# Get an Indian passport (fresh or reissue)

> Register on Passport Seva, choose Normal or Tatkal, book the PSK appointment with the right three documents, and understand which police-verification mode your case gets.

- **Section:** Life admin · **Region:** India · **Difficulty:** easy
- **Time:** Normal: ~30 working days · Tatkal: 1–3 working days for the booklet, verification after
- **Cost:** ₹1,500 (36 pages, Normal) · ₹2,000 (60 pages) · Tatkal adds ₹2,000 · minors ₹1,000
- **You end up with:** A printed passport booklet delivered by Speed Post to your address
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-09-05 · **Canonical:** https://for.do/p/india-passport/

## Before you start

- Aadhaar, and proof of address and date of birth (the portal's document adviser lists what is accepted)
- A mobile number for OTP and a printer for the ARN receipt

The passport process is almost entirely online until one appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra, where originals are checked, biometrics taken, and the file goes to police verification and printing. The choices that change the timeline are made in the form: Normal versus Tatkal, and the documents you can produce.

## 1. Register and fill the form

- [ ] Create an account on passportindia.gov.in under your regional Passport Office.
- [ ] Choose "Fresh" or "Reissue" and fill the online form, or download the e-form, fill it offline and upload it.
- [ ] Use the Document Adviser on the portal to pick which proof of address, date of birth and identity you will bring.

## 2. Choose Normal or Tatkal and pay

- [ ] Normal: ₹1,500 for a 36-page booklet, ₹2,000 for 60 pages. Tatkal: add ₹2,000. Minors under 18: ₹1,000 (Normal).
- [ ] Tatkal requires any three of the specified identity documents (Aadhaar, voter ID, PAN, driving licence, a bank passbook with photo, and others) in original.
- [ ] Pay online (card, net banking, UPI); the appointment calendar opens only after payment.

## 3. Book the PSK appointment

- [ ] Pick a Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office PSK; slots are released on a schedule, often in the morning.
- [ ] Print the Application Reference Number (ARN) receipt or keep the SMS; it is your appointment ticket.

## 4. The appointment

- [ ] Carry originals and one set of self-attested copies of each document, plus the ARN receipt.
- [ ] Counter A: document check and photo/biometrics. Counter B: verification officer. Counter C: granting officer.
- [ ] You leave with an acknowledgement; the status moves to "granted" or to police verification.

## 5. Police verification

- [ ] Normal mode: the local police station contacts you or visits; keep ID and address proof ready and be reachable on the phone number given.
- [ ] Tatkal mode: the passport prints first and verification follows; a clear report closes the file, an adverse one triggers a notice.
- [ ] Track the status on the portal or via the mPassport Seva app.

## 6. Dispatch and delivery

- [ ] Printing and dispatch follow the granted status; Speed Post tracking arrives by SMS.
- [ ] Someone must sign for the delivery at the application address; an undelivered booklet returns to the Passport Office.

## Where people get this wrong

- Booking the appointment before the fee is paid. The PSK slot opens only after online payment; a saved form without payment holds no slot.
- Bringing photocopies without originals. The PSK verifies originals at counter A and self-attested copies are collected; no originals, no processing.
- Assuming Tatkal skips police verification. It moves verification to after issue (post-PV); a failed verification can still lead to the passport being withdrawn.
- A name mismatch across documents. The passport is printed as on your date-of-birth proof; fix mismatches in Aadhaar or the birth certificate before applying.

## Questions

**Normal or Tatkal?**  
Normal if you have a month; Tatkal (₹2,000 extra) if you need the booklet within days. Tatkal needs any three of the listed identity documents and is not available for some categories.

**How long does police verification take?**  
In Normal mode it happens before printing and is the main variable — days in metros with clean records, weeks elsewhere. In Tatkal mode it happens after the passport is issued.

**Where do I collect it?**  
You do not; it is dispatched by Speed Post to the address on the application, trackable with the tracking ID sent by SMS.

## Tools used

- [Passport Seva](https://find.do/t/passport-seva/) (official) — India's passport portal — application, fee, PSK appointment, status.

## Sources

- [Passport Seva — official portal](https://www.passportindia.gov.in)
- [Travel Dham — How to apply for a passport in India 2026](https://blog.traveldham.com/how-to-apply-passport-india-2026/)
- [Consulate General of India, San Francisco — Tatkaal services (fee reference)](https://www.cgisf.gov.in/page/tatkaal-passport-services/)