Tuesday, September 17, 2013

My experience@Passport Seva Kendra, Pune

I recently applied for Avani's passport on http://passport.gov.in/ and have to say that the new system and process has come a long way from when I renewed my passport about a year back.
  1. You start by filling an online application on the website above
  2. Pay online and book an appointment. You do not need an appointment for minors. I had taken an appointment but had to cancel it and take a fresh printout of the receipt.
  3. Print your receipt (no need to print form) and carry self attested copies and originals of your documents. There is also a nice document advisor that gives a list of documents that are needed as proof
  4. The passport office in pune is locate here
  5. Do not forget any printouts. The only shops to take printouts opposite the passport office are notary offices who charge a bomb for a single printout. Even though I had a pdf on a USB drive, one guy asked for Rs 30 for printing my cancelled receipt. I did find a cyber cafe (a little down the road towards Ghorpadi) who was reasonable at Rs. 3/printout
  6. The document verification has been outsourced and you have to go through 4 levels (Foyer - where you are given a bar-coded folder, A, B, C) of verification to finish the process.
  7. Overall the process has been streamlined (I had spent 2 full days at the old office for my renewal), though the waiting times between subsequent levels needs to be reduced. I was in by 10 AM and out by 12.30 pm
  8. There is a photocopy machine inside the office that can be used to take copies
  9. The office has a decent waiting area, is air conditioned and clean. Rarely found luxuries in govt. offices across the country :)

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