Renewing Passport in India - US Resident visiting India

[raj7480]

My wife is in India for an emergency trip. Her passport is expiring July 7th 2012. She is scheduled to return on 22nd. We did not have time to renew the passport before she left here. What is the process to get it renewed in India? She is living here for last 10 years with Green Card and does not have 3 documents showing Indian address proof (required for Tatkal application).

Can she mention US address as her permanent address and show documents like drivers license, utility bill and green card to get her passport renewed in India? Anyone with similar experience?

[sunny1000]

My wife is in India for an emergency trip. Her passport is expiring July 7th 2012. She is scheduled to return on 22nd. We did not have time to renew the passport before she left here. What is the process to get it renewed in India? She is living here for last 10 years with Green Card and does not have 3 documents showing Indian address proof (required for Tatkal application).

Can she mention US address as her permanent address and show documents like drivers license, utility bill and green card to get her passport renewed in India? Anyone with similar experience?

She can go to the Regional Passport Office and ask them how she can renew it. They might give her a short validity passport for travel. Where was her last passport issued?

[raj7480]

her last passport was issued in Chennai India in 2002

[nlssubbu]

her last passport was issued in Chennai India in 2002

My wife tried to renew her passport in India (Chennai) and faced several issues that resulted in postponing her journey back due to non-availability of passport. Papers struck with the local police station for verification and even approaching the passport office did not help.

It took so much time (more than 2 months) to finally get her renewed passport (valid only 5 yrs instead of 10 years over here in US) for the same amount of money.

You can renew through some reliable agents, but they can also help you only to some extent. Be aware of these issues and take decision appropriately.

She also faced the same problem with the address and provided my home address (where my parents and brother lives) for renewing it.

Thanks

[raj7480]

WOW. This is scary. When was this?

She is going to passport office tomorrow. Looks like the short validity passport is easy to get.

Passport Seva Portal (http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/faqMiscellaneous)

"Indians residing abroad and visiting India for a short period: SVP can be issued immediately, valid for one year, on production of return ticket to the country from which the applicant came and/or a document of identity such as driving license, Green Card, employment permit, social security card, health card, labour card etc. indicating the applicant's identity and nationality."


My wife tried to renew her passport in India (Chennai) and faced several issues that resulted in postponing her journey back due to non-availability of passport. Papers struck with the local police station for verification and even approaching the passport office did not help.

It took so much time (more than 2 months) to finally get her renewed passport (valid only 5 yrs instead of 10 years over here in US) for the same amount of money.

You can renew through some reliable agents, but they can also help you only to some extent. Be aware of these issues and take decision appropriately.

She also faced the same problem with the address and provided my home address (where my parents and brother lives) for renewing it.

Thanks

[nlssubbu]

WOW. This is scary. When was this?

This happened couple of years ago when we visited India during summer. Normally when they go, they stay for 2 1/2 to 3 months and she decided that there is ample of time to renew, but found otherwise.

She is going to passport office tomorrow. Looks like the short validity passport is easy to get.

I hope your wife's experience need not be the same.

Passport Seva Portal (http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/faqMiscellaneous)

"Indians residing abroad and visiting India for a short period: SVP can be issued immediately, valid for one year, on production of return ticket to the country from which the applicant came and/or a document of identity such as driving license, Green Card, employment permit, social security card, health card, labour card etc. indicating the applicant's identity and nationality."

Thanks

[raj7480]

Experience today at the passport office was not good. She had to beg and plead every security guard to let her see an officer. When she met him, she was not given any helpful answers. No more short validity passports.

I tried to get an appointment online this morning from here. System opens available slots exactly at 4PM IST. Guess what? site kept crashing until 4.10 PM. By the time I managed to get to the screen to see available times, it is all gone. I have to try again at 4 PM today with no assurance if I will get it or not.

We are going to keep trying for few more days. If no luck, she is going to cut short the visit and return before her passport expires first week of July.

What a waste:mad:

[mantagon]

...she doesn't have to renew her passport in India as her current passport will still be valid when she is scheduled to return. Once she is here, start the renewal process!

[mantagon]

...she doesn't have to renew her passport in India as her current passport will still be valid when she is scheduled to return. Once she is here, start the renewal process!

I thought her return is 22nd June - never mind! And I do agree that the best thing to do is return by July 7.

[raj7480]

Update...

After several painful days of trying, we gave up to get our passport reissued in India. We have decided to cancel the entire trip and return few days before her passport expires in July.

I have tried every possible legal avenue. I will write a detailed history of events when I return back. You will be shocked to hear what happened and how the system works.

Very frustrated. :mad:

ADVICE: If you are visiting India, please please make sure your passport is not going to expire during your trip. If you notice it just last minute before you leave here, postpone the trip and get it renewed here before you leave.

[kuyil]

Update...

After several painful days of trying, we gave up to get our passport reissued in India. We have decided to cancel the entire trip and return few days before her passport expires in July.

I have tried every possible legal avenue. I will write a detailed history of events when I return back. You will be shocked to hear what happened and how the system works.

