Driving a car requires having a driver’s licence. With the exception of Nepal, many other countries require a passport for travel. Yes, a passport qualifies as a passenger’s licence because it enables travel to several foreign countries while maintaining national security. So here is all the information you need to be aware of anytime someone applies for a passport.

Also, Read- Passport Seva Kendra online portal

Here is a list of the supporting documentation that you must provide while applying for an Indian passport.

What Is A Passport Used For? What Does The Passport Seva Project Entail And What Is It?

For purposes of education, worship, business, trade, medical treatment, or family travel, a passport is a requirement. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in demand for passports and related expenditures as a result of the growing economy and the spread of globalisation. To meet this growing demand, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched the Passport Seva Project (PSP) in May 2010.

Passport Seva makes it simple, quick, and reliable to get passports and other related services. This programme creates a nationwide network of connected ecosystems for government workers, and it also works with India Post to distribute passports and the State Police to check people’s credentials.

What Records Must a New Applicant Submit to Get an Indian Passport?

When applying for a passport in India, the applicant must present some paperwork. The following documents must be submitted in order to update, obtain a new passport for a teen, renew, or reissue a passport within the nation.

1. Address Proof

A handful of the below-listed documents, which are necessary for a new passport, may be used as address verification.

• Gas Connection Proof, Water Bill, Phone (landline/postpaid mobile bill), Aadhaar Card
• Rent Agreement Power Bills
• Passbook from an active bank with a picture. All of this is open to Regional Rural Banks, Scheduled Public Sector Banks, and Scheduled Private Sector Indian banks.
• a copy of your spouse’s passport (the start and end pages must contain family information as well as the person’s name as the spouse of the passport holder.) It is made public if the applicant’s present address and the spouse’s passport have similar addresses.

It is crucial to keep in mind that even if someone has only recently lived there, they are still required to provide proof of their present residence. Therefore, applicants must list each of their previous addresses on the Passport registration form for the preceding year (starting from the date of application). Additionally, only documents that include the exact address will be accepted.

2. Proof of Birthdate

You can prove your date of birth while requesting a new passport by using some of the documents listed below that are needed for passport verification.

• A birth certificate may be obtained from the Birth and Deaths Registrar or may be created by the Municipality or another recognised entity.
• A certificate issued by the most recent school visited is recognised by the educational board. E-Aadhaar/Aadhaar Card Transferring/Matriculating/Leaving School.
• A driver’s licence must have been awarded by the state’s Transport Department.
• A PAN Card is issued by the Department of IT.
• A voter ID, often known as an election photo identity card, would have been made available by the Indian Election Commission (EPIC).
• A life insurance policy under the applicant’s name

All pertinent papers serving as birth documentation must bear the applicant’s name and date of birth. This is especially true for documents like Aadhaar Cards, Election Cards, PAN Cards, and others that don’t properly reflect the Date of Birth.

How many documents are needed for a passport is a common issue or mystery for people. For your convenience, we’ve listed the total amount of papers needed for a passport verification above.

Documents Required For A Fresh Passport For A Minor’s Passport

1. Unless otherwise specified, the consent of both parents is assumed to be present.
2. When a minor applies, recent proof of address in the parent’s favour must be provided (s).
3. If the parents hold a passport, they should visit Passport Seva Kendra with both the original and self-certified copies (PSK).
4. Parents of candidates who are underage can examine their records.
5. If the minor applicant is under the age of 18, they may apply for a non-ECR.

Proof of Address 

• Documentation of Birth
• The final acknowledged educational authority issues a transfer, school leaving, or matriculation certificate.
• Public Life Insurance Corporations/Companies The Orphanage/Child Care Home’s Executive Director issues a declaration Policy Bonds issued
• ID card, Aadhaar

Proof of your age 

• the parent’s current address, copied
• The operating bank account of the parents’ photo passbook
• A water or power bill
• a statement for a landline or postpaid mobile phone with an Aadhaar card
• The lease with the parents
• Both the original and self-attested copies of the parent’s passport, if they have one.

Stamping Passports With ECR Or ECNR 

Passports requiring a “Emigration Check” will have the phrase “ECR Needed” stamped on them. No stamps will be applied to passports that do not need an emigration check.

Emigration Check Required is abbreviated ECR, whereas Emigration Check Not Required is abbreviated ECNR. Any application bearing an ECR required stamp requires the Protector-General of Emigrants, Ministry of Overseas India Affairs, to give a “Emigration Clearance Certificate.”

Suggested Read- Apply for Fresh Passport/ Reissue of Passport

The following individuals fall under the Non-ECR Passport Category:

• Everyone who has graduated from high school or another equivalent institution
• Government personnel who are GAZETTED, their wives, and their children under the age of eighteen
• holders of official or diplomatic passports
• Everyone who is above 50 is eligible.
• All persons and their spouses who have lived abroad for more than three years
• All people who hold a professional title are eligible, as well as their spouses and dependant kids.
• Individual income taxpayers, their spouses, and their dependent children under the age of 18 (including Agricultural Income Tax payees).
• Non-ECR Classification Nurses, such as those from the UK, US, and Australia, have credentials recognised by the Indian Nursing Council Act of 1947 Permanent Immigration Visa holders.
• Those who hold a two-year certificate from a facility accredited by the State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT) or the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT)
• People who have earned a three-year diploma or an equivalent degree from a facility acknowledged by the Central/State Governments of India, such as a Polytechnic, are referred to as SCVT.