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The link for checking the status of applications submitted through the Passport Seva Kendras is Passport Seva Portal

Go to the site, but don't login. Go to the home page of the site. Then you will see a "Check status" button on the right hand side.

I had my appointment on Aug 10th.
The major change from the earlier process is that you need to go to one of the two passport Seva Kendras either at Lalbagh or Marathalli. Earlier you could go to the passport offices or even to Bangalore One’s. Now you can’t.

So, I did walk into one of the Seva kendras about a month back at 4pm, hoping to submit the form. The guard told me to either get an online appointment or to come early morning to get the token. I then apply online and took an appointment too, but that was more than a month later. Since my passport had already expired, I was eager to get it done ASAP, and went one day at 6AM to Marathalli office. There were already about 140 people, and they said only 100 tokens will be issued. I came back, knowing I had no chance and decided to go with the appointment I had already taken.

The appointment day came - and my appointment was at 9:45 to 10:30am. Went at 9am, and waited for about 15 minutes, and was let inside. There are 3 stages. Data Entry, Verification officer(VO), GO (Grant officer). The first stage was pretty cool – and was quite professionally done. I waited for about 1 hour for the second stage. Till now, it was all ok – except that I was wondering why the 1 hour delay, if the actual work only takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Then comes the worst part – i waited from 11:30 to 3pm, just waiting for round 3. Everyone was waiting. The whole room was full, and some people did not even have chairs to sit. People slowly started to become frustrated once they announced that lunch was going to be from 1:30 to 2:15. Some left. Some like me stayed there, hoping that once the others leave, and they start again, it would be quite fast. But only at around 3pm, they realised that they would not be able to go home at 6, if this continues, so they opened up another counter. The guy there processed it so fast, that mine took about 25 to 30 seconds. So, what I meant was that for a 30 second work, I waited for 3 and ½ hours.

It’s a pity that they wake up only AFTER everyone gets frustrated. There are 24 counters for round 1, and only about 6+6 counters for round 2 and 3. While every one of the officers are working 100% of the time, it’s a pity that they don’t even have time to take a cup of coffee. Why can’t they increase the size or reduce the number of applications they take?

Anyway – at the end of it – it was all done. What is good in this system is that almost all the work is already done, and the only thing remaining is the actual printing and dispatching the passport. So expect the processing time to drastically reduce from what it was before.

Unless you are in a hurry to get your passport in a month, take an appointment – you will get it after about 1 ½ months. Tatkal may need some running around to Police Commissioner’s office. Don’t think it s just the extra fees.

Normal Fees – Rs 1000]
Take your company ID if you are taking HR letter.
If possible take 2 address proofs. I took HR letter and Bank statement. Bank statement from Nationalized bank is better.

Status: Currently it shows "granted" waiting for dispatch after 9 days after the appointment.

You are right about the delays in the GO stage. One more thing I observed is that the GOs are not adept at using the computer based mechanism. So they require help from the TCS support folks, who sit with them and guide through the process. One person who attended my case cant even read the text form the screen! All reading and clicking was done by the support guys, even though it took only one minute to complete the process.

Yes I was searching for this option all over after logging into the system! It is strange that there is no status check option for the submitted applications directly from the portal. Now I have to login to find the file number and then logout to go to the status check screen.

I got my passport renewed a one and a half month back. This was just a week after the Seva Kendra was launched. I also felt the same thing. The GOs are from Government of India. Probably this is the reason for the lack of proficiency in computers.
Before leaving, we had a word with one of the guy from TCS team. They said, they were ready to work 8 to 8 to do the Data Entry but the GOs would go home by 5.30. So, there would be a backlog again the next day.
When I went, luckily after my Data Entry was done, the servers went down. The VO and GO process were done offline and it took about 25 mins including the waiting. I still ended my waiting the whole day because of the delay for data entry.
The best part of the day was the good lunch at MTR since I was in the Lalbagh Seva Kendra.

Just remember to carry all the documents to the police verification as well, along with two Passport size photos. Not sure why they want it all again. When they have the soft copy of it with them.
Every thing went on well at the police station till when the cop asked me in the most polite way that he would be really happy if I could re-charge his mobile for him. I was surprised by it. A few days later my friend also had to go to the station for police verification. Even he was asked to do the same thing and the cop also asked for a Kg of sweets (he had just got married and was getting his wife's name added).

True. Very non-standard.
The process of login also requires you to type in the characters shown on a bitmap image - these characters are so confusing, that you usually require 4 to 5 attempts to type in correctly (For example: Upper case S and lower case s are indistinguishable)

No other site (even banking sites) mandates users to type characters shown on an image, every time you login.

