Let me narrate my experience while applying for a passport for my 2-yr old daughter (minor). I thought that by visiting the passport website of Chennai, I would have all the right documentation and cash/DD ready for the application (in my case, Tatkal). I was also in touch with a travel agent, as they have all the latest information, and a couple of friends who had done the same a month back.
The day of the appointment, I happened to call the agent to re-confirm all the documents were in order, and then was told that it was DD for tatkal and cash/DD for normal. I panicked and ran to my bank, and thankfully they gave the DD. I also withdrew cash to be on the safer side, wanted to finish it that day.
Reached Shastri bhavan at the appointment time and see a huge line everywhere. I enquired as to where the tatkal document verification line was, and got lost in the sea of people before finding the right “q” with a few 50 people before me!!
Apparently, the appointment time really holds no value!
The verification is done at the ground floor on the right hand side as you enter straight ahead. Here they check if you have the right documents, staple them together and put a stamp of “tatkal” on your form.
From there, we were sent to the 2nd floor, where another check is done with reference to you original documents. The counters “e”, “f” and “g” are allocated to that. Here I was standing in line for a good 1 hour before my turn came thanks to a Good Samaritan who saw me holding my sleeping daughter for the past few hours.
There when we mentioned to the officer, he said that we should have approached him earlier becoz we had a child. I was fuming and was ready to blast that there was no board to indicate that and no special “Q” for people with children, pregnant women and senior citizens.
That taken care of, my husband proceeded to the other counter to pay the DD. Don’t forget to make a copy of it. He got the receipt and was told that we would get the same in a week.
Hopefully we do! At the end of it, you wonder if this is a country moving forward where one of the most important documents-passport has its office run in such a chaotic manner.
Why can’t they have better sign boards, more information on the internet? Just by having a website won’t cut it. True easier said than done, but I am sure a few changes would certainly improve the situation and people like me would not have to blog on this topic atleast :) Passport is one of the most important document one could have, and the office handling that document needs to cater to basic needs such as assigning the passport in the given time frame, or intimating the person giving the reason for delay.
The passport site has the list of necessary documentation listed out correctly, but fails to mention certain things. While applying for a fresh minor passport:
- You need to have two copies/Xerox of each documentation self-attested.
- Passport copies of both the parents’ only need to contain the first 4 and the last 4 pages – self attested.
- In case of spouse name inclusion and address change that has been recently changed, do attach that page too as a part of the copy.
- In case one of the parent’s passport is with the passport office submit a letter that the passport is with them and a copy of the receipt.
- In the application the photos could be of any color back ground – but lighter so as to see the thumb impression on it
- On the main form the thumb impression needs to be in the specified box horizontally.
- In the personal particulars form it has the be half on the photo and half on the form. Also at the bottom of the PP forms
- For minors the amount for the DD is 2100/- in the name of “Regional Passport Officer” payable at Chennai.
- For other applicants, the amount is 2500/- in the name of “Regional Passport Officer” payable at Chennai.
- It is cash/DD for application through the normal process.
- Make sure you have address proof as a back up with copies – bank stmt, ration card etc.
- Annexure – C can be obtained from the passport site needs to signed and attested by both parents, and also include your passport numbers under your signature.
- Affidavit is required for children from 15 – 18 yrs
- Original Birth certificate of the child along with 2 attested copies by parents is required
- Make sure all the original documents are intact after submission
