Fed-up with exorbitant charges collected by the middlemen for booking online slot for submission of passport application? No need to worry as the Regional Passport Office (RPO) will now allow people to fill applications at the nearest eSeva centre from August 1.
With a printout of Application Reference Number issued at the eSeva centre, applicants can walk into the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and submit forms. However, this service is restricted to following categories.
Tatkal services (fresh/reissue cases), senior citizens above 60 years, minors below 15 years whose parents hold valid passports, physically challenged persons and Central and State government employees along with their spouses and dependent minor children who have no-objection or identity certificates can apply at any eSeva centre by paying Rs.100.
Those requesting for deletion of ECR status in passports without any change of personal particulars and applicants with valid passports seeking new booklets in case of exhaustion of visa pages are eligible to apply. Applicants seeking police verification certificates can also apply by paying Rs.50.
RPO, K. Srikar Reddy, told reporters here on Thursday that the new facility would be introduced from August 1 to reduce pressure on online appointments and streamline submission of applications at PSKs across the State.
He said all the pending cases of 2010 and 2011 have been closed and letters were already sent to applicants concerned. Passports will be issued free of cost in cases where the application date is after July 1, 2011 but applicants have to apply again.
“We are receiving appreciation letters for issuing Tatkaal passports within two days.
Reissue of passports and passports to minors are delivered within five days as police verification is not necessary in these categories,” he explained.
Applications pending
Close to 30,000 fresh applications were pending for want of police verification certificates, said RPO K. Srikar Reddy.
“We are in touch with the police officials requesting them to expedite verification process and issue certificates at the earliest,” he added.