Very frustrated. :mad:

ADVICE: If you are visiting India, please please make sure your passport is not going to expire during your trip. If you notice it just last minute before you leave here, postpone the trip and get it renewed here before you leave.

Make sure the Airlines allow her to board the flight with an impending passport expiry. Some of them have policies for 6 month valid passports to board the flight.

[raj7480]

Make sure the Airlines allow her to board the flight with an impending passport expiry. Some of them have policies for 6 month valid passports to board the flight.

Thanks. Yes. I did check with airlines and Indian immigration in Bangalore. They do not have a problem if you have green card. Immigration in US has no problem as long as you have a green card. You can enter with expired passport too.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1191/kw/lawful%2Bpermanent%2Bresidents/p/0/c/0

[nlssubbu]

Update...

After several painful days of trying, we gave up to get our passport reissued in India. We have decided to cancel the entire trip and return few days before her passport expires in July.

I have tried every possible legal avenue. I will write a detailed history of events when I return back. You will be shocked to hear what happened and how the system works.

Very frustrated. :mad:

ADVICE: If you are visiting India, please please make sure your passport is not going to expire during your trip. If you notice it just last minute before you leave here, postpone the trip and get it renewed here before you leave.

This experience is similar to what my wife underwent when she tried to renew her passport in India. I strongly recommends people to renew it in US rather than trying to get it done in India.

Thanks

[MM_67]

My wife tried to renew her passport in India (Chennai) and faced several issues that resulted in postponing her journey back due to non-availability of passport. Papers struck with the local police station for verification and even approaching the passport office did not help.

It took so much time (more than 2 months) to finally get her renewed passport (valid only 5 yrs instead of 10 years over here in US) for the same amount of money.

You can renew through some reliable agents, but they can also help you only to some extent. Be aware of these issues and take decision appropriately.

She also faced the same problem with the address and provided my home address (where my parents and brother lives) for renewing it.

Thanks


Hi

Passport renewal process has changed a lot in India. There is no police verification process involved now for passport renewal. There are 4 steps involved in passport office after procuring token #. A -> Document verification, applicant photo capture & fee payment B-> Second verification C-> Final name check & address verification 4th & final step is exit to do survey of the entire process. We will get new PP in 3-4 days through speed post in Thatkal. I did PP renewal of my son in chennai on last month.

MM67

[MM_67]

Experience today at the passport office was not good. She had to beg and plead every security guard to let her see an officer. When she met him, she was not given any helpful answers. No more short validity passports.

I tried to get an appointment online this morning from here. System opens available slots exactly at 4PM IST. Guess what? site kept crashing until 4.10 PM. By the time I managed to get to the screen to see available times, it is all gone. I have to try again at 4 PM today with no assurance if I will get it or not.

We are going to keep trying for few more days. If no luck, she is going to cut short the visit and return before her passport expires first week of July.

What a waste:mad:

Hi Raj

I did the PP renewal arrangements through agent. Agent has arranged appointment on a Monday morning. I arrived in India on Saturday morning. My advise is to approach through agent. It will cost Rs 700-800 extra for agent but it will be more convenient. Agent will do all the paper work and fix appointment. PP got delivered to my door step on Thursday afternoon i.e. within 3 days time.

MM67

[nlssubbu]

Hi

Passport renewal process has changed a lot in India. There is no police verification process involved now for passport renewal. There are 4 steps involved in passport office after procuring token #. A -> Document verification, applicant photo capture & fee payment B-> Second verification C-> Final name check & address verification 4th & final step is exit to do survey of the entire process. We will get new PP in 3-4 days through speed post in Thatkal. I did PP renewal of my son in chennai on last month.

MM67

Thanks to keep me informed about this. I will keep in mind when I need to renew next time in India.

[jindhal]

As someone who has had a very bad experience, I had to chime in to put in my two cents.

My mothers passport renewal process took 4 months. Her passport was to expire on Aug 2 she went to india in the third week of June, we were assuming that the process would take approximately a month's time and she would be able to come back on the new passport.

WRONG!!

The ass****s at the passport office took her old passport and cancelled it immediately on day 1, this is the normal process, I am fine with it considering its the law and rules and all that. However there was no change a month later. We kept asking for updates calling up people and going to the office and we got no answers from anyone. Around 3rd week of July we decided to go the tatkal route, but to go through that route you need to know someone really high up and they need to vouch for you. We did not know anyone who would be able to assist us, instead we had to go the passport office every damn day just to keep the file moving and we used to get ridiculous excuses like, that person has not come in today, or is out to lunch or they had to take their native place, All of it Bullshit, the reason I know this is because at some point we did find someone with "connections" and we got the passport processed in 2 days, however we had already wasted close to 4 months on the process by this time and I had to rebook the tickets multiple times due to the unanticipated delay.

In summary we started the process on June 26th and we got the passports in hand on Oct 13. Almost 4 months later.

If anyone has expiring passport and is in the US, PLEASE renew them before you leave, save yourself the headache and the f****** up passport office employees.