Passport office Goa

The Goa Regional Passport Office (RPO) was set up in 1988 as a subordinate office of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) under the supervision of the Central Passport Organization (CPO). The Goa RPO caters to two districts of Goa - North Goa and South Goa. The Goa passport office is centrally located at Patto Plaza, near Kadamba bus stand, Panaji, Goa. The RPO in Goa, like all RPOs in the country, is led by the MEA’s vision of ‘To deliver passport services to citizens in a timely, transparent, more accessible, reliable manner and a comfortable environment through streamlined processes and committed trained and motivated workforce'.

In the year 2017 alone, the Goa Regional Passport Office rendered passport and travel document related services to 57,769 applicants. A Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) was started in the Passport Office (co-located site) in 2012 with 290 applications released on a daily basis. Apart from applications for normal passport applications, the PSK also receives 20-25 for the surrender of Indian Passport upon acquiring Portuguese nationality. In 2018, a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) was opened in South Goa Collectorate office in Margao which received nearly 20 appointments a day.

Staff at Goa Regional Passport Office

The Goa RPO has a total of 27 officers and staff members. The hierarchy includes the Deputy Passport Officer, Assistant Passport Officer, Senior Superintendent, Superintendent, Stenographer, Assistant Superintendent, Senior Passport Assistant, Junior Passport Assistant and a Chauffeur.

Functions and Duties of the Goa Regional Passport Office

The Goa passport office operates as per the rules and regulation of Passport Act, 1967, and the Delegation of Financial Power Rules, 1978. Apart from the issuance of the Passport, the Goa RPO also facilitates attestation and apostille of documents done in the Ministry, for the people of the State. The RPO in Goa carries out the following administrative functions related to passport services:

• Overseeing the operations of the RPO, PSK and the POPSK.
• Maintaining service books and personal files of the Goa RPO.
• Publishing of press statements, public notices, circulars, etc.
• Court-related litigation files.
• Procurement of stationery and furniture.
• Organizing Republic and Independence Day Celebration.
• Maintenance of Annual Confidential reports.

Work-Flow Chart of Goa Regional Passport Office

Applications for the Indian passport are accepted at the co-located PSK in the Passport office from applicants who have online appointments based on the time and date slot booked on www.passportindia.gov.in upon payment of online fees. The work-flow chart below provides the process while visiting the passport office for a passport in Goa.

• Counter A - TCS staff scrutinize the passport application, verify the data and scan all required documents.
• Counter B - A government official (Verifying Officer) will verify the passport application and in case of doubtful/ dubious documents, the officer can recommend verification of these documents from issuing authority.
• Counter C - The Granting Officer, a government official, carries out the granting and index checking of the application, post which the applicant is asked to complete the customer satisfaction form and is allowed to carry the file home.
• Police Verification - The police verification is sent to the concerned district electronically.
• Receipt of Police Verification - Once the police verification is completed, it’s sent back electronically and the report is sent later.
• Post successful police verification, the passport is printed, laminated, stamp signature on the passport, quality is checked before the passport is dispatched by registered-post to the mailing address of the applicant.

Goa Regional Passport Office Website

The Goa RPO’s website - passportindia.gov.in, offers several passport-related information to applicants, issuers, governing bodies, and media houses. Despite the website being updated regularly, the information provided on the website is subject to revision. Individuals are recommended to verify all details information before considering using the content on the website.

Applying for a Passport

Applicants from Goa (North and South) need to complete the online application process on the official website - passportindia.gov.in and schedule an appointment to submit the application form and required documents. Post submission online, applicants will receive the Application Reference Number (ARN).

The Indian passport application process can be divided into the below steps:

• Submission of the Application - The completed passport application form along with the required documents of Proof of Address (PoA), Proof of Identity (PoI), etc., can be submitted at the PSK which holds the jurisdiction of your area of residence.
• Appointment and Fees - Post submission of the application, the applicant is required to pay the fees. Once the fee is paid, the Application Reference Number (ARN) is generated along with a scheduled appointment at the RPO.
• Issuance of the Passport - The applicant receives periodic updates on their registered email/ phone number informing about the progress of the application. Post successful police verification, the passport is sent to the applicant’s physical address via registered post.

Steps to Submit Online Passport Application

1. Visit the official website - passportindia.gov.in.
2. Register or if you’re an existing user you can log in with the username and password.
3. Select ‘Apply for fresh passport/ normal/ express (tatkal) mode’.
4. Fill out the application form with relevant details and click ‘Submit’.
5. Pay the required fee.
6. After paying the fee, schedule an appointment to submit the required documents.
7. Once the appointment is scheduled, the ARN will be generated, take a photocopy of the receipt with ARN.
8. Carry the original and photocopies of the required documents which you’ve selected at the time of submitting the application form online.
9. Submitted application and the documents will be verified.
10. The application status will be intimated through email and or text messages.
11. Police verification will be initiated.
12. Upon successful police verification, the newly printed passport will be issued and sent via registered-mail of the Indian Post.

Documents Required for Application of a New Passport

• Proof of Address/ Proof of Identity (PoA/ PoI) - Applicants can submit either their Birth Certificate, Ration Card, Voter ID, Aadhaar Card, Driving License, Bank Passbook (Nationalized Banks), Telephone Bill, Gas Connection Book, School or College Certificates.
• Additional Documents - Based on the applicant’s profile and other factors, they may be required to provide additional documents/details.

List of Holidays

Contact Goa RPO

Goa Regional Passport Office Address:

Name of the RPO: Shri D.K. Sharma

Address: Passport Bhavan, EDC Complex, Patto, Panaji, Goa - 403001

Tel. No. - 0832-2437601(Direct), 0832-2437602(General)

Email Id: rpo.panaji@mea.gov.in

Fax No. - 0832-2437603

Public Grievances Cell (HQ)

Name of the APO: Smt. Vinita Sinha

Address: Assistant Passport Officer (PG), CPV Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Room No. 24, Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi - 110001

Tel. No. - +91 11 23384497/23384519

Email Id: passport.pg@mea.gov.in

Fax No. - +91-11-23384461

National Call Centre

Call 1800-258-1800 to speak to a Citizen Service Executive for passport related queries between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. or one can call anytime for Automated Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) available 24/7.

Social Media Links

• https://www.facebook.com/MEAINDIA
• https://twitter.com/rpopanaji
• https://www.youtube.com/user/MeaIndia
• https://www.flickr.com/photos/meaindia