Yes, this is after a long-long time and amazingly Indian Government inspired me to write this. Probably by the time you start reading this, you'll think and feel like many other posts which you've searched on google while applying for Passport and what kinds of problems you'll face. It creates a fear, when we think of going to any government office. I was cursing myself, that if I would have applied my passport for 20 years (10 years back), I would not be facing passport office again. I kept on delaying and finally after 5 months of expiry, I thought lets do it and will you believe that I got my passport delivered at my home address on the 11th day from the day of appointment, okay read on...
The first and foremost thing was to figure out how the system works. I filled up all the information online at http://passportindia.gov.in, uploaded the documents but I didn't get any appointment as all slots were already full. I was surprised as how was this possible. It was like railway booking system and as a typical software engineers I was ignoring the error messages in red but the information was there.
'Please try after 6:00 PM'
Then it took me some days to try at 6:00PM, because either I was busy in some meetings or just forgot. Finally one day had an alarm of 6 o'clock and got the appointment after 2 weeks i.e. 18th May. The document adviser on the portal was good. I prepared all the required docs and reached the passport office at my appointment time. It was a big queue...
'Were people early to passport office...'
It took my half an hour to reach inside and present my document to the guys on the desk. The inside queue also took me ~half an hour. But anyway, I reached... But my fear was right, it can't happen that everything can go so smooth. There has to be some problem. The lady told me that I don't have 1 year address proof and asked to produce the proof that I am residing at the same place from one year.
'Is it my foolishness that I trust online system too much and discard all my old telephone bills.'
So what shall I do? I didn't have other address proof than my BSNL telephone bills and I was sure that I wouldn't be having the bill of 1 year before. By let me check once again at home. 1 hour search and sorry I could not find. But how could I miss that I've to carry one year address proof. Lets check the document adviser again. To my surprise..
'Atleast 2 bills are required - One bill should of be of last year and the other bill of current year.'
My fault.
Now only option is to go to bank and get the bank statement. But SBI doesn't give the statement from 11:00AM -1:00PM. No probs. I collected it at 1:30 and reached passport office again at 2:30PM. Now things were smooth.
Reached to document collector desk in half an hour. They prepared the file, and within 5 mins I reached to counter A. The guy completed all the formalities, checked the docs, snapped me, scanned the docs and collected the fee.
Counter B made me waiting enough, and it took me more than 1 hour to reach the verification officer.
I was then waiting for Counter C, but APO (not sure why?) called me and cleared. It took half an hour from Counter B to clearance from Counter C.
And finish!!!
23rd (after 4 days), police guy called and informed that he'll be coming to home for the verification in the evening. I came early from the office, and he was there at the time he promised to come. To mention, the guy was not in uniform and well behaved. He completed all the necessary formalities and started to leave. I offered him a gift.
'Gift is an Un-asked rule'
On 25th...
'Your police verification report is received at Regional Passport office. You'll receive an email/SMS.....'
On 26th
'Your passport has been granted on 27-05-2012. You'll receive....'
On 27th
'Your passport has been dispatched by speed post....'
And 28th I had my passport in my hand.
I had a feeling, that things have improved big time and the officials deserve a big round of applause. And I can return the favor at least by letting the India know my story. When something goes wrong, we make a huge hue and cry and tell that people are not their job. In the office, many un-happy faces who were returned because of documents were not proper or some other stuff. I was also amongst one of them, but ultimately it was my fault. Why should I expect, that they should accept in-complete document. Passport is something which one is proud to own, and process of granting the passport is good. I think, it should be must not to ignore even minor faults in passport as its your identity and process should be tidious to avoid illegal people holding the passport. It's not like granting SIM etc, IT's PASSPORT.
Yes, lets fight for right, lets fight against wrong, lets fight against corruption, but lets learn to praise also the good deeds.
Job well done guys...
The first and foremost thing was to figure out how the system works. I filled up all the information online at http://passportindia.gov.in, uploaded the documents but I didn't get any appointment as all slots were already full. I was surprised as how was this possible. It was like railway booking system and as a typical software engineers I was ignoring the error messages in red but the information was there.
'Please try after 6:00 PM'
Then it took me some days to try at 6:00PM, because either I was busy in some meetings or just forgot. Finally one day had an alarm of 6 o'clock and got the appointment after 2 weeks i.e. 18th May. The document adviser on the portal was good. I prepared all the required docs and reached the passport office at my appointment time. It was a big queue...
'Were people early to passport office...'
It took my half an hour to reach inside and present my document to the guys on the desk. The inside queue also took me ~half an hour. But anyway, I reached... But my fear was right, it can't happen that everything can go so smooth. There has to be some problem. The lady told me that I don't have 1 year address proof and asked to produce the proof that I am residing at the same place from one year.
'Is it my foolishness that I trust online system too much and discard all my old telephone bills.'
So what shall I do? I didn't have other address proof than my BSNL telephone bills and I was sure that I wouldn't be having the bill of 1 year before. By let me check once again at home. 1 hour search and sorry I could not find. But how could I miss that I've to carry one year address proof. Lets check the document adviser again. To my surprise..
'Atleast 2 bills are required - One bill should of be of last year and the other bill of current year.'
My fault.
Now only option is to go to bank and get the bank statement. But SBI doesn't give the statement from 11:00AM -1:00PM. No probs. I collected it at 1:30 and reached passport office again at 2:30PM. Now things were smooth.
Reached to document collector desk in half an hour. They prepared the file, and within 5 mins I reached to counter A. The guy completed all the formalities, checked the docs, snapped me, scanned the docs and collected the fee.
Counter B made me waiting enough, and it took me more than 1 hour to reach the verification officer.
I was then waiting for Counter C, but APO (not sure why?) called me and cleared. It took half an hour from Counter B to clearance from Counter C.
And finish!!!
23rd (after 4 days), police guy called and informed that he'll be coming to home for the verification in the evening. I came early from the office, and he was there at the time he promised to come. To mention, the guy was not in uniform and well behaved. He completed all the necessary formalities and started to leave. I offered him a gift.
'Gift is an Un-asked rule'
On 25th...
'Your police verification report is received at Regional Passport office. You'll receive an email/SMS.....'
On 26th
'Your passport has been granted on 27-05-2012. You'll receive....'
On 27th
'Your passport has been dispatched by speed post....'
And 28th I had my passport in my hand.
I had a feeling, that things have improved big time and the officials deserve a big round of applause. And I can return the favor at least by letting the India know my story. When something goes wrong, we make a huge hue and cry and tell that people are not their job. In the office, many un-happy faces who were returned because of documents were not proper or some other stuff. I was also amongst one of them, but ultimately it was my fault. Why should I expect, that they should accept in-complete document. Passport is something which one is proud to own, and process of granting the passport is good. I think, it should be must not to ignore even minor faults in passport as its your identity and process should be tidious to avoid illegal people holding the passport. It's not like granting SIM etc, IT's PASSPORT.
Yes, lets fight for right, lets fight against wrong, lets fight against corruption, but lets learn to praise also the good deeds.
Job well done guys...