I would be surprised if TCS designed this shabby portal. It seems like someone from a non-web design (perhaps Passport officials) submitted a draft on how it should look like, and TCS somehow messed it up.

I am having these issues, being a computer engineer. Now, think about people who do not know computers. What do they do?

For those who did passport renewal recently, how did the police verification happen? Did some cop come to your home, got any call or intimation from police station, etc? I am still waiting for completion of police verification even after my passport has been approved and sent to SP office as per the portal on 12th August itself. As per their information PV should be done within 21 working days which is over by now. My earlier passport also was issued from Bangalore and not sure why this police verification required again in the first place.

Hi
I need to renew my wife's passport in Bangalore as we are staying here. She is not working and do not have any ID proof with Bangalore address. Also, her passport was taken much before our marriage thus address/spouse name not updated.

Kindly help with:
Is it possible to renew in Bangalore?
What are the docs required (ID/Address proof)?
Do we need to provide both address in native (her permanent address and mine) while applying?
What is the procedure for adding spouse name?
finally, what is the website for taking online appointment?

Her passport will expire next month.

Thanks,

Let me try to answer your quires with my limited knowledge.

ID proof : PAN Card should work.
Address Proof : Your residence telephone bill, preferably BSNL [ even it can be in your name ]
Spouse Name inclusion : Your marriage certificate

If you are staying at the same place for more than 2 years, that address is only sufficient.

Others can shed light on the same.

Thanks for the input.
We are staying in a rented house in Bangalore for the last 2+years but both of us do not have any ID/address proof in this address except rental agreement.

My passport also renewed few years back at native with my permanent address.

Bank account statements are also valid address proof in Passport renewal/applications - hope she has one...:)
ID proof has no link to address so PAN card will do just fine - it doesnt usually have an address if I remember right

Let me recollect what I had done for my wife Passport

ID proof not submitted . Though I had a backup copy of her college ID card and voters card.

Marriage certificate attached - check
Telephone BSNL bill - check [ on my name ]
Change of Name affidavit - check [ Thats another story ]
Passport size photos - check
Bank statement - Check [ on my wifes name , with signature and stamp from the Bank Manager, was it for 6 months or 1 year, I dont remember, nationalised bank though]


Thats the list I can recollect now. It was done 3 years back. I doubt if the procedure is changed .

The Rental Agreement is ok if it is 2+ years old. That acts as an address proof. The ID Proof is only to show who u really are, in which case, a PAN card would do since it is a government doc that identifies you. The ID proof need not have the same address as the address proof that you submit, the ID Proof need not have any address (PAN card does not have any address on it) either.

In case you are submitting different documents that indicate different addresses on it, then you need to clearly mention which document is submitted for what purpose, so that the Passport office need not get confused with the various addresses on it.

I renewed my passport just 5 months ago through the Tatkal scheme. The police verification happened 3 months later when I was out of the country. When I came back, I was told by my mom, who was at home, that the police had come for verification 1 month ago and that I would need to visit the police station. I went there and the paper was still kept pending for my visit. I gave the address proof (2 Airtel telephone bills dated 1 year apart) and that was it.

I hope I was of help.

Cheers!

Prajwal

Since your wife already holds a valid passport, I don't think you will require any other ID proof while applying for passport.

Address Proof - Rental agreement should work, but please check if you have to submit an affidavit also. Bank Passbook (SBI/SBM) are accepted (even better if it has photo).

You have to provide the permanent address while applying, but the passport will have the current residential address.

To add spouse name, you need to produce the Marriage Certificate.

Go to Indian Passport, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India to apply online. I think you will be able to find some agents in/around the passport office who can do it for you. I say this because passport officials are finicky about the info you put down - for eg: always mention distrcit/state along with place of birth etc. You and I may not know all these "small but significant" things, the agents will know. It may cost you Rs.150 or so to get the application filed online through an agent, but in my opinion it's worth it.

Once you apply online, you get an appointment (Date&Time) when you print out the application form. You will still have to fill some of the info on the form by hand once you get a print out.

In my experience with Cochin passport office, the passport office does not bother about the date/time printed on the online form. You have to get a token, stand in queue and file your application. If you are going through an agent, take his help to get the application ready in all respects, come back early morning the next day and get the token.

If you wife does not have ECNR and you want to apply for same, please have your wife's degree certificate also with you. You might also need copies of the ECNR pages of your own passport.

Since your wife has no ID proof with your current address, you won't be able to apply under Tatkal scheme.

Please be aware that when the postman delivers the passport to your home he is well within his rights to ask for a photo ID card with the same address as in the passport. Bank passbook (SBI/SBM) with photo is your best bet. Since your wife currently holds a valid passport, try to open the SBI/SBM account before it expires. You can then also use it as address proof while applying for passport.