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Update on my recent passport renewal under Tatkal category at Sai Arcade PSK Bangalore

I had to get my passport renewed because it was nearing the end of the 10 year period as well as change in particulars.

I had the following changes to be done:
1. Change of present address
2. Addition of spouse name
3. Delete ECR

Below are the documents and photocopies that I took in and were required for that purpose:
1. Gas Bill receipt
2. Old passport
3. PAN card
4. Aadhaar card
5. Marriage certificate
6. 10th pass certificate
7. Annexure E (for tatkaal)

Travel and the queue outside PSK
My slot was at 12 - 12:15 PM on August 8. I started from my home at Electronic city at 10:20 AM and reached the PSK parking at 11:30 AM. I went into the PSK complex and stood in a queue at around 11:35 AM, there were around 10 people ahead of me in the queue. A security lady came up and checked my appointment slot (showed the SMS) and she wrote the sequence number and the time on my passport photocopy. I was told to wait.

At around 11:50 AM the queue started moving and the security lady asked me to move to Counter #5 after checking the note she had made. I went inside the room and it was choc-a-block with people. Counter #5 deals specifically with tatkaal cases whereas I saw another 2 counters where normal cases were dealt with.

Token counter
After standing in the queue for approximately half an hour my turn came and I was told to provide all the documents. The lady at the counter took in my documents and asked me to wait for the token. I keep waiting and waiting and approximately at 12:30 learn that the passport officers had gone for lunch break - so they were not issuing tokens till they are back. Another excruciating hour later, I was called in, asked if I had 2000 Rs in cash and on affirmation handed a token to go in.

There is a xerox machine where you can get photocopies done for documents if you have forgotten something, 1 rs per copy; as well as get print outs of various Annexures (2 rs per copy). However, be ready to wait as there would be many who would have forgotten something or the other.

Counter A
I went in and find around 20 odd people waiting for their turn. There is a small CCD counter inside where you can buy sandwiches / coffee and stuff. Thankfully, my turn came in about 10 minutes - slots are displayed on screen mounted above.

I went to the designated counter and the person (apparently from TCS) started to scan my documents, take my photo and my finger prints. They also show the application screen and ask if all the details are correct. The process was quite fast and I was done in about 5 - 6 minutes. You have to pay the remaining tatkaal fee of 2000 Rs here. I was asked if I wanted to opt in for SMS updates, if YES then pay another 50 Rs. They also try to sell an optional passport cover, saying you won't get that anywhere else - I politely declined.

There are approximately 10 - 15 counters, so your slot in this section comes quite fast.

I moved out to a small cramped area (which does not have enough chairs) and started waiting for my slot at Counter B.

Counter B
It had 4 passport officers who were checking in the cases. Bottleneck starts :Frustrati
2 out of those were processing tatkaal, however they also processed normal cases in between. Had to wait for approximately half an hour before my turn came. I was asked to produce the originals for all the documents that I had submitted. After close scrutiny for about 5 - 10 minutes, my case was given a pass and I was asked to move to Counter C.

Passport officers are quite harried here (maybe because of the crowd), so please be affable and courteous. Few people got stern looks and sarcastic comments because of silly reasons.

Now I move to another spot where Counter C applicants are waiting. I was very hungry and did not have chance to grab anything earlier - thankfully had a few chocolate bars which gave some respite. People going in at around lunch time please have some backup food.

Counter C
The greatest bottleneck - only 1 passport officer (don't know if it was the case only that day) who is the final authority. Had to wait till around 4 PM for my slot to come in. Everything was again checked in originals and then finally, the officer asked her assistant to mark the current passport cancelled.
I immediately get an SMS which says my application has been granted ton Post Police Verification basis.

Before getting out of the PSK, you need to submit the token which has a feedback section in the back - you need to fill your particulars and submit to the security before being let out.

I go the parking, pay the parking fees (they try to simply fleece you by quoting absurd amount - be firm and pay by the board which has the charges). It had started raining and I get caught slightly in the evening traffic but reached home in an hour's time.

