The Regional Passport Office (RPO), Pune, has organised a Special Passport Drive on Saturday, July 11, to facilitate quicker passport appointments for applicants in Normal and Tatkaal categories. The initiative is part of the Ministry of External Affairs' ongoing efforts to improve passport service delivery and reduce appointment waiting periods for citizens with urgent travel requirements.

The special drive is being conducted at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) Pune and Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) Solapur. While both Normal and Tatkaal applications are being accepted at the Pune centre, the Solapur centre is processing Normal category applications only. The drive covers both fresh passport applications and re-issue requests.

The passport centres will remain open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and applicants have been advised to report 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment time mentioned on the application receipt.

Faster appointments for applicants

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the special drive aims to make passport appointments available at an earlier date while ensuring timely processing for individuals with urgent travel plans.

Applicants are required to complete the online application process, pay the prescribed fee, and schedule an appointment through the Passport India Portal or the mPassport Seva App before visiting the Passport Seva Kendra.

Documents must be complete

The Regional Passport Office has advised applicants under the Normal category to carefully verify that all required documents are complete and comply with the provisions of the Passport Rules before visiting the centre.

Officials cautioned that applications with incomplete or incorrect documentation may not be accepted on the day of the appointment, leading to delays in passport processing.

Tatkaal applicants advised to check eligibility

Applicants seeking passports under the Tatkaal Scheme have been urged to carefully read the Tatkaal Advisory and Tatkaal Undertaking before booking appointments.

The Ministry noted that Tatkaal applications are subject to stricter eligibility conditions and require additional supporting documents. Many applicants fail to meet these requirements, resulting in rejection or non-acceptance of their applications.

Authorities have also advised applicants to verify whether they fall under any Tatkaal ineligible category before applying.

Passport Authority may seek additional verification

The Ministry reminded applicants that under Section 5 of the Passports Act, 1967, read with Rule 5 of the Passports Rules, 1980, the Passport Authority has the legal authority to seek additional documents or conduct further verification whenever necessary for processing an application.

How to book an appointment

Applicants can book appointments by completing the online passport application through the Passport India website or the mPassport Seva App, making the online payment, and selecting the preferred location while scheduling the appointment.

For this special drive:

• PSK Pune: Normal and Tatkaal (Fresh & Re-issue)

• PSK Solapur: Normal category (Fresh & Re-issue)

The Ministry has encouraged eligible applicants to make use of the special drive to obtain earlier appointment slots and ensure hassle-free passport services.