Passport Office — Coimbatore has revised the procedures for walk-in category applicants and those appearing with online appointments and Application Reference Number (ARN).
Passport Officer S. Sasikumar said that at present only four categories of applicants are allowed to have a walk-in facility i.e., those seeking fresh passport under Tatkal category, senior citizens and physically challenged, issue of police clearance certificate and applications by infants below three years of age and whose parents hold valid passport. Beginning Monday, all walk-in category applicants should visit the passport office between 9.30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
At present, online appointments are available for passport seekers within the next four working days. Applicants under walk-in category should have submitted their online application form and should turn up with the ARN and original documents at the stipulated time.
Applicants having confirmed appointments and not able to visit the Passport Seva Kendra should reschedule or cancel their appointment at least 15 hours prior to the scheduled date and time. In case of not turning up, the application submitted online and the ARN would be deleted from the system and the applicant would have to go through the process once again for obtaining fresh appointments.
Applicants born or after January 26, 1989 should submit their birth certificate and those requiring ECNR status should submit their certificates relating to educational qualifications relating to SSLC and above. For entry of spouse name, marriage certificate in annexure D should be submitted. For further details, the website could be visited at www.passportindia.gov.in and for telephone enquiries 0422-2301415, 220-0250 and 223-06111 could be called.
With walk-in facility and online appointments being made easy, the District Passport Cell (DPC) Facility at Erode Collectorate and The Nilgiris Collectorate is being withdrawn from October 7 (Monday). In the next phase from November first week, the DPC facility at Namakkal and Salem would also be withdrawn, passport office sources said. In order to make the experience friendlier for applicants, the Passport Office is planning to release 550 appointments per day instead of the present 430.
