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Observing all the travel freedom it provides, it is safe to say that your Indian passport is more than just a travel document. Regulated by the Ministry of External Affairs, your passport is one document that gives you your national identity in a foreign land. Not just this. As of 2023, an Indian passport allows you to travel visa-free in up to 57 cross-border countries.
Pause.
Everything we said above is a pink picture of the powerful Indian passport. However, have you ever wondered how things work at the backend?
In our previous blogs for Indian passports, we have discussed the procedure and related information of passport application. Today, let us take you across the curtains and give you a clear picture of one of the most crucial components of the passport application procedure- “The Regional Passport Office”.
A Regional Passport Office or RPO is a government body that looks after the issuance, renewal, application and delivery of passports in India. The Regional Passport Office ensures seamless passport processing by collaborating with various PSK and POPSKs in the country.
Before we jump on to understand everything about Regional Passport Offices, let us have a look at the types of passport offices.
Various types of Passport Offices regulate passport issuance services in India. The country's major types of passport offices are mentioned below:
Regional Passport Office: RPOs are regional centres that look after various passport issuance activities, such as passport application, diplomatic passports, passport renewal, etc. Additionally, Regional Passport Offices look after appeals such as passport fraud, fake passports, etc.
Passport Seva Kendra: PSKs are streamlined passport offices working on society's front end. Located at a district level, PSKs are offices that assist applicants in performing all the steps of passport application. From filling out passport applications and biometric verification to police verification, PSKs assist an applicant in the early stages of passport application.
Passport Seva Camps: Like voter ID application camps, passport seva camps are remote camps established for a limited time whenever passport applications increase in a locality.
Passport Seva Laghu Kendra: As the name suggests, PSLK is Laghu- a small camp that assists applicants from remote areas. These small, streamlined camps are usually established in remote areas to cater to passport application demands.
Post Office Passport Seva Kendra: Passport Seva Kendra operational from certain Post offices in a district/locality is known as POPSK. The purpose of these passport offices is also to be reachable to the remote areas of towns.
Passport Seva Kendra at Police Headquarters: PSK-PH are Passport Application Centres that are operational from certain police headquarters. These Passport Seva Kendra are helpful for individuals who require special police verification during their passport application.
Diplomatic Passport Issuance Authority: If you are applying for a diplomatic passport, you can contact your nearest Diplomatic Passport Issuance Authority rather than a general Passport Seva Kendra.
Apart from the above-mentioned Passport issuing bodies, the passport issuing authority in India also provides services such as Passport Seva Home Connect and Passport Seva Kendra for Differently Abled Citizens to ensure that the passport application services can reach every individual who needs them.
The Regional Passport Offices and the Passport Seva Kendra aim to provide a seamless passport issuance facility. However, tabulated below are remarkable differences between an RPO and a PSK.
| Features | Regional Passport Office | Passport Seva Kendra |
|---|---|---|
| Operational Areas | RPOs handle a broad jurisdiction as compared to PSKs. RPOs manage and provide complex issues of passport applications such as diplomatic passport applications. RPOs also look after passport applications that PSKs can not handle. | PSKs are district-level government bodies that look after the passport application process in the initial stages. |
| Services | Regional Passport Offices address matters such as creating diplomatic passports. The RPO also looks after escalations raised due to fake passports, blacklisted passports etc. | Passport Seva Kendras are offices that assist applicants during the initial stages of passport applications. The PSK assist in procedures such as biometric verification, passport application, etc. |
| Locations | Regional Passport Offices are generally situated in larger cities. | Passport Seva Kendra are government bodies situated at a district level. |
| Processing Time | Due to the large number of appeals and escalations, RPOs may take longer processing time. | The workforce at PSKs is streamlined; thus, the processing time at PSKs is less than at Regional Passport Offices. |
Now that you understand the functionality of Regional Passport Offices and Passport Seva Kendra let’s learn how to choose the right Regional Passport Office.
