The Impressive TimesNew Delhi : The online Passport Seva portal will be temporarily offline for maintenance from August 29, 2024, at 20:00 IST until September 2, 2024, at 06:00 IST, according to a government announcement. During this five-day period, users will be unable to schedule new appointments, and all previously booked appointments will be rescheduled.
A notice on the Passport Seva portal confirmed that the system will be unavailable to both citizens and various authorities, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Regional Passport Offices (RPO), Bureau of Immigration (BOI), Indian Service Providers (ISP), Department of Posts (DoP), and Police Authorities. Specifically, appointments scheduled for August 30, 2024, will be rescheduled, with applicants receiving updated information about their new appointment times.
The External Affairs Ministry has clarified that this maintenance is a routine procedure and is part of a planned strategy to ensure minimal disruption. “We have contingency plans in place for rescheduling appointments. Maintenance activities for public-centric services like the Passport Seva Kendras are scheduled well in advance to avoid any inconvenience. Rescheduling appointments will be managed smoothly,” a ministry source stated.
The Passport Seva portal is essential for booking appointments at passport centers across India, whether for applying for a new passport or renewing an existing one. On the appointed day, applicants are required to visit the passport center, submit their documents for verification, and undergo a police verification process. Once these steps are completed, the passport is sent to the applicant’s address.
Applicants have two options for receiving their passports: the regular mode, which typically takes 30-45 working days, or the Tatkaal mode, which offers expedited processing. The Tatkaal mode is designed for quicker turnaround but requires an additional fee. The temporary shutdown of the portal will affect these processes, and applicants are advised to plan accordingly and check for updates on their rescheduled appointments.
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