Postal Dispatch of Passport

A passport is an indispensable document for anyone who wishes to travel overseas. When one applies for a passport, after a lengthy procedure, the officials approve the application, and then the document is printed and dispatched through India Post to the applicant's current residential address.

Collecting the Passport at the Regional Passport Office

Individuals in need of their passports urgently may collect it personally from the same Regional Passport Office (RPO) where he/she applied for it. However, if someone wishes to collect the passport from the RPO, they will have to furnish an application stating the reason why they need the document urgently. This application can be submitted to the  Regional Passport Officer at the RPO, but the decision regarding the dispatch of the passport is entirely the officer's discretion.

Erroneous Tracking Report

What should one do when the status of the passport appears as ‘Delivered,’ but the passport hasn't been received yet?

The Tracking Utility feature is a great solution to avoid such problems. It is available on India Post's Speed Post. It can be used to check the passport delivery status. One can also contact the nearest Speed Post center to confirm whether the status appearing on the website is correct or not. In case the Speed Post officials are unable to locate the consignment, or if the consignment has been returned to the sender, then the applicant should contact the concerned RPO to seek assistance.

Collection of Passport from the Mailman

The applicant must collect the passport personally from the mailman. However, in case the applicant is unable to do so, it is up to the mailman to decide whether or not to hand the document over to a family member after verifying their ID proof. The mailman can also choose to return the passport to the issuing authority.

If the postal authorities return the passport to the issuing authority because the applicant was not available to collect it, then the applicant must contact the concerned RPO. The applicant has to furnish an application mentioning the problem and requesting the authorities to dispatch the passport again. The applicant must also attach proof of the current residential address along with the application apart from any other additional document proofs that may be required by the RPO.

What if the residential address changes while the passport application is still in process?

Passports are regularly delivered to the applicant's current residential address as mentioned in the passport application form. If the applicant's residential address changes while the passport application is still being processed, then the applicant has to furnish an additional application at the concerned RPO to get the current residential address updated. The applicant must ensure that he/she carries a document that serves as an address proof of the new residential address, as well as a request letter for updating the address in the passport.