefinite leave to remain in the UK, can the applicant show his/her UK address in his/her address. her Indian passport. If necessary, the High Commission and its respective consulates may require the applicant to affidavit that he has no permanent address in India.

Question - Is it mandatory to have police verification when reissuing passport?

Yes. As per the current guidelines, it is mandatory to have police verification in all cases of re-issuance of passport. So all the applicants are advised to provide their complete address in India for police authorities to go for verification. An incorrect address may cause a delay in the issuance of the passport.

Question - How do I change my old photo/add my new photo to the current changed look?

In this case, a new passport must be issued to provide this service. The application form is the same as the general passport application form.

Question - Is there only one application form for all passport services?

And.

Question – What should I do if I need an emergency passport reissue or passport service?

You can apply to Tatkal service. The processing time for a tatkal application is approximately 3-5 working days. Please note that tatkal application is not guaranteed as all applications are subject to checks and procedures.

Question - Which passport services are covered under Tatkal scheme?

Reissue of passport on expiry or up to one year before expiry (with valid visa), reissue of passport when pages run out and lost/stolen/damaged passports in relation to occasional visitors to the UK, subject to availability of current passport entry in our database. Tatkal service is provided in emergency situations (family death, medical emergency, etc.) on presentation of supporting documents, copy of confirmed travel ticket and a written request from the applicant explaining the emergency. Discretion rests with the High Commission and its respective consulates. Applicants must bring the emergency proof along with other valid documents. Processing time is 2-3 working days, subject to proof of emergency or if the Passport Officer is satisfied of the emergency during the interview with the applicant.

Question - Does the name on the visa document/sticker or residence permit match the name on the passport?

Yes. Otherwise, a passport with a short period of validity will be issued in cases where there are minor differences between the name on the passport and the name on the visa/residence permit. Passports of normal validity are issued only after the applicant presents the appropriate documents.

Question - Is it true that a passport will not be issued if there is a big difference between the name on the passport and the name on the visa/residence permit?

Yes. If this is the case, the applicant is asked to correct/clarify the anomaly. Any further service will be extended only after correction/clarification.

Question - What documents are accepted as proof of identity/citizenship (if required)?

You can submit one or more of the following documents:

(a) Copy of Indian Passport

(b) Damaged passport in original

(c) Photo IDs issued in India such as Driving License, Voter ID, Ration Card or PAN Card, Aadhaar Card,

(d) Letter from employer confirming applicant's identity

(e) Letter of recommendation from two Indian nationals residing in UK

(f) For students, a certificate issued by the relevant education/training institution. And

(g) For short-term visitors/tourists to the UK, documents such as airline tickets, boarding passes, itinerary and copy of Visa.

Question - Do photocopies of original documents need to be attested by the applicant?

Yes. All original documents must be accompanied by self-attested photocopies. Original documents must be submitted for verification at the time of application or sent by post if the application is sent by post.

Question - What is the validity of a passport?

A new passport is renewed when the old passport has completed its 10-year validity (for adults and over 15 years) and 5 years (for minors: under 15 years) from the date of issue or when a new booklet is required recording changes in basic data such as name, appearance, change of date of birth etc. or when all pages have been used.

Question - Can I keep my Indian passport for travel after acquiring foreign citizenship?

While acquiring foreign citizenship, the Indian passport must be submitted to the nearest Indian Visa Application Center and Consular Office. It will then be returned to the owner upon cancellation. Using an Indian passport to travel to India after acquiring foreign citizenship is an offense punishable under the Passport Act, 1967. Once you acquire foreign citizenship, you are no longer an Indian citizen and need an Indian visa to visit India.

Question - What is a Short Validity Passport (SVP) and under what conditions is such a passport reissued?

An SVP is often issued directly by the Indian High Commission or its respective consulates, to fulfill certain requirements, especially when an applicant has not met certain conditions for the issuance of passports with full validity in the first instance. Typically, an SVP is issued for a period of six months to two years. For example, SVPs are often issued to applicants whose Indian citizenship has been definitively established but who do not have valid landing rights/residence permits and yet their circumstances strongly suggest that such landing rights/residence permits can be obtained from the relevant UK authorities Basilio. Apart from facilitating these Indian nationals to obtain landing rights/residence permits in the UK, short-stay passports are also issued to Indian nationals under certain other circumstances to facilitate their travel to India.

