THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a) & (b) While the Government, under the Passport Seva Project, has expanded the network of
Passport delivery system throughout the country, it is not proposed to set up Passport Seva
Kendra in all districts of the country.
(c) & (d) The passport portal, www.passportindia.gov.in, is web-based and can be accessed by
anyone. The citizens are free to apply on line and obtain appointments themselves or seek the
assistance of internet café operators or anyone else to obtain appointments. Necessary assistance
and guidance is also available at each Passport Seva Kendra for filling up of application forms
(e) The system has inbuilt checks to ensure that multiple appointments are not booked from a
single user-id. Moreover, walk-in facility has been allowed to citizens having Application
Registration Number (ARN) to enable them to apply for Tatkal service, issue of PCC, deletion of
ECR status, inclusion of name of spouse in the passport and issue of new booklets where pages
have been exhausted. Senior citizens above 60 years, minors below 15 years whose parents hold
valid passports, differently-abled persons, central/state government employees and their
spouse/dependent minor children having ARN have also been permitted walk-in facility, which has
eased availability of on-line appointments. The Government has taken up a proposal to
introduce pre-payment of passport fee system at the time of seeking appointment to
discourage unscrupulous elements from blocking appointments. The Government is also
considering to provide facility of online filing of applications at Common Service Centres
(CSCs) and Speed Post Centres (SPCs) on payment of nominal fee.
