Thursday, September 5, 2013

My Experience with Renewal of Passport at Coimbatore.

The time came for renewal of my passport. The time flew so fast as 10 years was already over. Finally thought of renewing the passport and applied online. I could apply online faster but i could not get the time slot for appointment. Nowadays people are lucky enough to get appointments since they made the upfront fee as mandatory.Since i could not get the appointment i thought let me apply the passport in tatkal so that things go smooth. Finally applied for tatkal and took all my documents. Seems they require some affidavit that i was residing in this place for so long. Somehow manage to get it from some person around there. It was really a hectic sunny day waited in a long queue and that took me around 2 hours to go inside the passport Seva. The first person who verified all my certificates, Ration card, Licenses etc told me that my License was not listing in the website and the Updated address in Ration card was not found and also looked into my afidavit and told that my Wife's name has some mistake. He asked me to correct it and get it back. 

It was like hell to get into some government office and get the address updated. I went to RTO office and got my License address updated, but they told that this will not reflect immediately and might not even get updated in the centralized DB. Hmmm.. So i just went to the Ration Card office and told that Passport person are asking to update the details in the Ration Card Online. Luckily seems one lady took my Ration card and gave all the details i have requested for. Still she could not be able to type the complete address and asked me to inform the passport officials that there is no space. It was already 3 days of hectic roaming around the government office.

On the 4th day i took all the records and went back and told that now ration card address is updated. She just looked that and made a file with all my records and asked me to wait inside. I waited for around a hour some person called my number and i went inside.They took my photograph and verified all my details and took scanned copies of all my documents and ask me to pay the money for tatkal and he asked me to wait inside. Then i waited for my turn. Another lady from Government asked me to come to her desk and ask me to provide all the documents again. She has verified and asked me to wait again. Then the Passport Officer called me and verified the document and asked whether i have traveled outside before a year. i said no. they verified my signature with the old passport and said you need to put the same sign here. i tried and tired but could not get the exact signature which i was putting before 10 years.  Fortunately the passport officer said he is fine with one signature and asked me to leave and told that the passport will be couriered to the address.Since it was hectic summer i was sweating too much and drenched in sweat. Somehow reached home around 3pm.

Next day postman came to my address and gave the passport i was really happy to get it renewed so fast and quick. Around Mid November i left back to Chennai Joined Bally and things were going on smooth. Around mid of February i got a call from Police, who came and visited my place to come and show all the originals the next day. I somehow managed to get a bus to Coimbatore. Visited the Police Station around 9:30 am. Already lot of persons are waiting for the same. Inspector called me inside after a hour and asked me whether i was staying in Chennai. I said i was there in Chennai from Jan 2008 and stayed till Jul 2012. He said he is fine and asked me to leave back. I thought things were smooth but unfortunately not. I got a call from my parents after 4 months that they got a letter from Passport. The letter states i was staying in Chennai from Jan 2008 and they have asked me to give explanation on that.



I went to the Passport Seva and they told to go to regional passport office. I went there waiting for quite long and got my token for inquiry. i waited for around 3 hours and the passport officer called me inside and asked me for explanation. i said i were not aware that i need to provide the complete addresses on where i was staying for past one year. He has shown me the disclaimer on where i have signed stating that i have not missed any information and he said you will be fined for this. i don't have an option and said yes. he gave me a application to fill up the old address and i filled it and gave it to him. After looking into that he asked me to surrender my passport and will get it after the inquiry of the Old address is over. I said fine, gave back the passport and i left the place.

Next week i got another letter to pay a fine of Rs. 5000 for suppression of information. I took the letter again to them and i don't have a choice i need to pay it off. I waited for around 4 hours and another passport officer asked me whether you are ready to pay. i said yes. He asked me to wait near the counter. A lady came and took 5000 from me and gave me a receipt. That moment i seriously doesn't know when i will be getting the passport back.

Two days after i paid the fine, Police person from Chennai called me and inquired me.  Finally all things were over and i was waiting for my passport to be back at my kitty. After one and half months of waiting i finally got my passport back.Seriously now i had a great relief.

Things that are must while Renewal of passport.
1. Provide all the address you have spent at-least for 2 years.
2. If you happen to provide only one address, try to tell the police you are staying in the same place for years.
3. In case if you are applying for tatkal and you are leaving India. Make sure you inform the police station with all the details before you leave.

Else you will surely be fined or if you cannot you will be imprisoned at least for a year. So beware.

Hope this blog will help someone who miss these :)

Nice to write a blog after quite long time.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My sympathies are with you.....but since you have got it finally..we want a party.......... :P

Anonymous said...

Had you done the home work of what all documents required for getting a new passport by reading the MOEA website you could have avoided all the hardship and paying the fine. Ignorance has made you to suffer !