Acquiring a passport is easier now

New Delhi: Acquiring a passport has just become easier!

With effect from Tuesday, the revised guidelines for issuing passports have taken effect, which means the number of documents required to apply for a passport has gone down and there is now no requirement of police verification in case of re-issuance of the document.

As per the new norms, an applicant will now be required to furnish only three of 14 documents as proof. One of these documents will be required to have a photograph. The new guidelines are aimed at reducing the delays in issuance of passports.

The new norms also do away with the requirement for the 'Emigration Check Not Required' stamp if the applicant is a matriculate. Thus far, graduation was the eligibility criteria for the ECNR stamp.

Meanwhile, the government has also relaxed the rules for obtaining a certificate for waiver of police verification by extending the authorisation powers to undersecretaries, tehsildars and SHOs in this regard.

For reissuance of passports, no police verification would be necessary either before or after issuance unless there is any negative information concerning an applicant, the new guidelines said. The passports will be needed to be re-issued within four days, the sources said.

Changes have also been effected with regard to the Tatkal scheme, under which a passport will have to be issued within 14 days, rather than 20 days as per the existing rules. A Tatkal passport may also be issued within seven days, if an applicant shells out Rs 500 extra.

Reissue of passport under the Tatkal scheme will have to be done within three days. As per the changes, an applicant would not be required to cite reasons for applying for a Tatkal passport. The MEA’s intention of doing away with the requirement of address verification of a passport applicant and depending only on individual’s identity has failed to take off because of opposition from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The MEA also intends to do away with the requirement of five-year address proof for people born in Jammu and Kashmir and residing outside the state. However, this proposal has also been shot down by the MHA. While easing procedures for applying for passport, the government is also examining suitable amendments to the Passports Act to provide for stricter penalties for those obtaining passports by fraudulent means.

(With PTI inputs)