Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 6

Now, all it takes to be eligible for a tatkaal passport is an Aadhaar number. To ease the procedure, the passport department has done away with the verification certificate for obtaining a passport under the Tatkaal Scheme.

Until now, the applicant had to visit a gazetted officer for obtaining a certificate recommending that the passport be issued under the tatkaal category.

A department official said the move of abolishing annexure F (specimen verification certificate for passport under tatkaal) was to curb corruption.

People usually apply for tatkaal passports in exigency and this had led to the mushrooming of nexus between a section of travel agents and government officials who were charging exorbitant amounts for issuing such verification certificates.

The communiqué sent by the Regional Passport Office reads, “It has been decided by the Ministry of External Affairs that in the larger public interest, the verification certificate is no longer required to be submitted by an applicant seeking passport under the revised tatkaal scheme.”

Besides the Aadhaar number/Aadhaar e-enrolment lD and Annexure-E, the applicants have to provide any two out of the remaining prescribed twelve documents to get the passport under this scheme. The prescribed documents are Electors Photo Identify Card (EPIC); service photo identity card issued by state/Central Government, public sector undertakings, local bodies or public limited companies; Scheduled Caste./Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Class Certificate; arms licence; pension document such as ex-servicemen’s pension book/pension payment order, ex-servicemen’’’’s widow /dependent certificate, old age pension order; self-passport (unrevoked and undamaged); Permanent Account Number (PAN Card); Bank / Kisan/Post Office Passbook; Student photo identity card issued by an educational institution; driving licence (valid and within the jurisdiction of state of submission of applicant); birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act; and ration card.

Requirements for minors

If a passport under the Tatkal Scheme was required for a person below 18 years of age, the applicant in addition to the Aadhaar- Card,/ letter/e-Aaadhar containing the 12 digit Aadhaar number/ 28-digit Aadhaar Enrolment- ID printed on the Aadhaar Enrolment Slip, and the prescribed fee, shall submit any one out of the following documents, namely: Student photo identity card issued by an educational institution; birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act; and ration card.

A tatkaal passport application ensures quick verification and faster processing. All applicants seeking a passport out of turn under the Tatkaal Scheme are advised to submit their applications, documents and fee as prescribed.