SMS updates
I get SMS updates that my passport has gone for printing that evening itself. It was posted the next day from Bangalore BNPL along with an India post tracking number.
Using the tracking number I tracked that the passport had arrived to the Electronic City post office on Saturday, 10 August - 2 days later.

Police Verification
I get a call on Sunday evening from the Electronic City police station to come in the next day for verification. Next day, I called the police officer, but was asked to come next day as he was out on duty.
I go in on Tuesday, 13 August around 10:30 AM with all the documents and a set of photocopies. Everything else was fine, but the officer also asked to see the rent agreement - he made a comment that it was not notarized and that I need to be a resident of the present address for atleast 6 months. I politely reminded him its almost 5.5 months now (I was staying there from March 2019), he responded saying that he will have to take permission from the Commissioner's office (please note that all these are just scare mongering techniques, which is directly correlated to fees which he asked for at the end, I paid 100 Rs just for peace of mind and there was no response from the police officer).

I got a SMS on 14 August (next day) that a clear report has been filed for my current address.

Receipt of passport
I received the passport on 13th August (same day as police verification). My wife received the passport, the postman just asked my wife what her relation with me was and handed over the passport.

So overall, it took 5 days for the passport to reach me. Overall the experience was Ok, atleast I was kept informed at each step. Although it took me almost 4 hours for my PSK process, which I definitely think can be streamlined.

Guys, need some urgent help here...

I have submitted my application for reissue of expiring passport and paid the fees online. I had to reschedule my appointment a couple of times since there is a family emergency ongoing. My appointment is for 10:15 am tomorrow (Thu Aug 22) and I am not sure I can make it.

The passport seva portal is not allowing me to reschedule again or even cancel the appointment. So what do I do?

Call the Pune RPO at 020-25675421, 27209999 or the generic toll free number 1800-258-1800 and see if they have anything to suggest.

If that doesn't work, register a grievance using the link below under "Appointment related issues" category, and hope that they call you to resolve this issue:

https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in...uestHomeAction

Isn't there an option for appointment cancellation after you log in?

Cheers,
Vikram

I thought there would be but the cancellation has been disabled now since I rescheduled it twice.

Am thinking it may make sense to go tomorrow now that I have the appointment. The toll-free number puts me on indefinite hold and have no expectations from the Pune number either :D

Thanks for your help, Vikram.

Not sure if the rule permits you to reschedule and cancel twice (4 transactions in total) or twice altogether but here is what the rule says:

LINK

^^Am aware of that. What it doesn’t say anywhere is what happens if I cannot make my appointment after rescheduling it twice. Since there is no “cancel” option, if I am a no show, does that mean I have to scrap my application and start again? What about the fee I have paid?

In any case, I am going today.

Yes, if you reschedule twice and unable to make it, your fees paid will be forfeited.

You will have to make a fresh application and pay the fees again.

Thanks KA18. That is ridiculous. Completely unfair to someone with a genuine personal emergency.

In my case things worked out so I managed to go and get it done yesterday. Fairly painless, was in and out in 2 hours. If you want to save more time at C counter (A and B are super fast) opt for tatkaal by paying the premium.

I am scheduled to go to PSK for reissue of damaged passport (light damage).

They ask to furnish an affidavit called form F.

Can anyone suggest how to fill up answers for the questions in the middle of the form? For me, the answers for all questions will be "no" or "not applicable"

Thanks.

Hi,


Please find the extract from one of my client's annexure F:



1. State how and when the passport was lost/ damaged and when FIR was lodged at which Police Station and how many passports were lost/ damaged earlier?

The passport was damaged in the rain on 30th April 2019 at XXXXXXX, Karnataka.
FIR is not lodged because the passport is still in my posession.
This is my first passport and I have not lost or damaged any passport earlier.

2. State whether you travelled on the lost/ damaged passport, if so state flight number and date and port of entry into India?

I have not travelled out of the country before on the damaged passport.


