Especially when traveling abroad, a passport proves you’re a legal citizen of your country. The government of India takes many precautionary measures before issuing it because it is proof of both your identity and nationality. The result of this, however, is a lengthy and drawn-out procedure that requires follow-up. It takes about two months on average.
Some people, however, face an emergency and have to travel abroad immediately as a result. A variety of work and education-related restrictions prevent them from having much free time. In what ways can they cope with this issue? Can the process be accelerated? At what cost? In the next few paragraphs, we’ll address these questions. Stay tuned!
Tatkal passport: What is it?
The Hindi word Tatkal means “immediately.”. Tatkal passports are essentially issued rapidly, in less time than a standard passport would require. In order to access this service, however, one must pay some additional fees and complete a few additional steps.
In what way are the two services different?
The government of India issues both types of passports, the tatkal passport, and the normal passport. In terms of appearances, both these passports are the same, but their processing times are different.
A tatkal passport is processed much faster than a normal passport and therefore takes much less time. In other words, under the tatkal scheme, a person can get their passport in less than a week instead of 30 to 60 days if they follow the normal procedure. Therefore, if you need to reach someplace urgently, getting a tatkal passport is the way to go.
What is the time it takes to process a tatkal passport?
Based on the police verification, tatkal passport issuance times may vary. In just one day after your application has been submitted, your passport will be issued if you have chosen the Tatkal scheme, which requires no police verification. The passport will be dispatched, after the submission of the application, on the third working day, in cases where verification is needed.
How much does the passport cost?
An additional fee is required for the tatkal passport. Unlike the normal scheme of getting a new passport, which costs 1500 rupees for 36 pages and 2000 for 60, under the tatkal scheme, the charges for passports are up to 3500 rupees for 36 pages and 4,000 for 60.
What documents are needed in order to obtain a Tatkal passport?
Besides the normal documents that are needed to apply through the normal route, one needs to submit a number of extra documents while applying for a tatkal passport. Here are the documents needed for the Tatkal scheme:
- An annexure F verification certificate.
- Date of birth and address proof.
Choose any three of the documents listed below to do so.
- Election ID card,
- An arms license,
- A ration card,
- Property documents,
- Pension documents,
- A driving license,
- A bank passbook,
- A student identity card from a recognized institution,
- A PAN card,
- A railway photo identity card,
- A certification of SC/ST/OBC,
- A identity card of freedom fighter,
- A birth certificate,
- A gas connection bill.
Thus, tatkal and normal passports can only be distinguished by their issuance times.
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