The Department of Posts has partnered the Regional Passport Office, Tiruchi, to open online facilitation counters at all the Head Post Offices and three sub-post offices in the central region to help passport applicants file applications.
The service to be launched on February 10 will be available at the Head Post Office and the sub-post offices at Golden Rock, Teppakulam and Tiruchi Fort in the city and at the head post offices at Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Karur, Kulithalai, Kumbakonam, Melakaveri, Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pattukottai, Thiruthuraipoondi, Pudukottai, Srirangam, Lalgudi, Thuraiyur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Papanasam, Mannargudi, Vridhachalam, Kallakurichi, Tirukovilur, and Ariyalur MDG in the region.
Applicants can register their passport applications online at the counters and generate appointments for personal appearance at the Passport Seva Kendras.
Applicants will have to carry copies of required documents such as proof of date of birth, residential address, and educational qualification. The applicants should also be aware of the name of the jurisdictional police station of their residence and provide details of neighbours for reference.
The fee prescribed by the passport office can be paid online through internet banking, credit or debit cards, or through challans of the State Bank of India.
The challans for the payment of the fee should be produced while registering the applications at the facilitation counters, according to a press release from the Postmaster General, Central Region, Tamil Nadu.
Applicants availing the service at the post offices in the city will have to pay a service charge of Rs.70. Those availing the service at other post offices in the region will have to pay Rs.100.
Those opting to know the status of their application through SMS from the Regional Passport Office should pay Rs.30 in addition to the application fee, the release added.
According to sources in the Regional Passport Office, officials of the Department of Posts have already been trained in registering the applications. The service was being launched to address the difficulties faced by passport applicants, especially from rural areas, who face problems in filing applications online, they said.
