Passport & Visa Assistance

Passport

Are you applying for the first time?
Please obtain an application form from the Passport Office or the designated Speed Post Centers or any of the designated outlets in your city. You can also download the form from the Central Passport Organization’s Website http//www.passport.nic.in. Fill all columns carefully and legibly; the application may be submitted to the Passport Office concerned (where you are resident when applying) either in person or through an authorized representative carrying an authority letter (as per the specimen at Annexure L of the Form) or by registered post. Applications can also be deposited at District Passport Cells/District Collect orates / DSP’s Office at no extra charge and at designated Speed Post Centers with a service fee or through authorized travel agents.

Give proof of residence i.e. two self-attested photo copies of the ration card or voters’ identity card or water tax bill or telephone bill or electricity bill or running bank account or income tax assessment order or appointment letter of reputed companies on letterhead (any of them will do) clearly indicating/certifying the residential address.

Give proof of date of birth i.e. two self-attested photocopies of birth certificate issued by a municipal authority or district office of the Registrar of Births & Deaths, if born after January 26, 1989 or date of birth certificate from the school last attended or affidavit sworn before a magistrate/notary as per specimen in the case of illiterate applicants.

If you have not continuously stayed at the present address for the last one year, give an additional set of ‘Personal Particulars Form’ for each place of residence with a photograph and two self-attested copies of supporting documents.

If you are a Government or Public Sector or Statutory body employee, "No Objection Certificate" in original as per specimen with a self-attested photocopy or two copies of the letter by you to your Head of Office informing that you are applying for a passport and duly acknowledged by your Head of Office.

If you have changed your name due to marriage, two self-attested photocopies of husband’s passport, if any, or an affidavit (original and one self-attested photocopy) from the husband and wife along with a joint photograph, as per specimen.

If you have changed your name due to other circumstances, deed/sworn affidavit (original and one self-attested photocopy), as per specimen, and a paper cutting (original and one self-attested photocopy) each of two leading daily newspapers where change of name has been published.
If you are a citizen of India by registration or naturalization, two self-attested photocopies of citizenship document.

Give two self-attested photocopies of the supporting documents if you are eligible for ECNR (Emigration Check Not Required) endorsement on your passport. {Government has introduced ECNR to safeguard workers from being exploited by unscrupulous employers abroad}. The following persons are entitled to get the ECNR stamp on their passport:

Persons going abroad in a managerial capacity in hotels/restaurants, Tea-houses or other places of public resort etc. possessing specialized degree in these fields.

All gazetted government servants.

All income-tax payers (including agricultural income-tax payees) in their individual capacity. Proof of assessment to income-tax and actual payment of income-tax for last three years to be insisted upon, and not merely payment of advance tax. However, in most cases, as an assessment order is not issued separately by the Income-tax department, income-tax return, which is stamped by an Income-tax authority, can be accepted.

All professional degree holders such as Doctors holding M.B.B.S., degree in ayurved or homeopathy, accredited journalists, engineers, chartered accountants, cost accountants, company secretaries, advocates, lecturers, teachers, scientists, etc.

Spouses of category of persons listed above.

All persons who have been staying abroad for more than three years (the period of three years could be either at a stretch or broken), and spouses of such persons. An affidavit to this effect is required to be submitted as per specimen.

All Indian seafarers who hold Indian or Foreign CDCs and are in possession of an offer of employment from shipping companies in India or abroad and sea cadets.

All holders of diplomatic/official passports.

Dependent children of parents whose passports are classified as ECNR. In the case of such children ECNR classification to be restricted until they attain 24 years of age.

Persons holding permanent immigration visa such as the visas of the UK, the USA and Australia.

Persons holding graduate or higher degrees. (If final certificate is not available, provisional certificate plus mark sheet to be attached).

Persons holding three years’ diploma equivalent to a degree from recognized institutions like polytechnics.

Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947.

All persons above the age of 60 years.

Persons possessing certificates of vocational training from Government/Government recognized institutions.

Note:

Even if you do not have the ECNR stamp, you can visit Bangladesh, Pakistan and most countries in Europe (Except the countries of Commonwealth of Independent States) and North America, Japan, Australia & New Zealand without emigration clearance.

In any case, Protector of Emigrants can grant emigration clearance to certain categories of skilled/semi-skilled workers for a period of six months if application is made through authorized recruiting agent and there is a valid employment visa. In case, the person concerned is leaving the country for non-employment purposes, he can obtain suspension from emigration clearance for the specified country and for the specified period from Protector of Emigrants.

Furnish 7 identical photographs (black & white or color) , Size 35mm x 35 mm;

Frontal view of full face against a light background; photos taken with colored or dark glasses and in uniform are not acceptable;

4 photographs pasted on the form and signed across partly on the photo and partly on the form and 2 photographs unsigned to be pasted on page 5 of the application form and one unsigned photograph on the Passport Application Registration Form.

Visa

Students, businessmen, journalists, tourists and others who want to visit India should obtain visas of the appropriate type. It can be obtained from the Indian Consulate in your country. Foreign nationals of Indian origin, their spouses and children can obtain entry visas valid upto 10 years. Tourist visas can be obtained for six months, one year and 10 years.

Validity of Visas: All types of visas are valid for the indicated period from the date of issue (and not from the date of first entry into India). Post-dated visas are not issued.

Application Form and Photograph Requirements: All applicants for entry visas and tourist visas are required to fill out an application form and provide one recent passport size photograph. Applicants for business, research, journalism and some other types of special visas are required to submit two forms duly filled along with two recent passport sized photos.

Visas to Non-Residents: Visas can also be issued to persons who normally do not live in the jurisdiction of this Consulate (this also includes people holding tourist / business visas) after obtaining clearance from the Indian Mission under whose jurisdiction the applicant normally resides.

Restricted Area Permits: Persons desiring to go to a restricted area should fill in special forms and apply well in advance as clearances are required before a permit can be issued to travel to these places.

Requirements for Student Visas: Confirmed letters of admission from Universities, recognized colleges or educational institutions in India are required for issuance of regular student visas.

You must remember:

Foreigners who enter India should have a valid passport, visa and other accredited travel documents.

All foreigners who enter India or depart from India either by air or sea shall furnish a true statement of particulars setting it out in form 'D' embarkation card.
The civil authority under Foreigners' Order, 1948 has powers to impose restrictions on the movement of any foreigner in India.
All foreigners who desire to stay in India beyond 180 days have to register themselves at the Foreigner Registration Office within two weeks of their arrival.

A foreigner coming to India on a tourist visa valid for 6 months need not register his name. However this depends on the condition noted on the visa.