[nma83]

Had a painless experience at the Lalbagh PSK in Bengaluru, went to renew my soon-to-expire passport. Appointment time was 11.30AM, but I had reached at 11.15 and was let in at 11.20. Breezed through the A counter in a couple of minutes, waited at B counter for close to an hour and breezed through C again in a jiffy. I was out by 12.45.
I had an address change and spouse name addition. Aadhar card was promptly accepted for address and had to fill and sign a request letter for spouse name addition (letter was available inside the PSK, marriage certificate will also do).
No other document was asked for and I saw that police verification was waived for me though address had changed. Got a message saying passport is on its way to printing before I got home!

[gopikb]

My wife and two minor kids went to passport renewal also at Lalbagh PSK yesterday. Their appointment was at 10AM. But they reached the passport office by 9.10AM. Was allowed inside by 9.30AM. My wife was told to complete her process first before taking the token for the kids because she is also an applicant and one of the parent is supposed to accompany the kids when their turn comes. If I had joined along, then all of them would have been issued the token at the same time.

Even with this setback, wife could complete submitting her application by 10.30AM. She then took token for my daughter first and another token for my son about 30 minutes later. Finally all of them came out by 12.45PM. I should have gone along and an extra two hours they spent on the queue would have been saved. But I see it as an experience for both kids and wifey who are otherwise inside a cocoon.

[maverickmano]

I went to Lalbagh PSK on 18th May for renewal under tatkaal scheme. The experience was good.

My appointment was fixed at 11 45AM and I had reached place at 11:15AM. I was let in by 12Noon and events there after described below.

1.) Enter the building at 12Noon and went straight to Tatkal token counter(Mention the security you are a tatkal applicant)
2.) Wait in the Q to submit the self attested photocopies at the Token issuing counter. Papers submitted at 12:15PM.
3.) Waited for about 45mins and got the token issued at 1PM.
4.) Within 10seconds my token was called at the A counter. Submitted all papers and paid the tatkal fees. Photo and fingerprints were taken. Total time spent about 5-7 mins.
5.) Before I could get up from A counter, my number was called at Counter B
6.) When I reached counter B, previous token was being serviced. So had to wait for about 3-4 minutes. At counter B, original documents were verified.
7.) After a wait of 2-3 minutes, I was called at Counter C. It was just a 2 minutes job here and I was issued passport on 'No Police Verification' basis.

I was out about 1:30PM, so it took about 1hr 30mins after entering the building of which 1hr was spent to get the Token. The key is to go armed with all relevant documents and self attested photo copies.

[the_skyliner]

Last week renewed my passport with change in address. The process was quite smooth and took just 1.5 hour.

Reached the Passport Seva Kendra at 3PM for a 3:15 appointment and was done by 4:30PM.

Only thing they can do better that at the Pune centre is to avoid making people take acknowledge at the end of the process. There is hardly any place to form a queue for that and also it is just a formality of giving back the token and getting one piece of paper which can easily be replaced by SMS or email.

[sgiitk]

@the-skyliner; My wife was foxed by this. The lady said, all is done, so she walked out. Then we found B & C needed a visit. When I renewed about a year ago, I did not have to visit C. Also, why do they want to redo the Security stuff every ten years or so.

[emkay.india]

I went for my passport renewal (expiry due on 13th May 2018) on 10th May at Saligramam PSK Chennai.
- My appointment was at 3:45 PM. Went there by 3:40 and was called in at 4:00. I was out at 4:45 after completing A, B and C counters. Provided self attested copies of old passport and Aadhar.
- Police verification done on 11th May at around 10 AM.
- Received the new passport on 12th May at 11 AM.

Delightful experience

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@the-skyliner; My wife was foxed by this. The lady said, all is done, so she walked out. Then we found B & C needed a visit. When I renewed about a year ago, I did not have to visit C. Also, why do they want to redo the Security stuff every ten years or so.

Sometimes depending on the reason for renewal they would skip counter C visit. Usually in case of simple renewal with no personal data change there will be only A & B counter visit required.

I agree that the process is not 100% well defined. For example, my FIL who renewed his passport last month with no change in address or any personal data was made to undergo police verification (post). Whereas a couple of years ago my wife renewed her passport with spouse name endorsement and she didn't have to undergo police verification.

Don't know how exactly they classify different cases.

[sgiitk]

@the_skyliner; I think there is a lot of arbitrariness left in the whole system. Also, for your f-i-l he should be above the age threshold for police verification. However, it is always a fine line between arbitrariness and discretion.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

My experience with Passport renewal:
...

I'll give an update once I receive the passport and/or on police verification.

So I received my passport within 2 working days. Also received an alert on police verification saying a police constable will visit my premise over the next 3 days for verification of address; post which I will have to go to the local thana with identification and address proof documents. Visiting hours are 10 am to 12 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm. Mondays are off.

Over the next three days, apparently the constable did visit my apartment but I was at work and he could not meet me. My security guard failed to inform me about the visit and I unfortunately was caught up in work to follow-up at my end. And the constable WILL NOT call you on your cell.

On the 5th day after my PSK appointment; I headed to the police station to check the status; to which I was told they had sent back my application to the passport office; and an adverse report would be created. A few pointers for all (atleast applicable for Mumbai; might be relaxed based on where you are located)
- the police station has a very strict timeline to revert back the status; they had waited an extra day before sending back the application to RPO
- everything was online; they showed me the website where they had updated the status to RPO
- a physical file/report is sent by the police station to the RPO a few days later
- once this is done, there is nothing they can do; they asked me to go to the PSK where my passport application was filed

The next I headed to Thane PSK (same place where I applied for renewal); there I was told that all adverse report cases are handled at Videsh Bhavan BKC. So I headed there a day later. After standing in the enquiry queue, I was informed that the adverse report hadn't been yet received by RPO; and was asked to come back once that happens.

