Improving Passport Services - Solutions
Below are the key issues and root causes raised by you in regards to passport services. Kindly review them and share very specific solutions that must be implemented to address them. We will then share the same with Minsitry of External Affairs so actions can be taken on your recommendations.
We look forward to your inputs!
Issues in Passport Services - Root Causes
1. Agents have been allowed to mushroom despite the easing of processes
2. Agents bribe the RPO staff to get work done fast
3. The process defined for police verification has many loop holes
4. No one in the system is held responsible if the passports are not generated/delivered on time
5. A part of the process of getting the passport made is still not computerized and a lot of paper documents are asked for
6. The efficiency of the local police stations for verification is extremely poor
7. Visiting Police officers demand bribes based on the need/urgency of the applicant to get the passport
8. Majority of the rules and regulations have not been revised for a long time
9. Passport Sewa Kendras are relatively small offices
10. The number of people that visit these offices daily is very high.
Passport Services - Issues Faced
1. Agents approach people near the passport offices and create unnecessary confusion
2. Police verification sometime takes a long time
3. People do not get their passports on time even after applying through tatkal service
4. Files getting misplaced is a regular issue in non-metro cities
5. Bribes are demanded during police verification
6. Getting small changes made like surname change or address change is a head ache
7. Some rules of the passport service are archaic and cause much hardships to the citizens
8. Same counters for fresh passport, renewals and re-issue creates long queues
9. Lack of sitting arrangements for senior citizens and ladies inside the Passport Sewa Kendra
10. Some of the centres still have alliances with touts so that they get a cut when they refer someone to make an affidavit even if that is not mandatory for renewal or new passport making process. more
We look forward to your inputs!
Issues in Passport Services - Root Causes
1. Agents have been allowed to mushroom despite the easing of processes
2. Agents bribe the RPO staff to get work done fast
3. The process defined for police verification has many loop holes
4. No one in the system is held responsible if the passports are not generated/delivered on time
5. A part of the process of getting the passport made is still not computerized and a lot of paper documents are asked for
6. The efficiency of the local police stations for verification is extremely poor
7. Visiting Police officers demand bribes based on the need/urgency of the applicant to get the passport
8. Majority of the rules and regulations have not been revised for a long time
9. Passport Sewa Kendras are relatively small offices
10. The number of people that visit these offices daily is very high.
Passport Services - Issues Faced
1. Agents approach people near the passport offices and create unnecessary confusion
2. Police verification sometime takes a long time
3. People do not get their passports on time even after applying through tatkal service
4. Files getting misplaced is a regular issue in non-metro cities
5. Bribes are demanded during police verification
6. Getting small changes made like surname change or address change is a head ache
7. Some rules of the passport service are archaic and cause much hardships to the citizens
8. Same counters for fresh passport, renewals and re-issue creates long queues
9. Lack of sitting arrangements for senior citizens and ladies inside the Passport Sewa Kendra
10. Some of the centres still have alliances with touts so that they get a cut when they refer someone to make an affidavit even if that is not mandatory for renewal or new passport making process. more
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View all 48 comments Below 48 comments
Lust for corruption can be eliminated by reducing human interfaces in the system. Income Tax department is one such major example. Online filing and refunds have eliminated the harassment to general public to a large extent. more
Jun 10
Allowing agents always breeds corruption and genuine applicants suffer. I think AADHAR based passport system can be introduced. police records should be computerized and data of any police records for the individual should be available on the website. Police verification should be done only in doubtful cases. This will end corruption in police also who just collects money for each case. more
Jun 10
All these issues are happening because of following root causes: 1 Lust for bribe in the mind of employees working in these kind of offices. 2 Expansion of such offices happens with a lag of time. Under worked and overworked both people are harmful. 3 90% of General public also don't want to take pain in gaining knowledge and they themselves look out for touts to get work done through money. So public have also to gain knowledge. As whenever literacy level is low about anything, chance of getting exploited are high. more
Jun 10
Passport are no issues for persons residing in cities having RPOs. The problem is for people who travel overnight and long distances to reach the PSK. Ideally a PSK should be opened in every 5 districts or in every city with a Commissioner and these should be linked to the RPOs. This will curtail the travelling time, decongest offices and facilitate the ordinary citizen. With the Aadhar card lot of data already exists with the government so this should ease out a lot on verification. Renewal of passports should be online only as data pertaining to the applicant already exists with the MEA. At the most the applicant should be called for fresh photographs and there should be separate counters for this. Passports issued with wrong names, address etc. should be corrected free of cost and the same collected from the person concerned in the RPO. My son was issued a Tatkal passport with a wrong name, wrong father's name and wrong address from Delhi. They just stamped it and made corrections by writing on the passport. He was lucky to have got a visa then to travel. Today despite having a valid passport he can not travel to large number of countries because of the RPO's fault and has to pay a fresh renewal fees to get a valid passport. Finally passports delayed beyond a certain time of say 1 month should invite punishment for Regional Passport Officer. This will make a dramatic change in the working of the RPOs. more
Jun 09
Documents required: To have an ECNR status on the passport (renewal), the candidate need to produce proof that he/she has a basic education of 10. Persons who are continuing in their education would have submitted the original with the school or university. There is no clear information on the website as to how the candidate need to provide this proof. 1) Xerox copy attested by the principal 2) Xerox copy with a letter from the college stating the original has been submitted to them for continuing studies. Instead the passport office should be able to verify the same on the corresponding board website to check the authenticity based on the Xerox copy provided. more
Jun 09
