In a move that could put the issuance of passports on fast-track, the first timers can now get their passport in less than a week’s time as police verification will be done after you get the passport and not before.
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The police verification part routinely holds up applications for days and even months.
Simplifying the policies pertaining to the passport, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that a first-time applicant can furnish Aadhaar, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Permanent Account Number (PAN), along with an an affidavit of no criminal record, for the issurance of the passport.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. ibtimes
Once the online verification of these documents are completed, the ministry will issue the passport, without payment of any additional fees. The police verification will be done later.
She tweeted:
1. If you submit application with copies of Aadhar, Voter ID and PAN Card with an affidavit of no criminal case, we will issue the Passport.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 25, 2016
2. The Police verification will be done later.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 25, 2016
3. You can choose any appointment date from the earliest five available dates for Passport related services.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 25, 2016
In a second move, the ministry also offered a service in which applicants will be able to select the date and time for their appointment at the passport office. Till now it is done by a software based on availability.
Representational Image. mid-day
As of now, less than 6 per cent of the population (63.3 million Indians) hold passports. However, India is the third fastest in terms of the growth of passport holders after China and the US.
huffingtonpost
One of the biggest problems that comes in the process of issuing the passports is the delay in police verification process. The time taken by the police to verify the credentials of applicants varies – from an average of under a week in New Delhi to six months in the Northeast.
For speedy submission of police verification report, the External Affairs Ministry has also launched an ‘mPassport Police Application’.
Passport Office in Vijaywada. myvijayawada
The ministry said with this app, people would no longer be required to download and print the physical Personal Particulars Form and questionnaire, thus resulting in paperless end-to-end digital flow of the PV process. It said this will further reduce the time required to complete the PVR, within the desired time limit of 21 days.
Know more about your passport in this video: