Forum Discussions Regarding Delay in Indian Passport Renewal

May 3, 2010

I’ve been browsing a lot of forums to find out why the fuck it takes so much of time to get a simple fucking Indian Passport renewed. I’m listing all those which I could find so that others may find some solace in such miserable situation

One unfortunate Indian who had similar experience as I’m having now.
Delay in Indian passport renewal in NY
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/forum84-rfes-and-specific-queries/15778-indian-passport-renewal-in-ny.html

Another one
http://www.trackitt.com/usa-discussion-forums/i485-eb/496496479/indian-passport-renewal-houston

Amithabh Jotwani’s personal experience in Renewing his Indian Passport from Washington DC consulate
http://amitabhjotwani.com/blog/2007/11/01/passport-renewal-indian-embassy-washington-dc

A truely horror story of Indian Passport renewal story at CGI Dubai
http://gotoyourlink.com/?p=147

A humorous one, in case you have wet and damaged passport related issues read this
http://sojish.com/topics-mainmenu-31/63-notes-a-articles/335-steps-to-replace-damaged-or-washed-indian-passport-while-in-us.html

Here is a bummer, the CGI San Francisco website has a testimonial page where all people are singing praise for their improved services. Come ‘on guys gimme a break. There is no such thing as praise for services for any fucking Indian Consulates or High Comissions. I’m 100% sure that these guys at CGI San Francisco wrote these testimonials by themselves. Even if such testimonials were written on UK govt site I wouldn’t believe it let alone on an Indian consulate website.
http://www.cgisf.org/testimonials.html

Indian Passport Renewal Story of another helpless victim in India
http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles_various/passport.asp


14 Comments »

  1. Abhijith says:

    Any updates? Did you get your passport?
    –abhijith

    [Reply]

    Grumpy Indian Reply:

    Abhijit,
    It is not simple to get an Indian Passport renewed. After all it is worth really a shit lot. Isn’t it.

    No the case is still going on. However it is not the HCI London who is responsible for my misery now but it is the fucking RPO Bangalore who are making my life a hell.

    Keep tuned I’ll keep updated.

    [Reply]

  2. Shyam says:

    Fortunately you are wrong about the San Francisco consulate. Went there recently scared like shit about delays in verification and such. I needed a new passport in a hurry, so I paid additional $150 for Tatkal and took a bunch of relevant and irrelevant documentation since a lot of things had changed since the last time I got my passport done ( perm address, first-last name ordering and to top it all, my mom got her passport done with a different spelling [sounds the same phonetically, so the guys in the passport office in Bangalore (duh) decided to have some fun] ). Anyhoo, the consulate officer was very helpful, got me additional forms for name correction and was rather cheery about how much documentation I was carrying. Got everything done and received the new passport in 3 freaking hours .. Can u freaking believe that??? When the officer told me to come back in 3 hours and collect it, I literally floated out the door to the local diner … Cheers man! and best of luck with your renewal.

    [Reply]

    Grumpy Indian Reply:

    May be.

    May be you got all the sensible and responsible Indian Bureaucrats assembled at Indian Consulate in San Francisco?

    It is like fantasizing in dreams when something works so quickly with Indian Bureaucrats.

    At least you know that there is a Tatkal Scheme in the Consulates in USA. On High Commission of India, London website you can’t find any such thing.

    The law applies to all passport issuing authorities so how come there is no Tatkal Scheme offered by High Commission Of India at London?

    Do they think that Indians living in the UK are illiterate and will never ask for Tatkal Scheme? Like they do in the remote villages in India to not to disclose any scheme?

    I wonder how they avoid the Indian PIA offices under Tatkal Scheme? in 3 hours you can’t get clearance from PIA and until and unless you get clearance from PIA you can’t renewl your passport.

    So getting an Indian Passport renewed within 3 hours is impossible.

    [Reply]

  3. Abhijith says:

    Sorry to hear this man! Who thought that it would be such an ordeal. Cant you just ask them for a temporary passport that would allow you to go back home.
    At-least you would have some peace of mind (away from immigration issues etc.) and there you can get your papers done and get the hell out of there.

    Also, did your passport had some annotations on it? Was it initially issued with a tatkal scheme?

    [Reply]

  4. Abhijith says:

    Hi Shyam,

    Any progress?? Sorry to trouble you! I have applied for a passport renewal and I am very troubled at this point.

    Is it possible to have a court case and not know about it? I have never been arrested or charged – ever. So, is it possible that I could get an ADVERSE notification too.

    –abhijith

    [Reply]

  5. hawasakigirl says:

    I SAW HERE POST ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. not tell WHERE

    [Reply]

  6. Kiran kshirsagar says:

    I had very happy experience in getting my Indian passport renewed.
    Before I applied by Post, I had collected all information regarding documents, fees etc.
    I had sent two mails to att.passport@hcilondon.in and to my surprise I got same day reply.

