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The travails of applying for an Indian passport

After a phase of whirlwind travelling, I ran out of free pages on my passport and had to make an application for a new passport. I was advised that the tatkal system is quite fast and efficient in India so I decided to make an application by Tatkal at the closest RPO to me, Chennai. I travel regularly for work and I was resumed work as soon as my passport was delivered. Unfortunately I was not present for the police verification (post). I was subsequently issued with a Show Cause Notice (SCN) by the passport issuing authority. This is a write up of my experience with the passport process and the SCN response.

The digitisation the the application process

I made a new application via the online portal. To make an appointment you must first register for an account here, the application form requires a current address in India and contact details for two references in India. After filling in an application, you have to book an appointment and pay for the application. The standard application fee is charged when booking the appointment and an additional fee is charged for a Tatkal application which needs to be paid at the time of appointment.

When I turned up at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Chennai at the date and time of the appointment, there was a 45 minute delay in getting inside the very crowded PSK. I was told that the delays were due to previous appointments running over. Eventually when I entered there was a security check, followed by a identity check – passport, address proofs, certificates were checked. My application was a Tatkal application so I had to wait a little longer for the initial checks. This was followed by another 30-40 minute wait and then to a counter (A) where the my online application was re-typed into another system and my photograph was taken. I’m not sure why this was done since I already had an online application completed. Then there was another 45 min wait, after which I was interviewed at another counter (B) where I was asked some valid and some weird questions about my application (my permanent residence address was that of my parents, I was asked why I did not choose to live with my husband!). In this day and age, that’s rather inappropriate.

To tatkal or not

There was yet another 60min wait for the next counter (C) where my passport application was successfully granted on the basis of a post police verification. Unfortunately, I forgot to EXPLICITLY specify that my application was Tatkal at the second counter and it went through as a ‘normal’ application. I was told that this can not be changed after the second counter. My advice to all applicants is to specify “Tatkal” to each person that your application gets passed on to. The application system is only partly digitised – the appointment booking system and the sms notification system were the only parts of the application that are fully automated. Although my application was marked Tatkal on the appointment confirmation, it was treated as a normal application as I didn’t say it was Tatkal to the person at the counter!

Change of name after marriage and addition of spouse’s name to the passport

Despite what passport advisors might tell you, the only ‘required’ document you need for changing your surname and take your spouse’s name on your passport is the Marriage Certificate issued by the Government of India. I did get some affidavits (which needed a publication of the name change in one national newspaper and one regional newspaper) stating the name change because a passport advisor told me to do so but it was not even asked for in the online application. The ‘required documents’ section of the application form states clearly that the Marriage Certificate is the only requirement but they may ask for more documents.

However, if you do change your current address after marriage then you will have to produce evidence of that. You will have to apply at the PSK closest to your current address and this would be the address used for the police verification.

Police verification and Show Cause Notice (SCN)

As I was only renewing an existing application, my application only required a post-verification check by the police. Meaning that I would only need to report to my local police station after the passport is issued. On the normal application route, my passport arrived in the post exactly 7 days after the application date. I got SMS notifications about the status all though the process. These were fantastic, I could track the status of my passport as it went through the PSK and got dispatched via Speed Post.

The application was done on the 5th of Feb 2015, 7 days later I received my passport in the post. A police man arrived at my address a few days after my passport was despatched. The nature of my work involves a lot of travel and I was not present when the police came around to my house.I waited for a second police verification to get initiated but I got no updates from the PSK for a few weeks. On the 12th of March 2015, I got a notification that an adverse police report was received after the police verification.

In the last week of March I got an SCN letter from the Regional Passport Office (RPO). This was a letter stating that I provide a good reason for not being present for the police verification. I was travelling at this time and I tried to contact the RPO by phone and by email but got no replies. As I was unable to reach them, I sent out a letter stating my reasons for not being present and enclosed a copy of my new passport, travel information, and a letter from my employer stating the urgency of my travel. All documents were self attested with the date. I sent this out to the RPO by registered post.

After 2 weeks from sending the letter I got an sms notifying me that my response to the show cause notice was received and a new police verification had been initiated. I immediately enquired about my file at the local police station and they said they would inform me when they received my file from the RPO. In a few days I was told that my file had arrived and I was asked to report to the police station with my old passport, an address proof and a passport size photo. When I went to the station, a police man inspected the documents and I had to sign and place my fingerprints in a register. All done!

To avoid the hassle, my advise to applicants is to enquire about your file at your local police station as soon as you get the notification that your passport has been despatched.

In fact, there is no fee for the police verification. If you’ve been asked to pay a fee, it’s clearly something under the counter. Please ask for the notice from the Passport Seva asking for the fee and do not comply with any form of bribery.

I’ve seen reports of people waiting outside the RPO and going from counter to counter to sort out the SCN. This is rather unnecessary if you’ve just missed the appointment for the police verification. If your address is correct and you received an SCN, then just respond with a genuine reason and provide proof of travel.

There are many forums with lots of questions and answers that address a part of the process.

It is stated quite clearly on the FAQ section of the passport seva website:

Q7:	Can I reply to a show cause notice received by me by calling a Call Centre executive?
A:	No, show cause notice cannot be replied through a Call Centre executive. An applicant has to reply the show cause notice in written or typed and send to the respective authority by post or personally meet officer concerned.

Sending a reply by registered post is quite efficient since your application is tracked online, you will get a notification when your response has been received. The Ministry of External Affairs has made a good effort to digitise the process and reduce the hassle. So I’d recommend replying by post instead of standing in long endless queues and meeting officers in the RPO.

In conclusion I feel that the post police verification system is quite inane as it’s done after the passport is actually delivered and there is no indication of when exactly the police will come by and check for your presence. However, this is considered an important part of the passport application process and must be completed.

I hope this helps anyone in the same situation.