While applying for a passport, it is crucial to opt for the right Regional Passport Office to ensure a hassle-free passport application. To choose the right RPO during passport application, you can abide by the below-mentioned tips:
Spot the Correct Jurisdiction of Your Area: You should apply for an RPO based on the jurisdiction of your area. The jurisdiction can be determined based on your current residential address. Thus, while choosing an RPO, you should spot the correct Jurisdiction of your current address.
Take the Help of the Passport Seva Portal: If you need clarification on which jurisdiction you come under, you can complete the passport application online and fill in the correct details. The Passport Seva Portal will automatically assign you the correct RPO.
Verify During Document Verification: If you reach out to your nearest PSK, you can ask one of the authorised personnel to guide you in spotting the correct RPO. They will verify your address and will accordingly suggest the correct RPO.
Below is a list of 17 Regional Passport Offices in India per the Ministry of External Affairs.
| Location | Contact Person | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Wren Mishra | 079-26309114 | rpo.ahmedabad@mea.gov.in |
| Bengaluru | Krishna K. | 25706100-102 | rpo.bangalore@mea.gov.in |
| Bhubaneshwar | Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra | 0674-2563855 | rpo.bbsr@mea.gov.in |
| Chandigarh | Ms. Priyanka Mehtani IFS | 1722601863 | rpo.chandigarh@mea.gov.in |
| Cochin | Midhun T.R | 0484-2311323 | rpo.cochin@mea.gov.in |
| Chennai | S. Koventhan | 044-28518848 | rpo.chennai@mea.gov.in |
| Delhi | Shri Abhishek Dubey | 011-26184000 | rpo.delhi@mea.gov.in |
| Guwahati | Cherakung Zeliang | 0361-2300101 | rpo.guwahati@mea.gov.in |
| Hyderabad | Dasari Balaiah | 040 72215333 | rpo.hyderabad@mea.gov.in |
| Jammu | Shri Nishith Kumar Shil, AIS | 0191-2433359 | rpo.jammu@mea.gov.in |
| Jaipur | Ms Neetu M. Bhagotia | 0141-2702515 | rpo.jaipur@mea.gov.in |
| Kolkata | Ashish Middha | 033-4007-1212 | rpo.kolkata@mea.gov.in |
| Lucknow | Kanishk Sharma, IFS | 0522-2307534 | rpo.lucknow@mea.gov.in |
| Madurai | V. Surulirajan | 0452-2520956 | rpo.madurai@mea.gov.in |
| Mumbai | Dr. Rajesh Gawande | 022-26520034 | rpo.mumbai@mea.gov.in |
| Pune | Dr Arjun Deore | 020-27209999 | rpo.pune@mea.gov.in |
| Patna | Ms Tavishi Behal Pandey | 0612-2207378 | rpo.patna@mea.gov.in |
*Disclaimer: The list above is subject to change. Please visit the official website of MEA for details on regional offices.
You should know that you cannot change your Regional Passport Office easily once you register for a passport. The changes in RPO shall only be done in dire situations for which you may have to follow a lengthy procedure. Thus, it is advised that you choose your RPO carefully at the time of registration.
However, to change the registered RPO in Passport, you should follow the steps below:
We hope this blog fulfilled its purpose of educating you about the Regional Passport Offices. Now that you understand the complexity of passport issuance, we advise you to apply for a passport even more carefully.
Once you receive your Indian passport, you should take all the necessary steps to keep your precious documents safe. Even while you embark on an international trip, you should place your documents safely and secure your documents with the best travel insurance.
An international travel insurance policy can indeed reduce your stress in an emergency situation, such as the loss of your baggage containing your passport and travel documents. Such a travel insurance policy will also cover your expenses incurred while applying for a duplicate passport. Thus, you should always ensure financial security with comprehensive travel insurance before embarking on a new journey to make memories!
Disclaimer: All plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.
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