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And in 2007, we also had paid 100 Bucks for my parents' passport that a Postman delivered in Bangalore.

ಏನಾದ್ರು ಟೀ ಕಾಫಿ ಗೆ ಕೊಡಿ ಸಾರ್ - Please give something for Tea/Coffee was the simplest way to "demand" and my dad just paid.

So this is definitely not something new when it comes to paying these service charges.

I renewed my passport a couple of months back - let me share the experience with all.

The procedure of setting up the slot at PSK, payment, and initial document verification at the PSK went without any trouble. At counter C, I barely spent 1 minute and was allotted post police verification.

The passport was received (collected in person from post office) in 6-7 days post PSK visit.

The real trouble started when a person from DIB office showed up and requested to visit the local police station with the following documents - do mind that this is my 2nd passport renewal (3rd passport overall):

• Self - voter, aadhar, passport, ration, pan card
• mother - voter, aadhar, passport, ration, pan card
• father - voter, aadhar, passport, ration, pan card
• wife - voter, aadhar, passport, ration, pan card
• father - office id
• self - office id
• self birth certificate - both paper and downloaded from municipality records website
• old deed of house - from my grandfather's time
• new deed of house - between my uncle and father
• residential certificate from local ward Councillor
• voter list part number - self, mother, father attested by Councillor
• all of my educational certificates from class 10, 12, graduation, masters
• electricity / gas / water bill

One can easily sense the intent, wherein any document not furnished will jack up the 'rate'.

I collected each and every document, with duplicate photocopies of each, and reached the office in time - it's only a km away from my house.

Saw that people are being milked / sent back for the silliest of reasons.

After my documents were scrutinized, they were found bulletproof with no scope for any further queries. The officer asked couple of questions, and then the clerk (almost my father's age) pulled me aside and mentioned that my file shall pass without any issues by virtue of having all document in order, and asked something for 4 of them (3 clerks + 1 officer). I had only a 500 rupee note besides some change, pulled out & threw that 500 on his table, and walked out.

Few days later received a SMS that my documents were successfully verified. Thus ended a disgusting episode of getting my documents verified.

Had the opposite experience. The officer for my locality in Chennai called me and came home. Verified a few documents and approved it then and there on a Samsung tab after taking pictures with it. Refused any money and said it was his duty!! Same person visited me a month or two later for another passport and same experience. I was out that day and he told me to call him when I get back. I am still in awe of that experience.

There is nothing to be in awe of this experience, really. It is really sad that we have all come to accept as usual/normal the unethical payment of extra money for jobs which people are getting paid remuneration for. So much so, that when a public servant is really honest and does not seek extra favours from us, we feel that a huge favour has been done for us leading to this feeling of awe. Feel sad that corruption has become such an accepted part of the societal fabric.

Several years earlier, I went to the police station for my verification and it was smooth sailing, apart from an initial wait of about 15-20 mins. Not a single rupee was paid nor asked for - not directly, nor through implication. Next renewal coming up in a couple of years, lets see how that one turns out.

Is it normal for passport official to send minors ( 6 & 12 Yrs Old) passport for police verification. At the time of application i was told otherwise . Have tweeted to Passportseva handle but got no response so far. Seems like guys are on extended honeymoon.

Same here for my passport address change about a year back in Mumbai. Police verification went without a hitch, all documents validated in a proper process and without any bribes

You should share a feedback and complaint about this process to your local authority /passport office. Not expecting any change, but overall the passport processes have become much more streamlined and cases like yours are becoming the minority.

My brother in Bangalore had to pay 'chai-paani' of Rs 300 to the police officer who came home for verification, as he didn't pay it up-front and was later called to the police station for 'further verification'. He offered 100, but the cop just wouldn't send out an approval on his tab. Even our close friend paid 500. I think Bangalore rates highest on the bribe index, in the Country.

I had to pay nothing.

It was a smooth process. I chose SAI Arcade, Bellandur PSK, as the route was familiar to me from Hebbal.
Keeping office hour peak traffic in mind, I started 2 hours in advance and managed to reach just 20 min before time.
I carried original and 2 self attested copies of the following:
Rent Agreement, Aadhar (non Bangalore address), Office ID.
Married folk would need to carry a marriage certificate, else fill an annexture available at PSK for the same.
Counter A was finished off within 10 min during which they scanned all documents, took fingerprints and a photo, but the wait for Counter B was a painstaking 50 min. All documents were verified again and I was cleared for Counter C. Another 20 min wait and then Counter C also got cleared in 5 min. I was out of PSK in almost 2.5 hours start to finish.
Passport came by speed post in 2 days flat and police verification happened by the 6th day. They called me early morning but I was already in office.
They requested if I could come home during lunch or later, but before 5 PM that day, which I obliged to.
They took a Passport sized photo and older documents from PSK, compared both my passports, got me to sign on the Police Clearance letter and they went. Nothing was demanded. This took merely 15 min at home.

I renewed my passport a month ago. Following are my experience:

+ Renewal window opens a year before expiry. Mine still had 6 months left.

+ I relocated to Pune from Kolkata a year back. To avoid hassles and location change, i planned renewal when i visited hometown Kolkata from Pune.

+ Registered on official website and chose a suitable date after paying the amount. You cannot chose date weeks before in advance.

+ For some reason the passport website mentioned to carry educational documents although existing passport was ECNR. However i forgot them in Pune and in Kolkata i had xerox marksheets and Graduation transcripts.

+Had to Q for 30mins extra than mentioned time outside.

+ The first two stages which was outsourced was a breeze. The only push was the SMS notification service which i took and the optional passport case which i rejected.

+ In the next phase the officials are not that professional and asked unrelated questions like details of a famous tea stall near my neighborhood.

+ They also asked about my mark sheets although i am renewing a ECNR passport. My graduation transcript came to the rescue.

+ Passport reissued without any police verification. The new passport came within a week (non tatkal). Overall a great experience considering its govt clap:

My renewal appointment is scheduled next week.

Query :
1.Will the Passport office click a picture of me mandatorily, or will the copies of the passport picture I'm submitting alongside will be printed in the renewed passport?
I'd have to get myself groomed accordingly. stupid:

2. Also, do we need to take Annexure E for a normal passport renewal?

Yes, they will click the photo. No need to carry any photographs unless for kid aged below 4 years.

Quoting myself.

The Policemen called my phone and requested for kids character certificates issued by gram panchayat Pradhan and visit the police station. Took me some time as i am in NCR and Have applied for passport in my native place. Dad did the requisite & submitted the certificate with concerned. NO bribe was asked or given.

Got the mail yesterday that passport have been issued and send via speed post. Pretty happy with the closure within a month although was bit surprised to see them doing police verification for kids & police asking for their character certificate.

Same time, got below from a twitter handle about police verification process and clarification issue by concerned about same. I am not sure how authentic it is but it do make sense.

Just thought of posting this information, hoping its useful to some of you.

The login ID you create on the online system can support only 5 applications. You need to create a new login for further applications. Only saving grace is that you can use the same email ID and create multiple user IDs. Spent over an hour to figure it out including a call to passport call center.

@blackasta; You must have run into a really invidious bunch. Even since the PSK came up there has never been any request for such gratification. If fact of late even the local police want a letter from the references, with no 'bakhsheesh' thrown in.

His problem was not at the PSK but with the police. I and other family members had exactly the same experience here in Bombay. The PSK visit was problem free (The current style of PSKs were setup I think in 2012 & managed by TCS and they have largely been very smooth) but the police first came and did a home verification, asked to call two neighbours home & then gave a list of 10 documents to bring to the police station.