How to apply for a passport?- A complete guide to follow

Every Indian citizen needs a passport to travel abroad. The application process for passports comes under the Ministry of External Affairs. The ministry launched an online application service, Passport Seva Project, in May of 2010. Since then, the application process has become simpler. 

Here’s the information you need to know while applying for a passport.

Required documents for passport application

You will need to submit a few documents with the passport application form. You can get the information about it on the following link-

https://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/docAdvisor/attachmentAdvFreshInp

This is the official website for passport applications. Here you can find all the information you need. The documents can be classified into three parts. They are as follows-

Proof of current address

You can submit any of the following documents as proof of address. Be sure that the document contains your current address. 

No.	Proof of address
1	Water bill
2	Telephone bill
3	Electricity bill
4	Income Tax assessment order
5	Election commission photo ID card
6	Gas connection proof
7	Employment certificate from a reputed company on letterhead
8	First and last page of spouse’s passport
9	Parent’s passport copy
10	Adhar card
11	Rent agreement
12	Passbook photo of bank account

Proof of birth

You have to submit any one of these documents as proof of your date of birth.

No.	Proof of birth
1	Birth certificate issued by the registrar of births and deaths or Municipal corporation
2	Transfer or school leaving certificate
3	Public life insurance policy bond
4	For government employees, a copy of an extract of service record.
5	Adhar card
6	Election photo ID card
7	PAN card
8	Driving license
9	Declaration by the head of an orphanage

For a non-ECR person

The non-ECR stands for Emigration Clearance Not Required. This category is written on a person’s passport who wants to work in another country. The documents required for such a person are as follows-

No.	Non-ECR person	Documents
1	For gazetted government servants	Identity certificate / non-objection certificate/ prior intimation letter.
2	For the spouse of gazetted government servant	Identity certificate/ attested copy of marriage certificate
3	For dependent children of gazetted government servant	Identity certificate/ birth certificate/ school leaving certificate/ passport copy of the government servant (parent)

Passport application types

While filling up the application form, you will need to choose the type of passport you require. Here are the four types of passports-

• Fresh passport/ passport reissue
• Diplomatic passports/ official passport
• Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
• Identity certificate

Registration or signing in on the website

Now that we have everything we need, it’s time to register on the official website of the Indian government’s passport office. www.embassy.passportindia.gov.in is the official website for passport applications. This online platform is called Passport Seva online. Let’s see how to register for a passport-

Step1- Go to the official website. On the right side of the screen, you will see the button for ‘Register.’ Click on this button.

Step2- A registration form will open. You need to choose the passport office near you. Fill up the information there, create your login ID and password and submit the form. 

Step3- A verification link will be sent to your email. Click on the link to verify your information for your passport.

Step4- After the verification, your Passport Seva account will be activated. 

How to apply for a passport online?

The online application for a passport is pretty simple. It involves the following steps-

Step1- Go to the official Passport Seva website you just registered. Click on the existing user and put your login ID and password. 

Step2- Select the type of passport you want to apply. If you are applying for the first time, then select fresh passport.

Step3- An application form will open. Fill up the necessary details in the form and click on submit. Check all the information before submitting. 

Step4- Go to the applicant’s home page and click on the submitted application. Save the Application Reference Number (ARN) for further process.

Step5- Click on pay and schedule an appointment. You will get online payment options like debit cards, credit cards, UPI, etc. 

There’s an option available as a challan if you want to pay in cash. You can pay the challan at the SBI branch only. Download the challan receipt from the site. Take that receipt to the nearest SBI branch and pay in cash. You will get a copy of the challan from the bank personnel. It will take two days to verify the payment. The payment status will be displayed on the website. 

Scheduling the appointment

Just like the payment, you need to follow simple steps to schedule your appointment at the nearest passport office.

Step1- When you click on pay and schedule an appointment, select the Passport Seva Kendra of your choice.

Step2- Choose a convenient slot for the dates mentioned there. 

Step3- Enter the CAPTCHA given below and confirm your appointment.

Step4- Now, select pay and book an appointment. Your application details will be displayed on the screen.

Step5- After the payment, you will receive an appointment number via SMS or email. You will also receive an application receipt. Download the receipt and print a copy to show at the Passport Seva Kendra. 

Key takeaways

• You must gather all the required documents before applying for the passport online.
• You have to follow the same procedure for reissuing the passport.
• Keep the ARN and payment receipt safe for the appointment at Passport Seva Kendra.

Hope you found this article helpful. Do write to us about your suggestions. Click here to read more such articles. 

Liked this blog? Read next: 7 easy steps to get a work visa in Denmark!

FAQs

Q1. What is the application fee for a passport?

Answer – For a fresh passport or reissue, you need to pay INR 1,500/- as an application fee.

Q2. How many days will it take to get a passport after application?

Answer – It will take approximately 30-45 days from the date of application to issue a passport.

Q3. Is an Adhar card enough for a passport application?

Answer – Adhar card can be used as either identity proof or address proof for a passport application. You will need some other documents as well.