    I posted all documents with my original passport on 7th May by royal mail and they received on 9th May 2011.
    SLA for processing passport is 2-3 weeks as per HCI London web site.
    And exactly I got passport renewed on 28th May 2011 (exactly after 3 weeks).

    By mistake I had sent postal order of 29 pound as fee and 2 pound as surcharge.
    But they wanted 27 pound + 2 pound as surcharge.
    So they returned me 2 pound postal order as well.

    I had sent them one covering letter like below.
    In all I was lucky and had very nice experience.

    Date:- 07th May 2011

    To,
    The High Commission of India,
    Aldwych,
    London WC2B 4NA,
    UK.

    Re:- Issue of new passport as present passport is getting expired on DDMMYYYY.

    Dear Sir/Madam,
    My present passport was issued on DDMMYY in Mumbai for validity of 10 years. I am presently in UK on work permit visa (Visa # XX). I need to get the new passport as it is expiring soon. I have attached below documents with the application form. Also I would be returning India next year so request you to print my India address on passport.
    Revert in case you need further information and request you to kindly issue the passport.

    Thanking You

    Phone – XX
    Landline – XX
    Email –

    Documents attached:
    1. Application form
    2. 4 passport sized photograph of size 35 mm X 45 mm
    3. My Original passport with self attested photocopy of all pages (except blank pages)
    4. My wife’s passport with self attested photocopy of all pages (except blank pages)
    5. Original marriage certificate and oneself attested photocopy
    6. Original council tax bill (for address proof) and oneself attested photocopy
    7. Self addressed special delivery envelop with postage pre paid
    8. Crossed postal order # XX of £29 (application fee for 36 page booklet) in favour of HCI, London
    9. Crossed postal order # XX of £2 (as consulate surcharge) in favour of HCI, London

    P.S.: Please kindly return all excess documents and original

    [Reply]

    Grumpy Indian Reply:

    Either you are High Commission of India clerk or paid by them to write positive feedback on this blog ;)

    Such fantasies exist only in day dreams so keep dreaming.

    In reality this is simply impossible or may be you are just the luckiest fella on earth, luckier than the one who hits Jackpot on UK National Lottery.

    Well you have more chances of winning UK national lottery than getting your Indian passport renewed in time.

    [Reply]

    Kiran kshirsagar Reply:

    As you pointed out, I think I am very lucky person on the earth.
    Will defintely think of getting UK National Lottery.
    But believe me this is tru experience I had with Indian embassy.

    [Reply]

  7. Srikanth says:

    My passport has exhausted all empty pages. My passport is valid until 2016. When I arrived at VFS Melbourne, I was asked to apply for a new passport instead of attaching an additonal booklet. To my surprise they said it will take ATLEAST 8 weeks to get my passport back!! It has been 6 weeks now and still waiting. I keep my fingers crossed. I need to visit Europe and US on official trips. My job is at risk if I don’t get my passport soon. I don’t understand why the fuck on the earth they need 2 months time to issue a new passport in replacement for a valid current passport??

    [Reply]

    Grumpy Indian Reply:

    Welcome on board mate.

    I thought life is better on the other side of the fence in Australia apart from our racial attacks….

    You should have gone for additional booklet instead of applying for renewal. You should have insisted on this giving the fact that you have to travel immediately. If it is not too late then you can try for additional booklet.

    Indian Passport Renewal is like getting a new Passport from scratch and hence delay. If you get all cleared then you might be lucky. In worst case scenario is something is missed it will get fucked.

    Tatkal scheme exists, these crooks don’t show it and let other know. I’m sure that there is not such thing as Tatkal is not applicable for High Commission of India at Melbourne?? If it is rule then it will be for all High commissions isn’t it?

    I hope you will sort out troubles buddy, I’m not aware of Australia so can’t comment about anything. Hope those IFS donkeys in Melbourne are not as Donkey as their counterparts in London.

    [Reply]

  8. Srikanth says:

    Also there is NO Tatkal Service. According to VFS they have stopped that service early this year. Hats Off to CGI Melbourne, we are making such a great progress after 60 years of Independance!!

    [Reply]

  9. GURBIR SINGH KHALSA says:

    I had applied for re-issuance of Passport at Regional Passport Office, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi on 25.07.2011 with all relevant documents. The passport was being issued/re-issued to me eff. 1980 without any problems being an airline official, within six weeks. But now this is 4th time, when I am getting problem for re-issuance of passport. I have been staying at the present address for the last 15 years. The police verifications was carried out in November 2011 that too after a lapse of 4 months. Now despite of the clearance of police verifiction, the status on the website being shown as “Police Report is Clear. Application is under process.”. I fail to understand WHY DELAY THIS TIME?

    [Reply]

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