At one point or another, we may be required to travel from our country to tour a different country, seeking medical services, advancing studies, widening our business territories or even visiting our loved ones. It is then that we are required to produce a legal document that may be familiar or not to us; passport.
A passport is a vital document needed for anyone wanting to travel out of the country. It is required that you present this document at the airport to the officials in charge of airline and tickets so that they allow or deny you to travel. A passport is required of everyone requiring traveling abroad. Both adults and children should have one. Apart from using it in instances where you have forgotten your national identification or is lost, you will only require using a passport when traveling outside the country. Needless to say, you will not travel without it.
The increase in globalization and growth of the economy has seen the demand for passport rise immensely than before. Seeing this, the ministry of external affairs (MEA), created a Passport Seva Project (PSP) in 2010. This was to curb the challenges that Indians went through when acquiring one. It gives the simple, efficient and transparent process of application and delivery of passport and related services like solving complaints arising from the process. It is an integrated system of government officials, state police and India posts for delivery of passports.
Under the passport act of 1967, the government is the only body that can issue passports and they can give an ordinary passport, diplomatic passport or official passport. It is also mandated to issue an emergency certificate or certificate of identity for the same purposes.
The following are different types of passports and their characteristics:
Ordinary passport
- It is the most common passport given to all regular Indians to facilitate their international travel
- It has a blue cover
- It has 36 pages but sometimes 60.
- It is normally valid for ten years only
- Renewal of it will take it another ten years
Diplomatic passport
- Distinguished by its maroon cover
- It is issued to government members like judiciary, diplomats, statutory bodies, official couriers
- It is given to any other person that have been authorized by the government
Official passport
- Covered White
- Issued to non-gazette servants
- Issued to any person that has been authorized by the government
- Issued to any government deputed person in abroad on government business
What should you know about a passport?
- Your passport should always be updated when it is 6months to the expiry date. Otherwise, you will not make any travel.
- Indian passport is the only identifier that you are Indian in any foreign country
- Report any stolen, missing or destroyed passport immediately. You can file your report at a police station, passport issuing authority or Indian mission abroad.
- Upon renewal of the new passport, the old ones are canceled
- Minor passports are issued without police verification. All young adults or children below 18 years are minors.
- Minors of 15-18 years have two options: to either apply for passport valid till they are 18 or apply ten-year passport that is subject to police verification and attracts higher application fee.
- One can always apply for emergency passport through Tatkaal scheme