The next day I received an sms that police verification had failed and an adverse report had been filed at the RPO. So once again I headed to BKC; landed up before the office hours. Fortunately I was one of the first five so my case was heard first. Had to meet a senior officer who questioned the reasons for the adverse report. After explaining the situation, he said he'll issue another verification request and asked me to ensure not to miss it this time.

Two days later, received an sms saying a new verification has been issued; and the same info on constable visit and etc. Made sure to be available for the physical verification and subsequently submitted the documents at the thana. Not sure if the list is constant at all places, these are the documents I had to submit
- 10th & 12th marksheet copy
- Aadhaar card printout
- Old passport front & last page
- Last two years' tax returns
- Bank statement / Mobile statement / Credit card statement (any one)
- Rent agreement copy
- Society letter (on letterhead)
- Affidavit (as I didn't have a rent agreement for the entire past 12 months)
- Owner's pan card (for her signature copy)

All done - this required around 6 - 8 trips to PSK, BKC and the local police station; just because I missed the constable rounds initially. All this while I already had my new passport in my hand! The good part - zero rupees paid as bribe/chai-pani throughout the process!

Key pointers

1. Please do apply for the sms updates (Rs 45) - it's key to understand where/what status is your application file currently, and it works flawlessly. No person/institution across the entire process will be able to tell you what is the next step correctly
2. Please be available for the physical verification (or ensure someone is at home if you live with family). Head to the local police station with the application receipt within the 2nd day if you haven't heard from them
3. In case of adverse report, head to the main RPO office in your city to resolve the case. The PSKs are not the place to handle them

[the_skyliner]

Got a sms yesterday from local police station to be present for verification next morning for the re-issued passport. The process was butter smooth which was a pleasant surprise.

The officer was super efficient and I was out in literally 2 mins. They clicked a photo on iPad and took following documents:

1. Old passport copy
2. New passport copy
3. One year old electricity bill
4. Current electricity bill
5. Index-2 (PMC tax bill is acceptable)
6. Aadhar card copy

No originals were asked for even though I carried it along.

Must say that it was very professional and the folks there were helpful and polite.

Kudos to Pune police!

[Snehal Sekhar]

Had to renew my passport that was to expire in a month. There was no changes in address or any other change. Fixed an appointment at the Lalbaugh Passport Office for the 25th April at 2:45 PM and completed all the formalities by 4:30 PM. Got an SMS in a day stating that the police verification would be done in 3 weeks and if it's not done I was to contact the Local Police Station.

After 2 weeks I got another message stating that the verification was still pending and I had to approach the SP Office, Bangalore Rural. Went there last week and they said that it was not sent for police verification as they had the jurisdictional police station wrong. What should have been Hebbagodi Police Station was updated as Electronic City Police Station. They made the corrections there and 2 days later I got an SMS asking me to go to Hebbagodi PS for the verification.

The staff at the Police Station Passport Verification Counter here asked me to get my Aadhar copy and my Old Passport Copy signed by a Gazetted Officer and they also wanted letters from 2 neighbors stating I was staying in the same place and they knew me. They also wanted me to get a passport size photograph.

Why is a reissue of passport so difficult?

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Snehal Sekhar

. Why is a reissue of passport so difficult?

This is very strange. My recent experience for address change and stay less than a year in my new premises did lead to a police verification, but since I had opted for Tatkaal and my Aadhaar being in my new address, I underwent a pretty painless process. Originals were needed to be shown to the officer on his visit home. He had a tab with him using which he took pictures of me, my signature on a white paper and the documents of submission at the PSK. He was out of my house in 3-4 minutes.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by diyguy

This is very strange. My recent experience for address change and stay less than a year in my new premises did lead to a police verification, but since I had opted for Tatkaal and my Aadhaar being in my new address, I underwent a pretty painless process. Originals were needed to be shown to the officer on his visit home. He had a tab with him using which he took pictures of me, my signature on a white paper and the documents of submission at the PSK. He was out of my house in 3-4 minutes.

For me, a policeman came to my home & checked a lot of documents (more than the passport office). Then asked me to call home the references I had given. Then talked to them. Then asked me to visit the police station with some 10 docs. The police station visit occupied around 1.5 to 2 hours & the police also asked for some token money at the end which I paid. From 2012-13 on, the PSK experience has been quick, but the Police verification is painful.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by carboy

the police also asked for some token money at the end which I paid. From 2012-13 on, the PSK experience has been quick, but the Police verification is painful.

I had two renewals this year, in March for my daughter and May for me. The same officers called me and also came over. I got a call from the previous residence police station and he did not visit or ask me to come. The second call from my area police station was extremely civil and professional. He refused any money and told my wife and daughter it was his duty!! My daughters got delayed for police verification as the police station I had selected was incorrect. I did not have to do anything though. This information helped when I submitted mine and everything went through without a hitch.
Infact the officer called me and told me he would be coming home right away but I was out. I told him will need 30 minutes to get home. He said no problem and asked me to call him whenever I get home! Unbelievable but true.

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by Snehal Sekhar

The staff at the Police Station Passport Verification Counter here asked me to get my Aadhar copy and my Old Passport Copy signed by a Gazetted Officer and they also wanted letters from 2 neighbors stating I was staying in the same place and they knew me. They also wanted me to get a passport size photograph.

Why is a reissue of passport so difficult?

Is the address on your Aadhar card different than the re-issued passport? If not, then this is really strange.

Originally Posted by diyguy

He said no problem and asked me to call him whenever I get home! Unbelievable but true.

Similar experience I had here in Pune yesterday. Really unbelievable that the Police are so professional, at least here in Pune.