:: Welcome to Passport Office Amritsar ::

Government of India
Ministry of External Affairs
Passport Office Amritsar

INTRODUCTION

Passport Office Amritsar started functioning from 28 June 2008. It caters to six districts viz Amritsar,Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Faridkot, and Muktsar. The office is located at 2^nd - 4^th Floor, S.C.O. 110, Raj Tower, District Shopping Centre, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar.

OFFICE ADDRESS

Passport Office, 2^nd - 4^th Floor , S.C.O. 110, Raj Tower, District Shopping Complex, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar 143001.

OFFICE TIMINGS (Monday to Friday)

9.30 AM to 1.00 PM

For submission of application forms, sale of forms, on-line registration, enquiry.

10.00 AM to 12.00 Noon

10.00 AM to 12.30 Noon

Appointment with Passport Officer (Except on Wednesday)

Appointment with Assistant Passport Officer (Except on Wednesday)

While meeting the Passport Officer or Assistant Passport Officer, please bring the relevant documents e.g. Annexure-F, Annexure-I, in case of Tatkal Scheme and stay proof, birth certificate, 10th / 12th certificate etc. in case of their requirements.

4.00 PM to 5.30 PM

Delivery of Passports (with promise date)

LIST OF CLOSED HOLIDAYS DURING THE YEAR 2009

Date	Holiday
26.01.2010	Republic Day
12.02.2010	Maha Shivratri
27.02.2010	Milad-Ul-Nabi(Birth of Prophet Mohammed)
01.03.2010	Holi
28.03.2010	Mahavir Jayanti
02.04.2010	Good Friday
27.05.2010	Budh Purnima
15.08.2010	Independence Day
02.09.2010	Janam Astmi
11.09.2010	Idu'l fitr
02.10.2010	Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
17.10.2010	Dusshera
05.11.2010	Diwali
17.11.2010	Id-Ul-Zuha (Bakrid)
21.11.2010	Guru Nanak Jayanti
17.12.2010	Muharram
25.12.2010	Christmas Day

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JURISDICTION

Amritsar,Gurdaspur,Tarn Taran, Ferozepur,Faridkot and Muktsar are under the jurisdiction of Passport Office Amritsar.

LIST OF OFFICERS

Name	Designation
Shri J.S.Sodhi	Passport Officer
Smt. Pushpa Nijhawan	Assistant Passport Officer
Shri V.K. Sharma	Superintendent
Shri Sohan Lal Kahelat	Superintendent
Smt. Prabha Nayyar	Superintendent
Shri. Amar Nath	Superintendent
Shri Mulakh Raj	Superintendent
Smt. Usha Khanna	Superintendent
Shri. Gurjit Singh	Superintendent

CONTACT

Voice: 0183-2506253,54,55,56
Fax: 0183-2502108
E-mail: rpo.amritsar@mea.gov.in

Tele-enquiry: 0183-2506256
Web-site: http://passport.gov.in/

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WHERE TO APPLY

One can apply on-line OR can submit the application form at Passport Office Amritsar OR at DPC office of the DC OR at Speed Post Centre of the city.

List of DPCs	List of Speed Post Centres
DPC,O/o of the DC Amritsar	Amritsar
DPC,O/o of the DC Ferozpur	Ferozepur
DPC,O/o of the DC Faridkot	Faridkot
DPC,O/o of the DC Muktsar	Muktsar
DPC,O/o of the DC Gurdaspur	Gurdaspur
	Batala
	Pathankot

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COUNTER DETAILS

Counter #	Service Details
Counter No. 1 to 4	Submission of all category of forms
Counter No. 5	Enquiry & sale of Passport forms and receipt of objection compliance
Counter No. 6	Miscellenous Services
Counter No. 7	Online submission/submission of forms by senior citizens(above 60 yrs) & physically handicapped persons.
Counter No. 8	Submission by authorised travel agents

For Suggestions/COMPLAINTS :

Shri J.S. Sodhi
Passport Officer
2^nd- 4^th Floor,

SCO-110, Raj Tower,

District Shopping Complex, Ranjit Avenue ,

Amritsar.
Voice: 0183-2506252

Fax: 0183-2502108, 2502104
E-mail: rpo.amritsar@mea.gov.in

STAUTS OF APPLICATION

To know the status of your application click here.

TELE ENQUIRY

Dial the tele enquiry nos. 0183-2506256 (Between 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Except Wednesday)

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RIGHT TO INFORMATION

Shri J.S. Sodhi
Passport Officer
Tel No – 0183-2506252

Fax – 0183-2502108
E-mail - rpo.amritsar@mea.gov.in

DELIVERY OF PASSPORT

Passport are delivered by SPEED POST and in case of counter delivery (promised by Passport Officer), passports will be delivered to the applicants only. Delivery of fresh passport will not be given to other than the applicant .

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Who can apply for passport in Passport Office, Amritsar?

Any one resident in Amritsar,Gurdaspur,Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Taran Taran can apply in Passport office, Amritsar or at the District Passport Cell at the above indicated DPC’s,SPC’s,Registered Posts or through authorised Travel Agent’s.

