All passport holders will have to apply for renewal of their passports when it is less than 1 year from the date of expiration in order for them to use their passports for international travel. In cases where the passport has already expired, the process is even more cumbersome, but if it is less than 6 months since the passport has expired, it can be re-issued by submitting all necessary documents. The application for passport renewal is available online as well as at 33 different locations in India and at 160 Indian Consular Passport and Visa Divisions overseas.

Required Documentation

The essential papers that have to submitted at the time of applying for renewal are:
• A duly filled application in blue or black ink along with six passport size photographs (3.5cm by 3.5cm) with a white or off-white background. It is important to ensure that the picture is a full head shot with the top of the head to under the chin being visible.
• A valid proof of address document such as bank statement, income tax statement, utility bill that displays the address or the voter’s ID. This document is especially mandatory if the address on the old passport is different from your current residential address.
• Birth certificate issued by the Office of Registrar of Births and Deaths. If you do not have a birth certificate, then Form A must be filled out and duly notarized by a magistrate or notary.
• A proof of citizenship document.
• The old passport along with relevant documents such as proof of change in marital status such as marriage certificate, proof of name change done due to marriage, copy of divorce decree etc.
• In case of minor’s, the parents’ passports copies will also have to be submitted along with the minor’s passport.

How to Apply?

The old passport along with the passport renewal application and all the relevant documents will have to be submitted to the nearest Passport office in your district or at a central passport collection center. Alternatively, they can also be submitted through Speed Post Centers. While submitting, take note of the File Reference Number in order to be able to check and track the status of the application. The application fee also has to be paid at the time of submitting the application. If it is a 36 page passport, the fee is Rs.1,000 and for a 60 page passport, it is Rs.1,500. In cases of minors, the fee is Rs.600. The application status can be easily tracked at the Consular and Passport Division Website by making use of the File Reference Number.
All these activities are time consuming and cumbersome, especially if you are a working professional and have a time crunch. The ideal solution for this would be to make use of the services of a reputed travel agent who will be able to ensure that the documentation is accurate and get the renewal process done for a relevant fee very quickly and efficiently.