Passports will now be available in post offices. To end the long wait of getting a passport, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has intervened and collaborated with the Department of Posts (DOP) to utilise its head offices located in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana to offer similar facilities of a Passport Seva Kendra (POK). These new centers will be recognised as Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK).

The development is significant as people going abroad will no longer have to wait to get a passport. There is no requirement of birth certificate or marriage certificate. Also affidavits have also been abolished in the new system and there is no requirement of newspaper advertisement for change of name.

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According to the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, over 4 lakh passports are being issued annually.

In 2012, 3.10 lakh passports were issued which increased to 3.30 lakh in 2013, 3.80 lakh in 2014 and 4.50 lakh in 2015.

Officials added that the numbers are expected to reach 5 lakh by the end of this financial year.

They further added that the objective of MEA and DOP partnership is to extend passport services on a larger scale, near to the homes of applicants and to ensure wider area coverage.

Giving details of the project, Regional Passport Officer (RPO), Chandigarh Rakesh Agrawal said that in the first phase 56 post offices have been selected across the country by MEA for accepting passport applications.

He said, following the liberalisation of passport policies announced on 23 December 2016, the numbers of applications have increased by nearly 30 percent.

“The post-offices at Karnal and Hisar falling under RPO Chandigarh will start functioning to accept the passport applications by 28 February,” he said.

He further explained that post offices at Patiala and Bathinda will also start accepting the applications in the next phase.

“We expect that opening of these additional POPSK would further help citizens in getting passports easily,” said RPO.

Applicants who wish to apply through POPSK, can apply online at the official website www.passportindia.gov.in and schedule an online appointment before visiting their post office.