Most people get a bit confused over whether reissue and renewal of passport mean the same thing in India? But in India, passports are not renewed but instead, they are re-issued. That means, the old passport is cancelled and then a new passport is given to an applicant with a validity of 10 years, starting from the date of issue. That is why passport renewal and passport reissue means the same thing in India, thanks to the fact that both terms can be used interchangeably.
You can apply for passport reissue just in case you want another passport or if the existing one has expired. But it is always good to note that a passport cannot be reissued more than a year before its expiry date. Here are some of the reasons that call for passport reissue in India.
Nowadays, the passport renewal application process is available online in most states throughout the country. There are mainly two methods used for passport renewal in India. They are namely-
It largely depends on the particular reason as to why you want to be reissued with a passport. But generally, the passport reissue process takes less time. Since all your information is already with the passport office, then the whole process of passport renewal or reissue requires less time. The process further depends on the speed of passport processing by the regional passport office. Normally, the process takes about 20-25 days.
What should I do when my passport is scheduled to expire in one year?
In such a case, you can apply for passport reissue one year before the expiry of your existing passport, as long as there aren’t any changes in your personal details.
You can apply for your passport renewal anytime although it is always a good idea to apply for passport renewal six months before the expiry date. Most countries don’t issue VISA for applicants whose passports with less than six months of validity.
First, you need to fill up a passport application form and then apply for reissue of your passport. After that, submit the completed application at the nearest PSK within the jurisdiction of the Passport Office. Remember to carry the original as well as a photocopy of your old passport together with all the supporting documents bearing proof of your current address. And in case your passport got expired more than three years ago, then police verification may be required in such a case.
The passport applicants are required to provide at least one of the below-listed address proof documents-
The various Non-ECR documents required are listed below for your reference and any one or more can be submitted with the passport application form.
In cases of a reissue of passports, the passport office will demand the applicant to submit his / her old /expired/damaged booklet.
The first two and last two pages of the old passport being submitted along with the application for reissue must be self-attested by the applicant.
If an appointment made through online, the passport office would demand a print out of the final page that confirms the payment, time, and date of the appointment
No. However, you can still have the option to select between the PSKs under the Regional Passport Office( RPO) of your location. Each Indian state has at least an RPO. If you are applying for your passport renewal online, the first thing you are required to do is to choose the right RPO and then book an appointment with them.
Once your card’s validity has expired, you will be issued with a new passport that has a new passport number. However, the old passport number will still be mentioned in your reissued passport, although the newly assigned number will be treated as your passport number