Lok Sabha Question No. 1742 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-04
Subject: Simplifying Issuance of Passport
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1742

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.05.2016

## SIMPLIFYING ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT

## 1742. SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to simplify the process of passport issuance and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether this will reduce the difficulties faced by the citizens and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) Whether  the  present  system  of  passport  issuance  is  more  complicated  and  time consuming; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) The Government has simplified the process of issuance of passport in order to make it more expedient and convenient.  The Ministry of External Affairs has made two major changes recently that have expedited the process for first time passport applicants as well as made it more convenient to secure an online appointment at the local Passport Seva Kendras(PSKs). As per these changes, the first time passport applicants who furnish Aadhaar  Card,  Electoral  Photo  Identity  Card  (EPIC),  PAN  Card  and  an  affidavit  in  the prescribed format,  will get faster service, without payment of additional fees, subject to successful  online  validation  of  Aadhaar,  EPIC  and  PAN  cards  from  the  respective databases.  The  passports  under  this  liberal  dispensation  will  be  issued  on  Post-Police Verification basis.

The second  measure pertains  to  securing  online  Appointments  for  submission  of passport  applications  at  PSKs.  The  new  provision  is  allowing  applicants  to  choose  any appointment date from the earliest five available dates (working days) for scheduling/rescheduling an appointment for passport related services. Earlier, the System used to offer only one available date to the applicant for seeking appointment for passport related services.  These measures have simplified the process of passport issuance and reduced the difficulties faced by the applicants.

- (c) & (d) The  entire passport issuance process is online. The  Passport Portal (www.passportindia.gov.in) is accessible to anyone, anywhere  and  anytime.    The applicants apply for passport service online, pay Passport Fee also through the Portal and visit the PSK at the appointed date and time.  Approximately, one lakh internet enabled Common Services Centres (CSCs) in rural areas have been authorized to facilitate online passport application service to citizens at a nominal charge not exceeding Rs. 100/-.  The objective behind receiving applicants with prior appointment is to reduce waiting time to the  minimum.    Status  of  applications  can  be  tracked  by  the  applicants  through  the passport  website  or  through  mPassport  Seva  mobile  application.  An  e-mail  based helpdesk facility and a 24x7 National Call Centre have been set up to provide requisite information to citizens in 17 languages. Periodic SMS messages are sent to the citizen intimating the various stages of process of passport application including date of police verification  and  dispatch  of  passport.  The  present  system  is  therefore  simple,  user friendly  and  the  time  taken  for  issue  of  passports  has  reduced  progressively  in  recent years.

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