HYDERABAD: The Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Hyderabad issued an advisory on Tuesday to passport applicants in response to the increased demand for appointment availability. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has implemented several measures to address this situation.
To streamline the process, the 14 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) under the jurisdiction of the RPO in Hyderabad will be operational on Saturdays until further notice, specifically for processing passport applications. Additionally, 700 normal appointments will be released on the Passport Seva website every Wednesday between 4 pm and 4.30 pm.
Furthermore, starting from April 26 until May 31, an additional 12,650 appointments (550 per day) will be made available every week on Fridays between 4 pm and 4.30 pm for the five Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) under the RPO in Hyderabad.
The RPO highlighted that, on average, 10 per cent to 15 per cent of applications are unable to be processed and are rejected daily due to insufficient document submissions by applicants, causing inconvenience to others. Therefore, it is strongly advised that applicants ensure they have the correct documents available before scheduling appointments at PSKs or POPSKs, the advisory mentioned.
The advisory also specified that requests for rescheduling appointments will only be considered in cases of medical emergencies, employment abroad or academic admissions abroad, supported by appropriate documentary evidence.
For Tatkal applications, three original identity proofs issued by government bodies, along with an address proof, are required for verification during processing. Therefore, applicants opting for the Tatkal service are urged to visit the official website to review the document requirements before booking their slots.
Considering the efforts made to reduce the appointment availability cycle, applicants are advised to check the validity of their passports before planning travel abroad and ensure they possess the correct documents before scheduling their appointments.
UPTO 15 PER CENT OF APPLICATIONS CAN’T BE PROCESSED: RPO
The RPO said 10 per cent to 15 per cent of applications, on average, are unable to be processed and are rejected daily due to insufficient document submissions by applicants, causing inconvenience to others. The advisory also specified that requests for rescheduling appointments will only be considered in cases of medical emergencies, job or admissions.