How to apply for passport as an Indian citizen?Why you need a passport and when and how it get started.

The first question that crops up in once mind is why you need a passport? Well you do need one if you wish to travel abroad. It is not possible to get a Visa if you do not have a passport. Visa is a valid permission granted by the country embassy if you wish to travel to that country.

The passport act came into being in the year 1967. The act is amended time to time as per the prevailing situations. The act is applicable all over the country as well as to Indians abroad. The act also brings under the purview the passport issued by a foreign government. The travel documents required for entry into India should be acceptable to the government at the time of entry.

Well you cannot enter back to your country without a passport. This is a legal document issued by the representative of Ministry of External Affairs. It certifies that you are a legal resident or citizen of India. The instrument contains your details as well as your photo and hence it acts as a photo identity as well.

There are three types of passports issued in India:

1) Official

2) Ordinary

3) Diplomatic

Besides there are emergency travel documents issued as well:

Emergency Certificate that authorizes a person to enter India.

Certificate of identity for proof as such.

Applying for a Passport in India

A person who is an Indian citizen can apply for passport using a site procedure. He can download the form online or obtain one from the nearest passport office.

The form has to be filled in as required and a photograph has to be added. Two or three photographs may be required. Photo identification, address proof etc have to be attached.

A set of documents as prescribed have to be attached to the application form. The application has than to be submitted to either one of the:

District Passport Cell
Speed Post Center
Passport Office
Passport Collection Center

At the time of the application a prescribed fee has to be paid along with.

Police verification follows immediately after the filing of the application. The procedure than continues at the office responsible for processing the application and then issuing one if all the norms fit in. The problems creep in if the form has not been duly filled as prescribed. Another cause of delay or rejection could be your criminal record if any.

The application status can be found out online. The search tool at the passport site is helpful. You can know you passport application status using this search tool. You have to submit the file reference number and date of birth to get the status.

For any citizen of India without a criminal record getting a passport is not difficult but the procedure does take time. For those having a valid reason for traveling aboard in haste the Tatkal Scheme with higher fee structure is the only recourse.

An Indian passport is prerequisite for those traveling abroad. The instrument is a legal document that is essential for those traveling out of the country and coming back. It is issued by the Government of India by Consular Passport and Visa Division. This division is under the Ministry of External Affairs. The CPV functions as central passport organization in the country.

The basic function of passport is to prove Indian Nationality abroad. The Name, address, date of birth and gender is mentioned on the passport. This instrument has limited validity and has to be renewed before the expiry date.

Regular Passport is issued to Indian citizens for International travel. Diplomatic Passport is issued to Diplomats and high profiles government officials.

The initial procedure involves the policy after the application form is filled and submitted to the local office. Full scale verification is carried out by the police of the individual living in the area. The identity is checked and reference taken. The verification duly signed by high official of the police department is then sent to the regional passport office for further process. This takes time and one needs to appear personally at the regional office. This procedure is time taking, but for those in a hurry a Tatkal Scheme is launched where higher fee has to be paid.

The Emblem of India the Asiatic Lions is printed on the cover of the passport. The color is deep blue and contains about thirty-six pages.

The passport can be applied online in case of new, duplicate or lost passport. The application form can be downloaded and then printed using the printer attached to the computer. This form is then registered at the local Regional Office for formalities to follow. The status can be checked online on sites that provide the search tools.

The application has to be attached with various documents. The most important are proof of age, address, photographs and related documents. The photo identity is a must if you have a pan card or a driving license it will do. Even a ration card or voter card works fine. For date of birth and additional information school mark sheet or a degree is accepted. These regulatory compliance are a must.

Your identity papers have to be endorsed by you and also by relatives or neighbors during police verification process. Once all the formalities are complete and submitted, the passport arrives by a registered post after the application is accepted. You can keep checking the status on Internet.