How To Get Duplicate Passport In India ?

The Indian Government issues passports under the Passports Act of 1967. There are 37 RPOs across the country and around 170 Indian missions on foreign soil that can issue Indian passports. A passport is an essential travel document which contains details such as the holder's name, nationality, gender, date, and place of birth. Moreover, it is also an identity proof which is the most critical of all documents.  Consequently, the loss of a passport brings along serious repercussions for an individual and thus applying for a duplicate passport at the earliest is imperative in such a situation.

Loss of Passport

If an Indian loses his/her passport, he/she should immediately file a report at the police station and also notify the passport office. An Indian residing abroad should immediately contact the Indian Mission to report the loss of his/her passport. Furthermore, the individual must apply for getting his/her passport reissued by filling up the passport application form available online or at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). The required documents have to be submitted along with the application form, and it might take around seven days to get the passport reissued without police verification, and up to a month for passports that require a police verification.

Damaged Passport

The procedure to apply for reissuing a passport post damage, loss or theft is exactly the same. Damaged passports are further categorized into two kinds - partially damaged ones in which the name, photo, and the passport number are legible and the completely damaged ones which are spoilt beyond recognition.

Only those passports that are partially damaged are eligible for a reissue through the Tatkaal scheme. However, lost, stolen and completely damaged passports cannot be reissued under the tatkal scheme, and the applicant must go through the standard process.

Emergency Situations

In a rare case when an Indian passport holder has lost his passport while traveling abroad but must enter India due to an emergency, such as the death of a family member, an emergency certificate might be of great help.

Documents Required for Lost or Damaged Passport

When an individual applies for the reissue of his/her passport, the application needs to follow the normal procedure. Here are the various documents one might need to get their passport reissued.

• Address proof - Any one document from the following list can be submitted:

  1. Passbook of an active bank account which contains a photograph.

  2. Rental agreement.

  3. Aadhaar card.

  4. Election Photo ID card.

  5. Certificate from the Employer on the letterhead of reputed companies.

  6. Proof of Gas Connection.

  7. Electricity Bill.

  8. Income Tax Assessment Order.

  9. Water bill.

  10. Landline or Postpaid mobile bill.

• Age proof - Any one document from the following list can be submitted:

  1. Birth certificate (from the Registrar of Births and Deaths).

  2. Birth certificate (issued by the Municipal Corporation).

  3. If the applicant is an orphan, the declaration from the Head of the Orphanage or Child Care Home on the official letterhead confirming his/her date of birth.

  4. Driving license.

  5. Election Photo Identity Card.

  6. PAN Card.

  7. Aadhaar card or e-Aadhaar

  8. Present or ex-government employees may provide copies of their Service Record or Pay Pension Order (for retired government servants) duly attested by the officer or in-charge of the concerned Ministry or department.

  9. Policy Bonds that are issued by the Public Life Insurance.

  10. School leaving certificate or Secondary certificate containing the date of birth.

• Affidavit as per Annexure L, containing the details of how a passport was lost or got damaged.

• No Objection Certificate as per Annexure M or Prior Intimation Letter as per Annexure N

Online Form for Application for Duplicate Passport

While applying for a duplicate passport, individuals must submit a fresh passport application form just like applying for a fresh or new passport. The form can be easily downloaded from the Passport Seva web portal which is managed by the Government of India.

One must first register in the online portal and create a login id and password. After logging in with the unique credentials, one must go to the 'Applying For' section and select the 'Re-issue of Passport' option. Next, the applicant has to select the relevant option from these:

• Validity expired within three  years/due to expiry

• Validity expired more than three  years ago

• Exhaustion of pages

• Lost passport

• Damaged passport

• Change in existing personal particulars

The applicant has to provide the relevant details based on the option selected. After filling in the relevant information, the form must be submitted and then the required fees must be paid to book an appointment with the PSK.

Duplicate Passport Fees

The fee for the issue of a duplicate passport varies and depends on various factors like the mode of application, the number of pages in the booklet, etc.

Passport application fees can be conveniently paid online using a credit or debit card as well as net banking. For tatkal passports, the additional amount (tatkal charges) is to be paid in cash directly at the Passport Kendra during the time of the interview.

Here is the fee slab for reissuing Indian passports:

• Replacement of lost or stolen passport: Rs.3000 for 36 pages booklet and Rs.3500 for 60 pages booklet.

• Replacement of damaged passport: Rs.3000 for 36 pages booklet and Rs.3500 for 60 pages booklet in normal mode and Rs.5000 for 36 pages booklet and Rs.5500 for 60 pages booklet in the tatkal mode