Lok Sabha Question No. 3547 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Police Verification
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: DIPSINH SHANKARSINH RATHOD, VINOD CHAVDA, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3547 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2016

## POLICE VERIFICATION

3547.

SHRI D.S. RATHOD: SHRI VINOD LAKHAMASHI CHAVDA: SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  a  mobile  application  named  M-passport  has  been launched recently and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the matter in which it will help in getting passport and other related services;
- (c) whether  police  verification  is  not  necessary  for  passport applicants and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has decided to make police verification  for  issuing  passport  through  mobile  application; and
- (e) if  so, the details thereof and the action plan prepared for the same?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Yes.  A  mobile  application  'mPassport  Police'  has  been launched  by  the  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  in  January  2016  for speedy submission of Police Verification Report (PVR). The mobile application  would  facilitate  the  field  verification  police  officers  to capture  the  PVR  into  the  system  digitally.  With  the  launch  of  this application,  the  need  to  download  and  print  the  physical  Personal Particulars  Form  and  questionnaire  would  no  longer  be  required resulting  in  paperless end-to-end  digital  flow  of  the  PVR  process, further reducing the time required for completion of PVR, within the desired time limit of 21 days.

- (c) For the purpose of Police Verification (PV), the passport applications are divided into three categories, that is, No-PV, PostPV and Pre-PV cases as given below:

No  PV: Police Verification (PV) is not necessary in case of renewal/reissue of passport, if the passport application is submitted before  expiry  or  within  three  years  of  expiry  of  the  Passport, provided the system shows clear PV and nothing adverse is noticed. PV  is  also  not  required  for  Government  employees  if  requisite  No Objection Certificate (NOC) and other documents, such as proof of stay, are furnished along with the application.

Post-PV: Police Verification after issuance of passport is required if the application for reissue of passport is (i) submitted within three years after expiry of passport, but the PV Column in the system is either blank or incomplete; (ii) for a minor is submitted for reissue after  attaining  the  age  of  18  years;  and  (iii)  for  lost/fully  damaged passports, where particulars and photograph are in the system, PV is clear and the particulars of the applicant matches with that in the system.  The  Ministry  has  introduced  a  scheme  in  January  2016 under which the first time passport applicants who furnish Aadhaar Card,  Electoral  Photo  Identity  Card  (EPIC),  PAN  Card  and  a  self declaratory affidavit of non-criminality in the prescribed format will get  faster  service,  without  payment  of  additional  fees,  subject  to successful  online  validation  of  Aadhaar  database,  if  required.  The passports under this liberal dispensation are issued on Post-Police Verification basis.

Pre-PV: In all cases other than those stated above, the passports are issued after receipt of clear PVR.

- (d) & (e) Yes. As stated in (a) & (b)  above, a mobile application 'mPassport  Police'  has  been  launched  by  the  Ministry  of  External Affairs in January 2016 for speedy submission of PVR. It has been working in Kolkata, Chandigarh, Pune and Bangalore. All the State Governments/Union  Territories  have  been  requested  to  use  this mobile application for the purpose of police verification.

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