Getting a passport is the first step towards exploring the world and visiting new places outside India. But, getting a passport for the first time may come with some frustrating experiences like delays in verification, not getting slots for appointments, typographical errors, Signature Discrepancies etc.
However, in this blog post, we will discuss police verification hassles which are mentioned below:
- Delay in Verification
- Unclear Verification Requirements
- Multiple Visits to Police Stations
- Unavailability of Local Police Officers
- Lack of Communication
- Residency Address Verification Issues
- Lack of Transparency
Importance of Police Verification for Passport Issuance
Police verification is the most important and essential step for passport issuance. It’s a vital security measure to safeguard national interests. It verifies the background and the identity of the applicant. Because passport fraud is a significant concern and police verification prevents such illegal acts.
Police also verify the residential address of the applicant. It establishes the applicant’s current place of residence and this record helps in future references.
Basically, when you apply for a passport, a police officer from your nearby police station usually visits you to verify your details.
Identifying Reasons for Delay in Police Verification
In some rare cases, police verification might get delayed. But, do not worry, it may take time like 15-30 days or more. In this case, you can contact the official contact number of Passport Seva or ask your friend or family who already had this issue. The following reasons can cause delay in police verification:
- The high volume of passport applications leads to a backlog.
- Shortage of police personnel and resources in your local police station.
- Incomplete documentation or incorrect information provided by applicants.
- Difficult-to-reach or remote residential locations.
- Incorrect contact information provided by applicants or some other mistakes.
- Administrative errors in data entry or processing.
- Applicant’s unavailability during verification visits. Make sure you are available when they visit your residence. In most cases, they will call you before the visit. Some police stations directly call the applicants to visit the police station with all the necessary documents.
- External factors like holidays, natural disasters, or emergencies.
- Extensive background checks are required for some applicants.
- Unforeseen circumstances affecting the verification process.
Common Challenges Faced During Passport Police Verification
According to The Times of India, it’s important to address the concerning issue of bribery, which has been reported in several cases of police verification.
Bribery is a harmful act that causes corruption and makes institutions and public officials lose their honesty and trustworthiness. It results in unfair treatment, giving privileges to friends or family, and abusing power for personal benefits instead of working for the good of the public.
Some more well-known challenges are delays in verification, and the requirement of the specific documents or information required for verification, leading to confusion and additional delays.
In my case, I got a call from my nearest police station and they asked me to visit there personally. When I visited and signed almost all the documents (I clicked some pictures of that documents in front of them), they are asking for some money to complete the remaining tasks but I refused then they told me that I have some address issues and need to submit additional documents like a Xerox of my Voter ID. I told them that I will give them later and came back home. The good news is that I got my passport via Speed Post within a few days without submitting the additional documents.
Gathering Evidence to Support the Complaint
If I did not get the passport, I had planned to make a complaint to the authority and I would take all the necessary steps to get my passport as soon as possible. For that reason, I clicked the pictures of my signed documents. Make sure you have some evidence to support the complaint.
Collecting Contact Information of the Concerned Officers
Now your task is to find the right contact details of the concerned departments and officers. To make this task easy for you, we have given all the important contact details below:
- ALL INDIA TOLL-FREE NUMBER: 1800-258-1800
- OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.passportindia.gov.in
- CHIEF PASSPORT OFFICER:
| Designation | Chief Passport Officer |
|---|---|
| Office | The Central Passport Organization (Subordinate office of the Ministry of External Affairs) |
| Head | Shri T. Armstrong Changsan |
| Address | PSP Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Room No. 27, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91 11 23387013 / +91 11 23384536 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23071370 |
| [email protected] |
- Lt. Col. A. K. Singh
| Designation | OSD (PSP) & Project Director |
|---|---|
| Office | PSP Division, Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91-11-23386064 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23386082 |
| [email protected] |
- Shri Golok Kumar Simli
| Designation | Chief Technology Officer |
|---|---|
| Office | PSP Division, Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23386082 |
| [email protected] |
- Shri Bal Krishan
| Designation | Public Grievance Officer |
|---|---|
| Office | PSP Division, Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Room No. 24, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91 11 23384497 / +91 11 23384519 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23384461 |
| [email protected] |
- Shri Vishwa Nath Goel
| Designation | Under Secretary (PSP-I) |
|---|---|
| Office | Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Room No. 30 G, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91 11 23074191 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23389802 |
| [email protected] |
- Appeals under the Passports Act, 1967 may be addressed to Chief Passport Officer. Appeals-related queries may be addressed to:
| Designation | Section Officer (PSP-III & PG) |
|---|---|
| Office | PSP Division, Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Room No. 30 D, 2nd Floor, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91 11 23387508 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23385889 |
| [email protected] |
- Diplomatic and Official Passports
| Designation | Section Officer |
|---|---|
| Office | PV-II Section, CPV Division, Ministry of External Affairs |
| Address | Room No. 30, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Tel. No. | +91 11 23386259 |
| Fax No. | +91-11-23384690 |
| [email protected] |
- Passport Office Vigilance Cell
| Contact Person | Shri Dhirendra Singh | Shri Adarsh Swaika | CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Director (PSP-Vigilance) | Joint Secretary (CNV & I) & CVO | |
| Office | PSP Division | Ministry of External Affairs | |
| Address | Room No. 5, Patiala House, Tilak Marg | Room No. 163, South Block, | Satarkata Bhavan, |
| New Delhi – 110001 | New Delhi – 110011 | A-Block, GPO Complex, INA, | |
| Tel No. | 23070408 | Tel. No.: + 91 11 23011357 | New Delhi – 110023. |
| Fax | 23387281 | Fax No.: +91 11 23792285 | |
| [email protected] | Email: [email protected] | EPABX :- 011- 24600200 | |
| FAX : 011- 24651010/24651186 | |||
| Email : [email protected] |
*Please note that this information may be subject to change, so it’s always a good idea to verify the details with the relevant authorities before making contact.
Importance of Filing Complaints to Improve the System
In India, we need to improve and strengthen our systems. Filing complaints is essential for system improvement, as it identifies issues, promotes accountability, and enhances customer satisfaction. By complaining to the correct authority, we can expect a better quality of services.
Outro
In this blog post, we talked about the difficulties people may face with police verification while getting their first passport. Some of the challenges include delays, unclear requirements, and having to visit the police station multiple times. Police verification is essential for security and to prevent fraud. It also checks the applicant’s address. If there are delays, you can contact Passport Seva or seek advice from others who have experienced similar issues. Knowing the importance of police verification can help you get your passport smoothly.
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