Difference between Passport Renewal and Reissue

A Passport is a necessary document for traveling abroad. In India, the Government issues the Passport to eligible citizens, thus enabling them to travel abroad. Apart from being a prerequisite for international travel, it also serves as a crucial proof address, identity and of Indian citizenship under the Passports Act of 1967. An Indian passport has a validity of ten years, and it has to be re-issued.

People are usually confused between passport renewal and passport re-issuance, and applicants generally consider the two to be the same, but it is actually not so. Here is the difference between renewing the passport and getting it reissued.

Passport Renewal

An individual has to renew the passport in cases where the document was originally issued only for a short period or short validity. This refers to passports with validity of anywhere between 1 to 5 years. When such a passport needs to be extended to a ten years validity like the regular Indian passports, renewal is possible. During the renewal of the passport, it is mandatory to submit the old passport. The number on the old passport will remain the same and the validity will be extended. The necessary changes will be made on the existing passport and returned as a renewed passport.

Passport Reissue

A passport is reissued when the passport holder needs an entirely new passport. A new booklet with a new passport number is issued to the passport holder in such a scenario.  A passport is typically reissued in the following cases:

• Expired passport or on the verge of expiry

• Lost passport

• Stolen passport

• Exhaustion of pages in the current passport

• Damaged passport

• Soiled passport

• Change in personal details

Procedure for Reissue of Passport

The process of reissuing a passport is quite easy. An applicant has to visit the official website of Passport Seva or a PSK in person and make an application. The processing charges have to be paid and an appointment must be seeked. The process is elaborated below:

Registering Online for Passport Reissue Process

The primary step in applying for reissuing a passport is through the Passport Seva online portal. It requires the applicant to have an account in the Passport Seva portal. If you don't have an account already, here's how you can create one:

• Visit the official website of Passport Seva at www.passportindia.gov.in/

• The left side panel of the page contains an option to login, where existing users can login using their id and password

• New users should register by clicking on 'New User? Register Now' box.

• The website will ask for certain information, and then you may create a username and password.

• An activation mail will be mailed to your email id which will help you activate your Passport Seva account.

Filling out the Application Form

• After successfully creating the account, follow these steps to make a passport renewal application:

• Log in to the Passport Seva account using the unique id and password.

• Click on the link that says ‘Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport’ and select the Re-issue option.

• Fill up the application form by entering all the required information - either fill up and submit the form online; or download it, fill it out and then upload it back for submission.

• Verify all details in the form before submitting it.

Booking a Slot to Get Reissued Passport

After filling up and submitting the form, you should pay the required fee and then schedule a time and date slot to visit the PSK for further procedures. The fee payment can be made online using SBI internet banking or credit/debit cards of any bank. The fee can also be paid online - generate a challan, print it, walk into the nearest branch of SBI and make the payment. After successfully completing the payment, the web portal will let you book an appointment slot in the following way:

• Select the “Schedule appointment” option after making the payment

• Check for the status to display the message “Success”

• Proceed to book an appointment

• Choose a convenient slot and the passport office nearest to you

• The appointment will be scheduled the moment you confirm the slot

Documents Required

The documents that are required for reissue of passport largely depends upon the reason for reissuance of passport. Here is a list of all the documents that one may need to submit for various reasons while applying for reissuing their passport.

• Original Passport

• Self-attested photocopies of the first and last two pages, ECR page, Observation page and Validity extension page of the old passport

• An affidavit that states how and where the Passport was lost or stolen (for lost or stolen passports only)

• Police report in original (for lost or stolen passports)

• An affidavit that states how and where the Passport got damaged. (for damaged passports only)

• Identity proof

• Address proof

• Age proof

For re-issuing a passport due to changes in existing particulars, the applicant must provide proof to support the changes made.