How to Apply for a Passport in India | Types of Passports, Colors, Fees, Required Documents

The Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India issues Indian passports through a network of 543 passport offices, 89 Indian embassies, and 108 consulates overseas. According to the Passports Act of 1967, a passport serves as proof that its possessor is an Indian citizen by virtue of birth or naturalization.

The Ministry of External Affairs Consular, Passport and Visa Division provides passport services in India through the Central Passport Organization (CPO), its network of passport offices, and Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs). The Ministry of External Affairs reports that the Indian government will soon introduce “e-passports” for its people. These electronic passports will protect biometric data and enable easy travel through immigration checkpoints worldwide.

Passport Service In India | Details of Passport

Category	Details
Official Site	passportindia.gov.in
Passport Mobile App	Android users iOS users
Customer Care Number	1800-258-1800
Consular Services Address	Shri Amit Narang, Joint Secretary (CPV), CPV Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Room No. 20, Patiala House Annex, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001Fax No. : +91-11-23782821E-mail : jscpv@mea.gov.in
Regional Office	Passport Seva Kendra

How to Apply for an Indian Passport Online

Through the Passport Seva website or the Passport Seva mobile app, a person can submit an online application for an Indian passport. Below is a description of the entire passport application process:

Step 1: To begin the passport application process, you must first register on the passport seva website. You only need to use your registered login ID and password to log in if you already have an account on the portal.

Step 2: From the list of options, select the “Apply for a new passport or re-issue of passport” link.

Step 3: A form will display on your window when you click the link. Complete this application form with all necessary information, then submit it.

Step 4: Next, go to the ‘Pay and Schedule Appointment’ page under the ‘View Saved/Submitted Applications’ option to pay the application fee and set up an appointment time.

Step 5: After paying the application money and scheduling an appointment, you should print the application form and the application receipt with the application reference number (RAN).

Step 6: Next, bring the original documents to the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) on the scheduled appointment day.

How to apply offline for an Indian passport

Before bringing it to the passport collection centers, candidates who wish to apply for an Indian passport offline must download the application form and print it off. Another option is to purchase the application form, fill it out, and bring it to the center with the necessary documentation.

Step 1: Download and print (back-to-back, on A4 paper) from the passport (PSP) website through the internet (www.passportindia.gov.in). The Print Application Form link can be located on the website’s home page.
Step 2: purchased at the aforementioned stores.

Types of Passports in India

Regular passport	White Passport	Diplomatic/Official Passport	ECR Holders
The cover is navy blue. This is for regular travel leisure or business-related trips	The cover is white and is issued to Indian Government officials who travel abroad for official purposes	The cover is maroonOnly issued to people holding diplomatic status other high-profile government officials are likely to be issued this passport	This has an orange jacketThis is provided to the ECR holder

Documents Required for New Passport Application in India

When an individual applies for a passport, he/she is required to submit certain documents:

• Passport application form
• Proof of address
• Proof of date of birth
• Documentary proof for any one of the Non-ECR categories

1. For Proof of Address

• Passbook of running bank account having the photo of the applicant
• Landline or post-paid mobile bill
• Rental agreement
• Electricity bill
• Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India
• Water bill
• Income Tax Assessment order
• Proof of Gas connection
• Aadhaar card
• Copy of the first and last page of parent’s passport, in case of minors
• Certificate from employer of reputed companies on their letterhead
• Copy of the first and last page of the spouse’s passport mentioning the applicant’s name as the spouse of the passport holder.

2. For Proof of Date of Birth:

• Aadhaar card/e-Aadhaar
• Permanent Account Number (PAN Card)
• Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India
• Driving license
• A declaration was given by the Head of the Orphanage or Child Care Home confirming the date of birth of the applicant on its official letterhead
• Birth certificate.
• Transfer certificate/school
• The copy of an extract of the service record of the applicant (only for government employees) or pension order (retired government employees) which is duly attested or certified by the officer of the concerned department of the applicant
• The copy of the policy bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporation/Companies has the date of birth of the insurance policyholder.

Fees Structure for Indian Passport

Description	Application Fee	Tatkaal Fee
Fresh Passport (36 pages) of 10 years validity (including minors 15 to 18 years who want to get a 10 years full validity passport).	Rs.1,500	Rs.2,000
New Passport of 60 pages for a validity of 10 years.	Rs.2,000	Rs.2,000
Fresh Passport for Minors -below 15 years of age	Rs.1,000	Rs.2,000
Duplicate Passport of 36 pages if the original one is lost, damaged, or stolen.	Rs.3,000	Rs.2,000
Duplicate Passport of 60 pages for a lost, damaged, or stolen one.	Rs.3,500	Rs.2,000
Police Clearance Certificate/Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR)/Additional Endorsements	Rs.500	Not Applicable
In case of Change of Address, Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Appearance, Spouse Name, Name of Parents/Legal Guardian-Delete Emigration Check Required (ECR)/Change in personal particular (36 pages) (10 years validity)	Rs.1,500	Rs.2,000
In case of Change of Address, Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Appearance, Spouse Name, Name of Parents/Legal Guardian-Delete ECR/Change in personal particular (60 pages) (10 years validity)	Rs.2,000	Rs.2,000
In case of Change of Address, Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Appearance, Name of Parents/Legal Guardian-Delete ECR/Change in personal particular for a minor (36 pages)	Rs.1,000	Rs.2,000

Indian Passport Issuing Process | Verification

The Passport Seva Project was launched by the Ministry of External Affairs with the goal of offering convenient passport services to every Indian citizen. As part of this initiative, the Ministry of External Affairs intends to set up call centers, data centers, disaster recovery centers, and passport service centers (PSKs) all around the country. At these call centers, all Indian languages will be spoken.

Police agencies use the Ministry’s mPassport Police App for verification reasons in a digital flow without the use of paper documents; also, the DigiLocker interface with PSP enables users to submit various passport-related documents electronically rather than in hard copies.

The Passport Seva Kendras currently serves as an extension of the Regional Passport Offices. Before submitting a passport application, you can verify the legitimacy of the Regional Passport Office and the Passport Seva Kendra. Public announcements are frequently made on Social Media to warn applicants about the actions of touts and agents. Additionally, in order to educate people about these procedures, display boards have been put up in passport offices.

To Renewal of Passports in India

• On the official Passport Seva website, one must register for renewal and create an account in order to renew a passport in India.
• In order to do this, you must first provide basic information such as your name and birthdate, then create a login ID and password.
• After that, the applicant will get an email with a link to activate their account. Once logged in, users can use the offered tab to apply for a new or renewed passport.
• A passport is only for ten years before it must be renewed, failing to do so could result in the loss of rights related to using it as identification, proof of residency, and age documentation.