A Passport is a travel document that is issued by the national government to the citizens of the country. The primary purpose of a passport is that it allows the holder to travel across borders.
In India, a passport is one of the most crucial documents for any Indian citizen as it is not only identity proof but also a crucial document for international travel. It enables the holder to travel abroad and serves as proof of being an Indian citizen in any foreign country.
Eligibility or age limit to apply for passport application
In India, citizens aged 18 years and above are eligible to apply for a passport. But in the case of minors, the validity of the passport is restricted to 5 years or till they attain the age of 18. But minors between 15 to 18 years of age can apply for a 10-year validity passport or for a passport that is valid till they attain the age of 18 years.
List of important documents required for passport application
While applying for a passport in India, the applicant is required to submit several important documents. Here is a compiled list of important documents that are required to get a fresh Indian passport.
· Identity proof like an Aadhaar card, Election voter ID card, or any valid photo ID card.
· Proof of age, birth certificate, school leaving certificate, etc.
· Driving license, PAN card, Aadhaar card.
· Proof of address such as electricity bill, water bill, gas connection, mobile bill.
· Photo passbook of running a bank account.
· Rent agreement (if applicable)
The Ministry of External Affairs has now made all the passport application process online. So, if you are looking to apply for a fresh passport, you will have to go through the online application process. The steps for the same are given below.
How to apply for a passport online in India
Step 1: Visit the official website of Passport Seva i.e., passportindia.gov.in.
Step 2: If you are an existing user, you can log in using the old login ID and password. But, if you are a first-time user, you need to register and create a new account.
Step 3: On the home page, click on ‘Register Now’ under the ‘New User’ tab.
Step 4: Next, enter the user ID & password, then the captcha code for verification, and click on ‘Register’.
Step 5: Now, login to the Passport Seva Online Portal with the registered login ID.
Step 6: After login, choose from the options provided and click on the ‘Fresh passport/passport reissue’ link.
Step 7: Carefully, fill in the required details in the application form and click on the ‘Upload e-form’ link to submit.
Step 8: Next, on the ‘View Saved/submitted Application’ screen, click on the ‘Pay and Schedule Appointment’ link to schedule an appointment.
Step 9: Lastly, click on the ‘Print Application Receipt’ link to take a printout of the application receipt. The receipt contains the application reference number or appointment number which must be kept safe for future reference.
After the completion of the application and payment process, you need to visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK)/ Regional Passport Office (RPO) as per the appointment booked, along with all the original documents for verification.
Point to note: While applying for the fresh issuance category, you need to make sure that you never held a passport of the applied category in the past, i.e., a diplomatic passport, official or ordinary passport.
Mode of payment for passport appointment
Notably, online payment has been made mandatory for booking appointments at all Passport Seva Kendra/ Passport offices. You can make the online payment using any one of the following modes:
· Internet Banking
· Credit/Debit Card
After the satisfactory verification by the officials, the issuance of a passport will take 7 to 14 working days.
