Have you ever planned for an international trip with your friends or family and later realised that you don’t have a passport or your current passport will expire in a few months? Well, now that it starts a race against time to apply for and get a passport within time to accommodate your travel plans. Realising this, you check the Passport Seva Kendra website and realise the closest appointment date is three months away. Now, you can either postpone your trip or not go on the journey.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way; India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) enables passport applicants to expedite the application process and get a passport within a few weeks instead of months. This can be achieved by applying for your passport using the Tatkal scheme. But what does a Tatkal passport mean? What are Tatkal passport fees in India? How to get Tatkal passport? And what is the Tatkal passport processing time India? Keep reading to find out.
What does a Tatkal passport mean?
Tatkal is a term commonly used in train ticket bookings that means immediate. This term also applies to Tatkal passport, a service offered by the MEA that enables Indians to obtain passports on an immediate basis for an additional fee. This service allows individuals to secure a passport urgently within just a few weeks due to the availability of earlier appointment dates and the issuance of the passport before police verification.
What are Tatkal passport fees in India?
The Tatkal passport fees in India are standardised at ₹2000, which is to be paid on top of the fees charged for a standard passport. This fee is typically ₹1500 for a 36-page passport and ₹2000 for a 60-page passport for an adult applicant. Applicants typically only have to pay the passport fees when applying online while paying the Tatkal fees in cash during the personal interview.
How to get Tatkal passport?
Getting a Tatkal passport follows a similar method as availing a passport using the standard procedure. What this means is that travellers can apply for a Tatkal passport online from the Passport Seva Kendra website to fill in the required details, submit relevant documents, select the appointment date, make a payment for the fees and then attend the personal appointment on the scheduled date. However, this is where the Tatkal scheme diverges. Instead of having a police verification after a personal interview pre-issuance, the Tatkal scheme follows a post-issuance format where the passport is issued before police verification.
What is the Tatkal passport processing time India?
The Tatkal passport processing time in India is a lot quicker than availing one using the regular method. While the regular method allows applicants to get their passports around a month after the personal interview, Tatkal passport applicants can get their passports just three days after the personal interview. So, applicants can benefit from earlier appointment dates and a much quicker processing time than the regular method.
Conclusion
While the Tatkal scheme has a prohibitive price, which can deter many applicants, it is an excellent method to ensure a smooth passport application experience. This is not just beneficial when applying for a passport on an urgent basis; it is also beneficial in expediting the application process, making it a lot more convenient and time-efficient.
While a passport is a document that offers travellers a getaway to the world, one tool ensures financial security for travellers, making it an excellent pairing for travellers. This tool is called travel insurance, and availing of international travel insurance from a leading and reputed travel insurance provider like Niva Bupa offers unmatched security and peace of mind when travelling anywhere outside India.
Comments
0 comment