Passport

General Guidelines:

Application forms for issue of fresh passport/renewal of passport/duplicate passport/change of passport for any reason can be downloaded from the website of the High Commission of India, Nicosia at Consular Services Forms.

Application for renewal of a passport can be submitted if the current passport is scheduled to expire within twelve months.  For example, applicant holding passport valid till 31-12-2015, can apply for renewal on or after 01-01-2015.

Old Passport in Original and additional booklet, if any, with photocopies of the first two and last two pages, should be submitted along with the application.  Submission of only additional booklet in original would not be sufficient.

The validity of a passport cannot be extended beyond the date of its final expiry and a fresh passport would need to be applied for.

ORIGINAL along with a photocopy of the Temporary Residence Permit (Pink Slip) is required to be submitted with the application.

ORIGINAL along with a copy of the ALIEN REGISTRATION BOOK is required to be submitted with the application.

STUDENTS should submit their application with a letter from the educational institutions where they are studying, certifying that the HE/SHE is a regular student of that institution.  

An applicant has the option to apply for an ordinary passport booklet of 36 pages or a Jumbo passport of 60 pages.  In both cases, the maximum validity would be 10 years from the date of issue.

Every individual including infants must obtain a separate passport.  Children’s names are no long endorsed in the passport of either parent.

The applicant should submit the application in person for identification.

PHOTOGRAPHS:

Three recent photographs with the following specifications should be submitted along with the application:

  • The photograph should be in colour and of the size of 2 inch x 2 inch (51mm x 51mm)
  • The photo-print should be clear and with a continuous-tone quality
  • The photograph should have full face, front view, eyes open
  • The photograph should present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin.
  • Centre head within frame
  • The background should be a plain white or off-white
  • There should not be any distracting shadows on the face or on the background
  • Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from top of forehead to bottom of chin and both edges of the face must be clearly shown
  • The expression on the face should look natural

 

Please note that photographs in uniforms or with dark glasses are not accepted.

Minors are issued passport for 5 years or upto the date of attaining 18 years, whichever is earlier.

Applicants are advised to ensure that their application in the prescribed format is complete in all respects, that all columns are correctly and legibly filled in and no column is left blank or unfilled/not responded to or vaguely filled with a dash, tick etc.  All signatures in the application form should be with BALL POINT PEN only.

It is an offence under the Passport Act 1967 to furnish false information in the application.  Passport facilities could be denied on grounds of suppression of material information, submission of incorrect particulars, wilful damage/loss of passport or for unauthorized alterations/tampering.  The Passport can be impounded or revoked for violation of one or more of the provisions of the Passport Act.

It is an offence to hold more than one valid passport at a time.

An application for renewal of a passport which has expired more than 6 months prior to the date of application should be supported with a Sworn Affidavit explaining the circumstances and spelling out the reasons for late submission of application for renewal.

For change of address, attach documentary evidence such as tax receipt, utility bill or residence certificate issued by the Competent Authority of the State concerned.

Indian citizens acquiring citizenship/passport of another country should immediately submit a declaration of renunciation of Indian citizenship and obtain a Surrender Certificate.

NOTE:  The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set a deadline of 24th November 2015 for globally phasing out all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs).  A Public Notice issued in this regard is reproduced below:

 


Government of India
Ministry of External Affairs
CPV Division
(Patiala House, Tilak Marg, New Delhi)

VIII/410/1/2013          Dated, 9th December 2013

                  

PUBLIC NOTICE

    The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24th November 2015 for globally phasing out all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs).  From 25th November 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny visa or entry to any person travelling with a non-MRP passport.

2.    All handwritten passports with pasted photos earlier issued by Government of India are considered non-MRP passports.  All 20-year validity passports will also fall in this category.  The Government started issuing MRP passports since 2001.  All new Indian passports are ICAO-compliant MRP passports.

3.    Indian citizens residing in India and abroad and holding handwritten passports as well as 20-year passports with validity beyond the 24th November 2015, should therefore, apply for re-issue of passports and obtain MRP passports well before the deadline in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining foreign visa or immigration problem.

4.    Fore more details related to passport services, Passport website (www.passportindia.gov.in) or the National Call Centre (toll free number 1800-258-1800) may be accessed.


High Commission of India Nicosia, Cyprus