A new scheme was launched by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday under which a person can apply for a passport from anywhere in India irrespective of the place they reside.
The scheme was launched on the occasion of the Sixth Passport Seva Divas, under which a person can now choose the Regional Passport Office (RPO) and the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for submitting the application.
The minister also launched a mobile application, available in Android and iOS platforms, which would have the facilities for applying, paying and scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport.
The users can track the status of their passport applications using file number and date of birth. The delivery status of the dispatched passport can also be tracked.
A ministry of external affairs (MEA) statement said that the application can be submitted irrespective of whether the person’s present residential address is within the jurisdiction of the selected RPO or not.
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However, if required for a specific passport police verification would be conducted at the address specified in the application form.
The MEA said that with the launch of the ‘mPassport Seva App’, a person would not require access to a computer and printer to apply for a passport.
The changes made to the process of acquisition of passport are revolutionary; the minister said that 77 Passport Seva Kendras were made available in the last 48 years while 231 more were added in the last 48 months.
Swaraj announced that at least one Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra will be made available in all the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.