What are the documents required for passport?

               Passport application documents required: Getting an Indian passport is not much of hassle as it used to be a couple of years ago. One can simply apply online, book an appointment and take all the required documents to the nearest passport office. It is as simple as that. But ensuring you have all the right documents is a tricky part. If you do not have all your documents ready, the process can be a pretty time-consuming task. Therefore, it is always advisable to make a checklist of all the required documents before booking an appointment for a new passport or re-issuing a passport. We have made a checklist for you if you want to apply for a fresh passport. 

               It is to note that the below-mentioned documents are required if you are applying for a new passport under the normal category (not tatkaal), are a citizen of India with an age equal to or above 18 years.

What are the documents required for a passport?

Address Proof: Any one of the following documents can be produced as a proof of Address for application of a new passport.

·        Aadhaar Card

·        Electricity bill

·        Proof of Gas Connection

·        Telephone (landline/ postpaid mobile bill)

·        Water Bill

·        Rent Agreement

·        Passbook of running Bank Account with a Photo attached. This is valid only for Scheduled Private Sector Indian Banks, Scheduled Public Sector Banks and Regional Rural Banks

·        Spouse’s passport copy (This should have the first and last page including family details mentioning the applicant’s name as the spouse of the passport holder. This is given in case if the applicant’s present address matches the address mentioned in the spouse’s passport)

It is to note that the applicants should submit the proof of present address only even if he or she has been living there for a short period. However, candidates should acknowledge all the places of stay during the previous year (from the date of application filling) in the Passport application form. Also, all the documents are acceptable only if they have the correct address.

Date of Birth Proof: Any one of the following documents can be produced as a proof of Date of Birth for application of a new passport.

·        Birth Certificate which is issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths or it can be the one issued by the Municipal Corporation or any other prescribed authority

·        Transfer/Matriculation/School leaving Certificate issued by the school last attended and is recognised by an educational board

·        PAN Card issued by the Income Tax Department

·        Aadhaar Card/E-Aadhaar

·        Driving License which has been issued by the concerned state government’s Transport Department

·        Voter ID Card or the EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card) that has been issued by the Election Commission of India

·        Life insurance policy in the candidate’s name

All the documents submitted as birth proof should have the candidates name and his/her date of birth mentioned. This is true especially for Aadhaar Card, Election Card, PAN Card etc which may not have the Date of Birth listed clearly in all cases.