From a generation for which "Foreign returned" meant people who had visited USA, it is difficult to see Big Apple in a different way. So, when I got to visit I decided to enjoy the whole thing.
Way back in 1985, I had applied for my passport by purchasing application form at the local post office @ Rs. 10/- and enclosing (probably) Rs. 50/- Indian Postal Order as application fees, documents like birth certificate & degree certificate verified by a gazetted officer and sending the same to Regional Passport Officer by registered post. Back then there wasn't much of terrorist activity and even without verification by Police, Passport came home through registered post in six weeks.
Based on this experience, I did the same this time with revised fees & never got a reply from passport office for three months. After following up with RPO, they woke up. They did not want anything to be given in writing and so called me to the office and handed over the application back saying that they did not accept applications by mail anymore! I saw the futility of arguing and fighting my case and requested for considering expediting the process once I apply personally. I got assurance on that count, but when I applied on 1st Feb, my police verification papers reached passport office only on 29th Feb and my passport got issued only on 15th March 2012! So much for "expediting".
My lessons from whole experience:
Way back in 1985, I had applied for my passport by purchasing application form at the local post office @ Rs. 10/- and enclosing (probably) Rs. 50/- Indian Postal Order as application fees, documents like birth certificate & degree certificate verified by a gazetted officer and sending the same to Regional Passport Officer by registered post. Back then there wasn't much of terrorist activity and even without verification by Police, Passport came home through registered post in six weeks.
Based on this experience, I did the same this time with revised fees & never got a reply from passport office for three months. After following up with RPO, they woke up. They did not want anything to be given in writing and so called me to the office and handed over the application back saying that they did not accept applications by mail anymore! I saw the futility of arguing and fighting my case and requested for considering expediting the process once I apply personally. I got assurance on that count, but when I applied on 1st Feb, my police verification papers reached passport office only on 29th Feb and my passport got issued only on 15th March 2012! So much for "expediting".
My lessons from whole experience:
- The requirements of the passport office are given in the website. However, the interpretation at various points of receipt are varied to such an extent that it is even reflected in the instruction boards. So a safe bet will be to carry more than one type of proof for residence - say ration card, employers certificate, electricity bill.
- Apply early and follow up with local police station for clearance.
- I don't know why, but in Mumbai the permanent address is something "back home" unless you own the house in which you are staying and is not verified. What happens to tenants who keep moving from house to house, I don't know!
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