Passport - Republic of India

The Indian passport is the passport issued to citizens of India. It enables the bearer to travel internationally and serves as proof of Indian citizenship. The Consular Passport & Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, functioning as the central passport organisation, is responsible for issuance of Indian passports to all eligible Indian citizens. Passports are issued from 37 locations across the country and 162 Indian missions abroad.

There are 2 types of passports,

1. Regular Passport : Issued for ordinary travel such as vacation or business trip.
2. Diplomatic Passport : Issued to diplomats, top ranking government officials
3. Official Passport : Issued to individuals representing Indian government on official business

Here, we will be discussing regular passport.Now, to apply for the regular passport, follow the steps below:

1	Go to the Consular Passport and Visa Division website. Select passport office from home page drop-down which will redirect you to the Passport Seva page.
2	On this page, you will need to register with site for online application. This login can be used to submit the application online and track the further progress of your application.
3	Download the e-Form through the " e-Form" image link. Fill the form and click the "Validate & Save" button. This will generate an XML file. Save the XML file to upload to the system.  Login to the Passport Seva Portal and upload the XML file through the "Upload e-Form" link.
	OR
	Login to the Passport Seva Portal. Click  "Apply for Fresh Passport / Reissue of Passport" link. Fill in the required details in the online form and submit the form.
4	Click the "Manage Appointment" link on View Saved/Submitted Applications page to schedule an appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).
5	Click the "Print Application Receipt" link to print the application receipt containing Application Reference Number (ARN)/Appointment Number.
6	Visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) where appointment has been taken, along with original documents and Application Receipt.

Disclaimer: "The information written in this post is borrowed heavily from http://www.passportindia.gov.in and the content is updated last on 15th March, 2013 to author's best knowledge. This post should be taken simply as a guideline for the passport application process. "