Launch of Online Payment System for Passport Applicants from June 14 Onwards

Srinagar, (KMW News): To resolve the issue of non availability of appointments and to reduce no-shows of applicants, Ministry of External affairs has launched online payment system for booking appointments for the facilitation of passport applicants. The initiative is aimed to deliver passport services to citizens in a timely, transparent, more accessible and reliable manner. Online payment system will be applicable for taking appointments for Srinagar Passport Seva Kendra from June 14 onwards.
Passport Officer Shri Firdous Iqbal said that after reviewing the operations over the last one year, it was observed that large numbers of applicants were not turning up at the PSKs despite taking valid appointment. This was not only resulting in lesser utilization of processing capacity of the PSK, but was also causing denial of appointments for other genuine applicants, he added.
Shri Iqbal informed that with the launch of online payment based appointments, applicants will be required to make payment at the time of booking appointment on the MEA website and as such only genuine applicants will book the appointment and number of no-shows will reduce.
Passport Officer further said that under the new process, payments can be made while booking an appointment on the website – www.passportindia.gov.in either by Credit /Debit card (both Master and Visa) or internet Banking of State Bank of India. He said applicants can also use the Challan option provided on the website and deposit the money in State Bank of India (SBI) branch after generating Challan online. In such cases, upon the confirmation of payment receipt by SBI in online system, applicants can take appointment as the system will automatically give earliest available appointment.
In order to have more information and details, the applicants may refer to MEA website – www.passportindia.gov.in or contact the Regional Passport Office, Srinagar, or may also call up National Passport Call Centre at 1800 258 1800, added Shri Iqbal.