Passport Apply, Renew & Track — Complete 2026 Guide
Fresh passport, renewal, Tatkaal emergency passport, lost passport replacement — all steps via the official Passport Seva portal. Includes fee chart, documents list, and what to expect at PSK.
Passport applications confuse people mainly because the passportindia.gov.in website has changed its interface multiple times. My brother-in-law spent 3 hours on it trying to figure out if he needed Normal or Tatkaal — and ended up paying for Tatkaal unnecessarily. This guide cuts through the confusion: what each service actually involves, what documents you really need, and what to expect at the PSK.
— Sibin O, Founder, NagrikIQ · Last verified June 2026
All Passport Services
Passport Fee & Timeline
| Service | Fee | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Passport (36 pages, Normal) | ₹1,500 | 30–45 days |
| Fresh Passport (60 pages, Normal) | ₹2,000 | 30–45 days |
| Fresh Passport (Tatkaal, 36 pages) | ₹3,500 | 1–3 working days at PSK (~7 working days end-to-end) |
| Fresh Passport (60 pages, Tatkaal) | ₹4,000 | 7–15 days |
| Re-issue (60 pages, Normal) | ₹2,000 | 30–45 days |
| Re-issue / Renewal (Normal) | ₹1,500 | 30–45 days |
| