How to Apply for an Indian Passport – Step-by-Step Guide

The ordinary passport, also known as a Type P passport, is issued to regular Indian citizens for international travel. It has a navy-blue cover and is the most common type of Indian passport. This passport can be used for a wide range of purposes, including tourism, education, business, employment, and other personal travel needs. It is available in two versions: 36-page and 60-page. The 60-page version is suitable for frequent travellers.

2. White Passport

The White Passport, also known as an Official Passport (Type S), is issued exclusively to Indian government officials travelling abroad on official duty. It has a white cover, which helps customs and immigration authorities quickly recognise the holder as a government official and treat the application with the necessary official formalities.

3. Diplomatic Passport

Government officials and diplomats travelling abroad on duty are issued special passports. A diplomatic passport has a maroon cover and is issued to diplomats and senior officials representing India overseas.

Tatkaal: Faster Processing, Not a Separate Type

The Tatkaal passport isn't a different type of booklet — it's the same Type P passport issued through an expedited scheme. It requires a higher fee (Rs.5,000 for 36 pages / Rs.6,000 for 60 pages, as of the July 2026 fee revision) and is typically dispatched within 1 to 3 working days of approval at the PSK.

e-Passport: Chip-Enabled Passports Now Rolling Out 

The Ministry of External Affairs has begun rolling out chip-enabled e-Passports under Passport Seva Programme 2.0, announced at the 14th Passport Seva Divas on 24 June 2026. The embedded chip allows contactless reading of your Indian passport data by immigration authorities for a smoother international travel experience. 

Documents Required to Apply for an Indian Passport

The following documents are required:

• Proof of identity such as Voter ID, Aadhaar card, PAN card, or driving licence

• Proof of address such as electricity bill, Aadhaar card, bank account statement, water or telephone bill, gas connection bill, rent agreement, or income tax assessment order

• Proof of date of birth: a birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Births & Deaths or a Municipal Corporation is mandatory for anyone born on or after October 1, 2023. For applicants born before that date, a school transfer certificate, PAN card, or driving licence is also accepted.

• Passport-sized photograph

Eligibility Criteria for Passport Application

The following are the eligibility criteria that should be fulfilled:

• Applicants must be Indian citizen 

• Reserved for diplomats, government representatives, and those travelling on formal diplomatic missions on behalf of the Indian government. 

How to Apply for an Indian Passport

To apply for an Indian passport, follow these steps:

• Register on the official Passport Seva website if you're a new user, or log in with your existing user ID and password.
• Fill in the online application form with accurate personal, address, and family details.
• Choose Normal or Tatkaal processing based on how urgently you need the passport, and select the booklet size (36 or 60 pages).
• Book a mandatory appointment at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Post Office PSK, or Regional Passport Office — walk-ins are not accepted.
• Pay the passport fee online. Fees vary by application type and were revised from July 1, 2026: Normal (36-page) is Rs.2,500, Normal (60-page) is Rs.3,500, Tatkaal (36-page) is Rs.5,000, and Tatkaal (60-page) is Rs.6,000.
• Carry the originals of all required documents to your PSK appointment for verification.
• Your documents will be checked and your biometric details — photograph and fingerprints — will be recorded at the PSK.
• Track your application anytime online using your 15-character file number (also called the application reference number).
• Once approved, the passport is printed and dispatched to your registered address, or can be collected in person from the PSK.

How to Track the Status of an Indian Passport Application

After completing your application, you can use the official portal to track its status: 

• Passport Seva portal: Visit the official Passport Seva website, click "Track Application Status," enter your Application Type, File Number, and Date of Birth, then click "Track Status" to see where your application stands.

• SMS: Send a text in the format STATUS <File Number> to 9704100100 from any mobile phone — no internet connection needed.

• mPassport Seva app: Download the free app (Android/iOS) and check your status using your File Number and Date of Birth.

How to Renew an Expired Indian Passport

To renew an expired Indian passport, you must follow the steps given below: 

• Register or log in on the Passport Seva Portal.

• Select "Apply for Fresh Passport/Reissue of Passport," choose Reissue, and pick "Expired Passport" as the reason.

• Complete the online application form with your old passport's number, issue date, and place of issue.

• Pay the applicable fee online. Reissue fees follow the same schedule as fresh applications (as of the July 2026 revision): Rs.2,500 for a 36-page normal passport, Rs.3,500 for 60-page, or Rs.5,000/Rs.6,000 respectively for Tatkaal.

• Book an appointment at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) and carry your original expired passport along with proof of address and date of birth.

• Your biometric details will be collected and verified at the PSK.

• Track your application status online, via SMS, or through the mPassport Seva app, as described earlier.

How to Reschedule or Cancel a Passport Appointment

If you want to reschedule or cancel your appointment, you can follow the simple steps mentioned below:

• You can login online on Passport Seva portal as physical visit is not required for rescheduling or cancellation.

• Click on ‘Existing User’.

• Log in with your credentials.

• Click on ‘Submitted Applications/Saved Applications’.

• You will view two options: either reschedule the appointment or cancel it.

• To reschedule, select the preferable date as per your convenience and click on ‘Book Appointment’.

Tatkaal Passport Scheme: Out-of-Turn Applications

The materials needed are the same ones needed if the application is filed following the normal procedure. It is important to note that applicants do not need to show evidence of urgency in order for out-of-turn passports to be issued under the Tatkaal system. A separate or higher fee needs to be paid for Tatkaal passports.

Furthermore, applicants need to be informed that after the passport is issued, police verification will take place under both the normal and Tatkaal systems.

Passport-Issuing Authorities & Collection Centres

As mentioned earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs works through the Central Passport Organization (CPO) and its network of Passport Offices, Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in the country and through embassies and consulates outside India for the issuance of passports and other passport-related services.

MEA (Ministry of External Affairs)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the government arm in charge of passport issuance, re-issue of the document, and other miscellaneous services.

CPV (Consular, Passport, and Visa Division)

The Ministry of External Affairs' Consular, Passport and Visa Division is responsible for passport issue. Applications for official and diplomatic passports are processed by the CPV in Patiala House in New Delhi.

DPC, SPC, CSC

District Passport Cells, Speed Post Centres and Citizen Service Centres can only process applications for fresh passports. They do not handle reissue, Tatkaal, or other cases.

PSK (Passport Seva Kendra)

The materials required are the same as those required if the application is submitted in accordance with standard protocol. It's crucial to remember that under the Tatkaal system, applicants can get out-of-turn passports without having to provide proof of urgency. Additionally, applicants must be aware that both the regular and Tatkaal systems will require police verification following passport issuance.

PSLK (Passport Seva Laghu Kendra)

PSLKs are mini-Passport Seva Kendras that provide front-end passport services like PSKs, but they are primarily established in areas like the east and northeast of India to ease the workload on larger PSKs. PSLKs are fully owned and managed by the Government of India. 

As of September 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs' official Passport Seva portal shows no centre still classified as a PSLK: every erstwhile PSLK — including those at Itanagar, Dimapur, Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Indore, Karimnagar, Darbhanga and Kalaburagi — has been upgraded to full Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) status.

PO/RPO (Passport Offices / Regional Passport Offices)

Passports are issued, impounded, or rejected by Passport Offices and Regional Passport Offices. All back-end passport-related processes and services are handled by the POs. They are in charge of PSKs. These offices process, print, and dispatch passport applications. They deal with the MEA, state police, and local administration as needed. Additionally, they oversee RTI, financial, and legal operations. In India, there are 37 passport offices.

Indian Missions Abroad

The MEA works through 219 resident missions worldwide as of 2026. These include Indian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates.

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Summary

An Indian passport is the Ministry of External Affairs' official travel document, issued as a Type P (ordinary), Type S (official) or diplomatic passport depending on the holder's category, and increasingly as a chip-enabled e-Passport. You apply and track your application through the Passport Seva portal, complete biometric verification at a Passport Seva Kendra, Post Office PSK or Regional Passport Office, and receive your passport under Normal or Tatkaal processing.