Tips on how to obtain a fresh Indian passport

Introduction

Though the entire procedure for making Indian passports is computerized and online now by ministry of foreign affairs of India still people are facing lots of issues and delay on making of their fresh and valid passport. The main problem for the delay of issuing a fresh passport is due to lots of applications stored for police verification in concerned police stations. People prefer local consultants and brokering agency for making their new Indian passport which can be done easily by them without paying any extra consultancy fee. I am providing you entire information and steps which can be useful for making a new and fresh Indian passport.

Why you need a passport

If you are planning to visit any foreign country outside India then in that case you need a valid passport for legal procedures. You can also use photo copy of your passport as a valid address proof or ID proof in all cases whenever required. 

Eligibility for making Indian passport

Any Indian Citizen with no age limits.
If the guardian is possessing valid Indian passport then Child's passport can be made on legal self affidavit. 

Documents required for making Indian Passport

Birth certificate: Birth certificate issued by local authority under government of India or self attested copy of 10th class passed mark sheet. If you are not having legal birth certificate then you can submit an attested affidavit from any first class magistrate under Indian judiciary system. 

Fees and schemes for Indian Passport

There are two commonly promoted schemes for issuing a fresh Indian passport by government of India with fee structure 

A. Regular passport scheme: under regular scheme, the applicant fills the online application form on the official website of passport office of India and then submit the required documents in passport office and after the completion of the verification, a fresh passport is issued to him within time period 40 to 60 days maximum. The fees charged under regular passport scheme are mentioned below:

Less than 15 years: 
1000 Indian Rupees

Between 15 years to 18 years:
1000 Indian Rupees (5 years validity) 
1500 Indian Rupees (10 years validity, 36 pages)

Above 18 years: 
1500 Indian Rupees (36 pages, 10 years validity)
2000 Indian Rupees (60 pages, 10 years validity)

Identity Certificate fee: 1000 Indian Rupees (For fresh, Reissue etc in all cases) 

B. Urgent (Tatkal) Passport Scheme: under urgent (tatkal) scheme, the applicant fills the online application form on the official website of passport office of India same as the regular passport scheme along with one self affidavit document as self declaration, after the completion of entire procedure same as the regular passport scheme, urgent (Tatkal) passport is issued within 7 working days. The fees for Urgent (Tatkal) scheme is certainly higher from regular passport scheme and is mentioned below:

Less than 15 years: 
3000 Indian Rupees

Between 15 years to 18 years: 
3000 Indian Rupees (5 years validity) 
3500 Indian Rupees (10 years validity, 36 pages)

Above 18 years: 
3500 Indian Rupees (36 pages, 10 years validity)
4000 Indian Rupees (60 pages, 10 years validity)

Identity Certificate fee: 1000 Indian Rupees (For fresh, Reissue etc in all cases) 

Note: The fee structure is likely to be changed and reference should be taken from the official website of passport office India.

Classification of Indian passport as per color:

Black: Regular and Urgent (Tatkal) passport both for ordinary Indian citizens.
White: Issued for people who are going in foreign country for any task or work offered by government of India.
Maroon: Issued for Indian diplomats and senior government officers of India. 

Process for making a fresh Indian passport

For making a fresh and valid Indian passport you are needed to fill a online application form on official website of passport office of India and then after you have to submit legal documents like birth certificate (Indian Citizenship proof), address proof etc in the district's passport office where you are residing, after this police verification procedures starts at the local police station. On successful completion of this entire process a fresh passport is issued by Government of India in 40 to 45 days maximum, but in case you are in hurry then you can apply for urgent (Tatkal) passport scheme in which you are needed to fill up the online application same as regular passport and you have to submit engage-I one kind of self affidavit to the passport office as a declaration after this process you can receive your passport in 4 to 7 days under urgent (Tatkal) Scheme. 

Common mistakes while filling passport application form:

Incomplete mention of full name on the application or spelling mistake of any required detail by the applicant, also while reapplying for reissue cases due to validity expiration, lost or theft of passport application forgets to mention about the required data of the old issued passport. 

General problems while filling online mode system

1. Illiterate or less educated people are facing lots of trouble while filling up online application for fresh passport under online mode system procedure, also every home or rural areas are not having facilities of computers and internet for following online system method.
2. Except capital cities of the state, people belonging to the other backward areas and districts are facing huge trouble for document submission and police verification. 
3. The biggest problem is the process of taking appointment from the passport office, and the official website of passport office frequently gets crash due to web traffic pressure.
4. Applicants can not visit the passport office for fulfilling the formalities as per their connivance, they have to report on the provided appointment date and time given by their concerned area passport office.
5. The other problem is that officers at passport office process the documents only after showing Fees submission receipt after the deposition of fee by the applicant.
6. Applicant who is interested to have a passport is needed to visit the passport office himself on the appointment date which is correct on legal backgrounds, but in case of social background like sickness, old people, small kids etc this procedure becomes hectic and intolerant.