When can one apply for passport?

You can apply any time as long as all the required documents as required is available with you. For detailed instructions please see website www.passport.gov.in.

As regards re- issue of existing Passports, the same can be re-issued if the validity of the passport is less than a year. Further, most of the Embassies who issue visas insist on the passport validity being at least of six months to one year before they consider to issue visas. Accordingly, apply for renewal well before time and save the last minute rush.

Every passport issued has a new Number and validity. At present passports are issued every time for a ten year validity from the date of issue despite the application being for additional booklet/reissue. Tatkal passport are also issue for a 10 year validity on post-police verification basis. Only for Children, passports are issued with five years validity or upto the age of 18.

Who can apply on-line?

Any one applying for a fresh passport, renewal, re-issue, additional booklet can apply on-line. Applicants applying for Miscellaneous service viz., ECNR, PCC, Change of residential address etc., cannot apply on-line. Website for applying online is www.passport.gov.in and for detailed instructions please go through the web information. If you are looking for Tatkal service, then applicants are advised to apply on-line alongwith Annexure “F” and “I” to enable the Passport office to accept the application across the counter and for dispatch within the stipulated date.

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Do I need to visit the Passport Office, Amritsar to submit the passport if registered on-line?

Yes. The applicant has to come personally to submit the application along with all required documents. Bring along the print out of the passport application which will bear the registration number and the date of appointment with the Passport office for submission of the application. Last few columns need to be filled by hand and application signed and submitted in the office. On-line application cannot be submitted on the basis of authority letter. Further, you can submit the application any day from the date of appointment automatically allotted by the computer until a fortnight thereafter.

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How do I make the payment?

Application money and the tatkal fees as applicable is accepted in cash across the counter. Take a printed receipt for the amount tendered at the counter.

How soon can one get a passport if he apply’s at the District Centre in the District Passport Collection Centre?

Normally, one should receive the passport in 20-30 days, if the application is complete in all respects and all the relevant documents are enclosed. However, if passport is required urgently, the District Centre applicants are advised to submit their applications on-line and submit it in Amritsar. Since the District centers accept application fee only in Demand Draft. Moreover, it has been observed that in few cases, the demand drafts contain some errors like lack of signature, undated, wrong code number etc., and it further adds to the delay before it is cleared.

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What are the major defects noticed at the Passport office, when the application is scrutinized?

i.	Some columns are left blank. All columns should be filled or if they are not applicable should be specifically marked as No/Yes or Not applicable.

ii.	If the applicant has stayed in more than one place during the last one year from the date of submission of his application, all the address should be indicated clearly and Personal Particulars Form should be filled up for each address. Any incomplete residential information when noticed during the Police verification not only attracts penalty but also leads to considerable delay in processing the case. Proof of having stayed in the same residence for one year is required. Please submit the First and Twelth month Bank statement/Electricity Bill/Telephone Bill and not the entire 12 months. These can be self attested and need not be attested by Notary. However, bring along the originals for verification and return. Only documents submitted through authorized Travel agents should be notarized. For Miscellaneous service like ECNR the original document will be retained and returned at delivery time.

iii	Whenever, there is an addition of Spouse name in the form and if the applicants previous passport did not have the spouse name, include the Marriage certificate/Joint photo affidavit.

iv.	Similarly, whenever the Spouse name is not being mentioned in the new application whereas the earlier passport had the Spouse name, then include the Divorce deed/Death certificate etc., to enable the Passport Office to accede to the request of the applicant.
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v.	In case of Minor applicants, both the parents should sign the S/A as per Annexure –‘H’) and Annexure H. If one Spouse is staying abroad, then the Affidavit of No objection should be enclosed with the application. The affidavit should have been attested by the Indian Embassy abroad where the Spouse is normally residing. If the parents do not have Passport, then an Affidavit in Annexure I should be submitted and the photograph of both Mother and Father be pasted and attested in the Affidavit. A photo identity of the Minor’s parents is also required viz. PAN card, Election commission Card.

vi.	Minor’s application born after 26.1.1989 should enclose the Birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Birth or Municipal authorities. SSC certificate etc., is not a valid document for such applicants. All other applicants born before 26.1.1989, should submit their SSC leaving certificate /CBSE certificate as proof of date and place of birth. If the SSC certificate does not indicate the place of birth, a self declaration of place of birth should be submitted along with the proof of date of birth. Only illiterate applicants and persons normally above 50 years of age can submit notarized affidavits indicating their place and date of birth and in addition submit Ration card/Election commission card/PAN card etc., which also indicates the age/date of birth.

vii.	Ensure that the Photograph is front facing with both ears visible, and has a contrasting plain background in comparison to the photo of the applicant. Since the photograph are scanned now a days, and if the photo and background is of the same color, it cannot be scanned properly. Photos should not bear any signature or stamp. No photograph with caps, dark spectacles/goggles, uniform, or tilak mark on forehead is acceptable. In case of infants, both the eyes should be open.
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viii.	Single parents should submit appropriate affidavit of NOC duly attested by the Magistrate only.

