How to apply for a Passport online

You can apply for passport issue or renewal(Reissue of passport) through their official portal. You have to follow the following procedure.

1. First of all, you have to register yourself on the passport seva online portal by clicking on " register now' on their portal.
2. Once you are successfully registered, you have to log in into the site using your ID and Password.
3. Click on the link " Apply for the Fresh Passport/ Reissue of Passport". Follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you are clicking on the correct link. Be careful in choosing Fresh Passport or Reissue. If you are having a diplomat passport and now if you are applying for normal citizen passport you have to use fresh Passport option. Like this, you make sure that you are taking the correct option.
4. Fill the columns of the application and verify for accurate posting and then submit.
5. Once you have submitted your application, click on the link " Pay and Schedule Appointment" on the View saved/applied' screen. You can pay the fees using credit card/ debit card, internet banking or SBI challan.
6. Then click on the "Print Application Receipt" link to print the receipt containing the ARN number (Application Registration Number". You will receive an SMS giving the reference number and ARN. This can be shown in the passport office as proof of your appointment. You need not carry a hard copy.
7. Visit the passport office as per the timing of the appointment with all originals.


The following documents are required for proofs.
1. You have to sign the bond because you will undergo training at the Zonal Training School (ZTS) for around nine and a half months. The Railway will pay you Basic Pay and Dearness Allowance (DA) during the training period. After the training at ZTS, you will undergo 'line training' and 'station training' for another one month. You will receive a salary during that period also. As you will undergo training and will receive the salary, you have to sign a bond that you will serve the Railway for at least five years after completion of training.

2. Now, the next question is: Can't you apply for any other post? Yes, you can apply for other posts. Yes, you can apply. If you apply through proper channel for any other Government post, get selected and join that post, the bond will be automatically transferred for the residual period. What does it mean? If you join in any other Central Government post after say 2 years, the bond will be transferred to that department for three (5-2) years, i.e., you have to serve the new office under the Government of India for at least three years.

3. This is from my personal experience. In my case also, I joined a new Central Government post after one and a half years of service in Eastern Railway. So, my bond got transferred to the new Department for three and a half years.

4. However, please remember that you are required to apply through proper channel with an advance copy sent to the recruiting agency, to avail this benefit of bond transfer.
1. Aadhaar Card/Pan Card/ Driving licence/ Voter ID. ( Proof of Identity}in a
2. In addition to the above documents, you can show any of the following for proof of Address. Electricity bill/ Telephone bill/ water bill/ Spouse passport/ Rental Agreement/ Parents Passport/ Bank account passbook/ as connection payment bill/ IT assessment order/ Employer's certificate.
3. For the date of birth you can show any of the following Pan Card./ Aadhar Card/ Driving Licence/ Voter ID/ Birth certificate. SSC certificate/ Service record/ Pay pension order/Policy bond/ orphan declaration.
4. Education declaration proof; Matriculation certificate/ SSC certificate, !2th / Intermediate certificate. Higher qualification certificates.

You can apply for Tatkal passport also. But these days the passports are coming fast and they are processing it very fast.

For renewal also police verification will be there.

The online system of applying for passport in India can be accessed at the site www.passportindia.gov.in. The site is very interactive and guides the applicant step by step. One must remember that one should give correct and authentic information in this portal failing which the passport application can be outrightly rejected.

When one registers in the site by selecting the 'New user registration' button on the home page then he can start the process of applying after doing login in the system. One has to select the requirement whether it is to apply for Fresh Passport or Re-issue of Passport. After that one has to specify the type of passport whether it is ordinary passport or diplomatic (blue colour)/ official passport (Maroon colour).

Next step is to fill the required details in the online application form and then submit it. Please check the data supplied by you thoroughly to avoid any error at this stage. After this click the 'Pay and Schedule Appointment' link . One can pay the fee by credit card/ debit card/ internet banking etc. Once fee is paid one can print the receipt by clicking 'Print Application Receipt'. It is necessary to pay the fee before getting the appointment date in the system. You can select the appointment date from the options available. Please note that depending upon the rush in passport centre you will be given an earliest date. You will get an SMS for your appointment date and you will have to show this SMS or fee payment receipt in the centre when you go there.

Next step is to visit the centre on the stipulated time and date. It is always advisable to reach there early because many time due to less crowd they may allow you to go inside slightly early also. Take advantage of this practical fact by reaching there early.

Your photograph will be taken at the centre only so you need not to take any with you. In case of minor applicants (below 4 years of age), you have to carry the recent passport size photograph (4.5 X 3.5 cm) with white background. You can print the copy of your application form for your reference but you need not to produce it in the centre. They already have it in their system. They will only verify each and every thing that you have mentioned there.