Question - How can you use the Short Validity Passport (SVP) to Full Validity Passport (FVP) reissue service?

Follow the same procedure as for reissuing a passport after it has expired. The reissuance of such short-term passports is subject to the applicant using the validity of their passport to meet conditions that could not be met at the time of the SVP issue. For example, an SVP issued pending a positive police verification report from India can be upgraded to an FVP after receiving such a report. Another example could be that an SVP issued to facilitate the granting of valid visa/residence rights by the relevant UK authorities could be converted to an FVP when the applicant acquires such rights.

Question - Is it necessary to have valid UK visa/residence rights to apply for a replacement passport instead of a lost/stolen or damaged passport?

This is a basic requirement depending on the circumstances of each individual case. The applicant must satisfy the Passport Officer that the granting of an SVP would facilitate the acquisition of landing clearance/rights of residence in the UK.

Question - How long will it take to get a replacement passport instead of a lost one?

Issuance of replacement passports for lost ones would require different periods of time as situations vary greatly. It is difficult to establish a standard time standard for this service. Normally, in cases where the photocopy of the lost passport or the relevant details of the lost passport are available and easily traceable in the database of the High Commission and its respective consulates, the time required to replace the passports can be 2-3 weeks . In other cases where such data is not available or cannot be easily verified by checking our database records, more time will be required. In the latter cases, personal details, including the applicant's photograph, are often sent to the original passport issuing authority in India or abroad to verify the identity of the missing passport details. Such cases would obviously require more time as police verification is required. Therefore, applicants should calculate their own time frame before inquiring about the status of their pending applications.

Question - What if the local UK police do not register the loss of the Indian passport?

A self-attested statement with the date and time and the name of the police station visited and which refused registration can be provided. The High Commission and its respective consulates would accept such statements in lieu of a police report. However, police reports are now available.

Question - What procedure should be followed and what documents should be attached to the application for obtaining a new passport instead of a damaged one?

The procedure followed in this case is largely the same as that followed in the case of the procedure to issue a replacement passport in place of a lost/stolen passport. The only difference is that applicants do not need to report damaged passports to the police.

Question - How do I apply for an Emergency Certificate (EC) or Travel Document/Voluntary Departure?

The application form is the same form intended for passport services. The procedure followed is the same as for issuing a new passport in place of a lost/stolen/damaged passport, for details visit the link:https://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/welcomeLink

Question - Will my passport fees be refunded if I choose to return my application?

Fees after payment are non-refundable.

Question – What are the current rules regarding the extension of passport facilities to asylum seekers and their families.

In order to relax the existing rules, the Government of India has decided to extend passport facilities to all asylum seekers who have applied for asylum (pending or rejected or accepted) as long as they have not acquired a foreign passport/citizenship. Therefore, all the interested parties are requested to apply for the passport as per established procedure i.e. fill the online application form, submit it to VFS along with all documents and required fees etc.

Question – What are the current rules regarding extension of passport facilities to persons who do not yet have their residence permit/visa or their visa has expired or overstayed.

All such persons are advised to apply for the passport as per established procedure i.e. fill up the online application form, submit it to VFS along with all the required documents and fees etc.

Q: What documents are required for a name change.

For change of name, the applicant (male and female) must provide: (i) clippings from two local newspapers or the Gazette notification of the concerned State Government (in India), as the case may be; (ii) at least two government/school documents (such as PAN, Aadhar, Voter ID, Driving Licence, BRP, School/University ID, etc.) issued (in India or UK) in the desired/applied amended name to establish a statement that the applicant has actually change his name and iii) deed of change of name;https://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/pdf/change_of_name_270215.pdf

Question: In case of an emergency, where to contact?:

For any emergency, please contact:

Public Response Unit, High Commission of India, London

Email adress:inf.london@mea.gov.in&Info.london@mea.gov.in(pl don't send mail to both ids).

Emails must clearly state 1) name; 2) Passport number ? 3) Nationality. 4) Address. E-mail and no. telephone. 5) Emergency services are requested. 6) Reasons for seeking emergency services in detail along with documents (if any)

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