Passport Online — Apply, Renew, Status & Tatkaal

Apply for a Fresh Passport

A fresh passport application is generally made by someone who does not hold an Indian passport at present — a first-time applicant, or a person whose earlier passport falls outside the cases covered by re-issue.

The usual online flow is: register or log in on the Passport Seva portal, complete the application for the service you need, pay the applicable current fee through the official payment system, book an appointment if one is required, and then visit the designated Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra with your documents, where verification and biometrics are completed as applicable.

Not every applicant follows exactly the same process. The steps, documents and appointment rules depend on your service type and circumstances, so follow what the official portal shows for your application.

Passport Renewal / Re-issue

People often say "renewal", but the official service for an existing passport holder is called re-issue. A fresh passport is for someone applying without a current passport, while re-issue produces a new booklet for someone who already holds one.

Re-issue is generally used in eligible cases such as expiry or approaching expiry, exhaustion of pages, a change in personal particulars such as name or address, damage or loss, or other reasons recognised by the official rules.

Every situation does not use the same document list — the reason for re-issue changes what you must produce. Check the official requirements for your specific case before applying.

Passport Documents Required

Document requirements are decided case by case. They depend on whether the application is fresh or a re-issue, the applicant's age, the change being requested, whether it is a normal or Tatkaal application, and other individual circumstances.

In general terms, applicants are asked for proof of identity, proof of present address, proof of date of birth and, for a re-issue, the existing passport — but the exact proofs accepted in each category are set officially and revised from time to time.

Use the official Passport Seva document advisor to generate the checklist for your own application, and carry the originals along with the copies to your appointment.

Passport Fees

The amount payable depends on several factors: whether the application is fresh or a re-issue, whether you choose normal or Tatkaal service, the booklet or service type, the applicant category, and other applicable conditions.

ToolBandhu deliberately does not print a fee here, because an out-of-date number is worse than none. The official fee calculator shows the exact amount for your service.

Passport fees can change. Always verify the amount shown on the official Passport Seva portal before payment.

Passport Appointment

Appointment availability varies by Passport Seva location and changes through the day, so slots at one centre may open while another has none. Appointments are scheduled only through the official Passport Seva system, normally after the application has been submitted and the fee paid.

The appointment confirmation and slip are generated by the official portal. ToolBandhu does not book appointments and does not collect any applicant information.

Check Passport Application Status

Once an application has been submitted, you can follow its progress using the official Passport Seva tracking facility, with the reference details printed on your acknowledgement. There is no status form on ToolBandhu, and we do not store any application details.

Tatkaal Passport

Tatkaal is the expedited passport service offered under the official scheme, subject to the eligibility conditions and requirements laid down by the authorities. Not every passport application is eligible for Tatkaal, and applications can be declined for the expedited route.

Additional documents and additional fees may apply, and processing timelines are decided by the authorities — ToolBandhu makes no promise about how quickly a Tatkaal passport is issued. Verify the latest Tatkaal eligibility, documents and fee on Passport Seva before you choose this route.

Police Verification

Police verification may be required depending on the type of application and your circumstances. Where it applies, it can take place before or after the passport is issued, and in some situations it may not be needed at all.

The exact process varies by state and local police procedure. Nobody can guarantee in advance whether verification will happen or how it will be conducted, so follow the instructions shown by Passport Seva, keep your address proofs handy and cooperate with the authorities when they contact you.

Passport for Minors

Passports are issued to children as well as adults, but applications for minors can carry different documentation and requirements, including parent or guardian related documents and consent, and different validity rules.

These rules are revised from time to time, so rather than relying on an older form number or checklist found elsewhere, check the current official Passport Seva requirements for minors before applying.

Passport Seva Kendra and Official Services

Passport services are delivered through Passport Seva Kendras, Post Office Passport Seva Kendras and the Regional Passport Offices. The official Passport Seva website lists these centres along with their jurisdiction, and the online portal shows which of them you can select while booking an appointment.

Use the official site to find the centre that serves your address; unofficial directories often list agents rather than government centres.

How to Apply for a Passport Online

1. 1Visit the official Passport Seva portal.
2. 2Register or log in if required.
3. 3Select the appropriate passport service.
4. 4Complete the official application.
5. 5Pay the applicable current fee.
6. 6Schedule an appointment where required.
7. 7Prepare the required documents.
8. 8Visit the designated centre.
9. 9Complete required verification and biometrics.
10. 10Track the application through the official portal.

The exact steps may vary depending on the service you choose and your own circumstances. Always follow the instructions shown on the official Passport Seva portal.

Official Passport Services

These are the official Government of India destinations for passport services. Any other site offering to "process" your passport is not an official channel.

• Passport Seva (Ministry of External Affairs)

  passportindia.gov.in

  The official Passport Seva website: current rules, document advisor, fee information, forms, centre details and helpline.

• Apply for Passport — Online Portal

  portal2.passportindia.gov.in

  Official online application portal for registration, login, submitting a passport application and paying the applicable fee.

• Passport Re-issue

  portal2.passportindia.gov.in

  Existing passport holders choose the re-issue service inside the same official online portal after logging in.

• Passport Fee Information

  passportindia.gov.in

  Official fee information and fee calculator, showing the amount that applies to your service type.

• Passport Application Status

  passportindia.gov.in

  Official status tracking facility for submitted passport applications.

• Tatkaal Information

  passportindia.gov.in

  Official information on Tatkaal eligibility, additional requirements and applicable charges.

• Passport Seva Kendra & Appointment Information

  passportindia.gov.in

  Locate Passport Seva Kendras and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras and read current appointment rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Helpful ToolBandhu tools

Free tools that often come in handy while preparing an application on the official portal.

• Image ResizerResize a photo or scanned document to the pixel size the portal asks for.
• Image CompressorBring a scanned document under an upload size limit.