For verification of information in the application form you must take with you the proof of residential address like Aadhaar card or electricity bill or voter card etc. Then the proof of date of birth is also to be taken along and it could be a birth certificate or high school certificate etc. In addition to this to prove that you are not going there as a labourer or menial worker, you have to take with your at least high school certificate or degree certificate whatever the case may be.

When you visit the centre keep all your original documents with you and do not hesitate in keeping some redundant documents with you as in time of some confusion they are very handy in satisfying the officials in the passport seva centre.

With advancement in technology and internet services and online facilities, the procedures for passports and other documents have been easier for the citizen. I would like to provide pointwise answer to your queries.

i) How to apply or renew a Passport online? What are the latest procedure to do so?
Ans: Kindly visit the online portal through the given link: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/procEFormSub
The link has complete procedure step by step and the form to be filled for New, renew, torn, damaged, exhausted, diplomatic, etc passport through online.

ii) What are the documents to be kept ready?
Ans: The documents to be kept ready before applying online are :
For Proof of Present Address - Water Bill, Electricity bill, Election Commission Photo ID card, Telephone (landline or postpaid mobile bill), Aadhaar Card, Rent Agreement, Aadhaar Card, Photo Passbook of running Bank Account, Income Tax Assessment Order, Proof of Gas Connection, etc.
Link: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/popuponline/AttachmentAdvisorSub?subDocID=7001&minorFlag=1
For Proof of Date of Birth – Birth Certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths or the Municipal Corporation, Transfer/School leaving/Matriculation Certificate issued by the school last attended/recognised educational board, Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India, PAN Card issued by the Income Tax Department, Driving License issued by the Transport Department of concerned State Government, etc.
Link: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/popuponline/AttachmentAdvisorSub?subDocID=7002&minorFlag=1
Please note that you are required to furnish original documents along with one set of self-attested photocopies of the same at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) for processing. While submitting your online application form, do attach self-attested photocopies of your documents.

iii) What is the fee to apply for it?
Ans: The normal fees for a new or fresh passport is Rs. 1500 and Rs. 200 for Tatkal service. A rebate of 10% on basic Passport fee will be applicable for minor applicants (age <= 8 years) and senior citizens (age > 60 years). You can check the link to calculate the fee for any type of passport application.
Link: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/fee/feeInput

iv) Any Police verification?
Ans: Police verification is required for issuance of passport as it is a valuable document. You can make an online payment of Rs. 500 for the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

v) How long it will take to get the normal Passport?
Ans: The standard timeframe for the normal passport is two to three weeks or 30 days from the date of submitting the application. In Tatkal service, you can receive within one to three days.

You can get more detail through the below link. It is the instructions to be followed while filling passport form and supplementary forms.
Link: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/pdf/ApplicationformInstructionBooklet-V3.0.pdf

The benefit of today's online system is that one can fill the information as per their convenience and then only for verification purposes needs to take an appointment in advance in order to get the final confirmation for go ahead. The initials steps may seem tiring but would be usual for the first-time users but keeping with the seamless instructions with the respective links provided would make the whole process convenient to follow.

For #
1. How to apply or renew a Passport online? And,
2. What is the latest procedure to do so?

The web page for applying passport can be accessed with the below link,
https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/user/RegistrationBaseAction?request_locale=en

I have attached the screen shot for your convenience so as to get an idea about the information which you need to arrange to prepare for your login.

The important points to be noted are:-
1. Passport application can be processed at any Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) / Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) / Passport Seva Laghu Kendra (PSLK) irrespective of the applicant's residential address.
2. The prior appointment is required before visiting any of the above centres and status can be checked with, https://portal1.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/apptAvailStatus (Pl. refer the attached picture).

What are the documents to be kept ready?
1 Proof Of Present Address.
2 Proof Of Date Of Birth.

What is the fee to apply for it?
In case of Fresh Passport or Re-issue of Passport this would range from Rs.1,500/- to Rs.2,000/- depending upon the additional booklet due to exhaustion of visa pages (60 pages) of 10 years validity.

Any Police verification?
Almost on the cases of issue of fresh passport, pre-police verification would be required with the exception for being a Government employee on submission of 'Identity Certificate'.

How long it will take to get the normal Passport?
Pl. note that the standard due time for receiving the normal passport would vary to around 30 days after submitting the application but in case it is Tatkal, then the applicant can get a passport within a Week time.

Finally, in case the applicant does not visit the Passport Seva Kendra within 90 days from the online form submission then resubmission of application form would be required.

I request you to pl. go through with the different websites provided above along with the other submissions in order to get more clarity on the subject matter.