3. State whether you availed of any TR concessions/FTs allowance and if so details thereof?

I have not availed any TR concessions/FTs allowance at any time.

4. State whether non-resident Indian and if resident abroad, the details of the residence as follows:

Resident of India only.


5. State whether the Passport had any objection by the PIA and if so the details thereof.

No objections by the PIA.


6. State whether you were deported at any time at the expenses of the Government and if so was the expenditure incurred reimbursed to Government of India.

Never deported at any time at the expenses of the Government and no expenditure incurred/ reimbursed to Government of India.





Hope this helps.


Cheers,
KA18

Hello all,

I recently renewed my passport as it was close to expiry.

My case:
There were no changes in my passport, not even address.

Filling online form and payment was done pretty quick. I booked a slot on Friday at Thane PSK, Maharashtra at 0845h.

I reached Thane PSK around 0830h and stood in line and we were allowed inside around 0855h. At a counter inside office, a token was generated after checking all the documents. I was told to attach only Aadhaar copy along with photocopy of my passport. I was also told to take photocopy the second page of passport.

I was then directed to counter A. There were two counters dedicated to only passport renewal cases. All details were checked along with an offer for a passport cover and SMS service. Both were declined and then I proceeded to counter B.

There was some wait for counter B and after my token number was displayed, I went to counter B and he just glanced at my documents and told me its okay.

The screen at the PSK then directed me to counter C. A typical Sarkaari babu cancelled my existing passport, and told me that he sending for pre police verification. I told him, address is same, why is there a need for police verification? He said in Hindi, 'Aap kar li jiye' (You do it).

I was out of PSK by 0950h. On reaching home, I raised a complaint about pre police verification of my passport. I got a classic reply, "It depends on data in front of RPO". Which data is the RPO relying on, no one knows!

The police verification was pretty straight forward as our police station was clear about documents. All were arranged and submitted and it was a matter of only five minutes and I was out in 5 minutes.
List of documents required.


The passport reached my home in 15 days from the time I visited the PSK.
Zero bribe paid.

Let's rewind to 2010 when I got my first passport. I had paid a bribe of 300 INR to police and 50 INR to postman. I am still angry at myself for letting this happen as I was young then and paid bribe as my father told me. It took royal 40 days for passport to arrive in 2010.

There is vast improvement in the process of issuing passport. I just hope they start issuing chip based passports in India.

Thanks.

I visited the PSK on Monday - in at 12.30 pm and out at 1.30 pm. Police verification done on Monday evening itself. Passport printed and dispatched on Tuesday and received on Wednesday.

Bangalore is messed up. My friend's wife (NRI) had a harrowing time and professes never to get it done in the Country, ever again. First of all Tatkal option was unavailable for selection, then she arrived well before the appointed time but had to wait outside for 45 minutes. On that day most of the staff were on leave, even though it wasn't a Govt holiday nor were there any festivities on. So she wasted the entire day in a queue. There was no address change, so she assumed things would be smooth. Paid Rs 50 for SMS notification but did not get any. The cop verification (Hanumanthanagar) call came in 4 days, and he examined the required documents (Mr. M) and more (even asked husband's passport etc) and because some gratification was not offered, delayed giving approval for 15 days. She would call him daily. Finally, after the longest wait, the cop had no option but to clear her, and she got her passport. Such are the times we live in.

A quick question from the guys who have renewed recently, my passport will get expired at end of December. There is no change in any particulars or address, when I check portal, I need to carry old passport and some documents for ECNR. Is it really so simple or will I need Adhaar, voting cards, matriculation, birth certificate etc. Can Adhaar Address be different or both have to match?

Renewed mine a month back and had my address changed in the new one. All I had to provide was the Aadhar (or any other valid proof) showing the new addresss, the old passport and a NoC (only if you're a Govt. Servant).

In your case as there are no change in particulars, just carry the Old passport and the documents prescribed in the application form. Carry an address proof showing the address you have on the passport (just in case). The verification process hardly takes 20 minutes. Received my passport via speed post the next day and police verification that followed was also a cakewalk.