ix.	Guardians submitting on behalf of parents staying abroad, should submit Affidavits of guardianship duly notarized + 2 affidavits from the witnesses who is known to you.

x.	Use ball pens only for signature and sign all the places where signatures are required. Signature in Roller ball pen/ink pen/Gel pen gets smudged while heat laminating and the Passport office would not be responsible for smudged signatures in the passport. Applicant will have to again apply with payment for fresh booklet.
xi.	All forms and Affidavits are freely downloadable from the website www.passport.gov.in

xii.	Photocopies of documents submitted are only to be self attested. There is no need to attest by Notary.

xiii.	TATKAL applications which are accompanied by Annexure -F or verification certificate should always be in the Official Stationery of the Officer issuing the certificate, and invariably enclose the Official and Residence telephone of the Officer with Mobile phone, copy of the Identity card with photograph of the officer and the photo of the Applicant should be stamped with the office seal. Defence officials who need not submit their photo ID should submit any other photo ID for record. Applications without the above will be rejected at the counter.

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What do I do if I loose my passport?

File a First Information Report at the nearest Police station where you lost the Passport. The FIR should clearly indicate the Passport Number which has been lost. If there are more than one passport lost, and only one FIR filed, submit a copy of the FIR in each case duly attested and indicating the application in which the original has been filed. Furnish a copy of the original FIR and all other documents required for submission of a normal passport, copy of the lost passport (if you have one), an Affidavit of Loss/Damage of Passport and Annexure I and F, if the duplicate passport is required urgently. If the passport was issued in another Passport office or at any of our Indian Embassy/High Commission abroad, a confirmation from them about the passport particulars and photo will have to be obtained, before the service is rendered.

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What do I do, if I receive the passport with incorrect information or inadvertently receive some other’s passport due to postal errors?

Please return the passport immediately to this office. If mistake is on account of Passport office fault, we will rectify the same and return to you without any fees. A one page Correction form will have to be filed by the applicant. If error was on account of the data initially furnished by the applicant in the application being wrong, then applicant will have to file a Correction form and submit it in the office with the full fees. If their was a mis-representation of facts, then penalty could also be imposed.

However, applicants are requested to file on-line which will ensure that the passports are delivered without any errors since the applicant has himself/herself fed the data. Handwritten applications are many times illegible and not written in capital letters in dark ink and the data entry operators are unable to decipher the correct alphabet or figures on certain occasions.

Can I submit the application on the basis of authority letter?

Yes. Manual applications can be submitted on the basis of authority letter. But the authorized person should normally be a blood relative and should carry a photo identity card for verification. Authorised Travel agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs, representing the applicant can also submit on the basis of authority.

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Can one collect the passport on the basis of authority letter?

No. Passports are normally not handed over at the counter. If at all delivered, it is only handed over to the applicant on production of his/her photo identity card. Minor’s passport can be handed over to either of the Parents who have signed the NOC. Passports on which miscellaneous service is rendered, is handed over across the counter to applicant or the authorized representative, preferably a blood relative. Authorised Travel agents authorized to submit the application are also authorized to take delivery of the passports across the counter on production of their Company Photo Identity Card. (Only Miscellaneous services)

What do I do if I have a Court case against me?

Give full details in the appropriate columns in the application from. Further, obtain a Court order granting permission for travel abroad, which should be duly attested in original by the court and enclose the same to the application. If there are more than one case, the order should cover all the cases. Submit an affidavit about undertaking to follow the Court directions for travel abroad as per the terms laid down and to surrender passport as directed any time by the authorities concerned.

Suppression of information about pending court cases will attract penalty of upto Rs.5000/- and add to the delay in processing the application.

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Where do I submit my on-line application in the Passport Office?

You have to take a token from Counter No.1 and submit the application along with the required documents over the Counter number allotted in your application form. In case of Manual applications, after taking the Token number submit the application on Counter No.4

After submitting my passport applications what should I do?

In case of fresh Passport application, we are sending the Personal particulars form to the SSP of concerned district for police verification report on the third day from the date of submission of your application. These authorities then send the PPF to your local area Police station for verification. Accordingly, if you do not hear from your local police station within 15 days from the date of your application, then visit the area Police station along with your documents and fee receipt and clear your police verification.

I am studying in Amritsar and staying at Hostel. I do not have a “Stay Proof”. How can I apply for passport?

You should enclose a Bonafide students letter from your College authorities and also from the Hostel warden if you are staying in a College Hostel. If you are staying in a private accommodation, then the lease deed would have to be enclosed with the application..

If you have just arrived in Amritsar to join an assignment, then a Company letter indicating your place of residence with company Photo Identity Card and the Bank Pass Book/Electricity Bill/Telephone Bill or Lease deed indicating your proof of residence should be enclosed.

What should I check with my travel agent, before I submit my application?

Approved travel agents who can submit applications to the Passport Office can submit in one day from two to five applications only on behalf of their client. Accordingly, it is in your interest to find out when would your application will be registered in the Passport Office, Amritsar after you submit the forms to them. Fees for the various services are already indicated in our website http://www.passport.gov.in/ for comparison purposes.

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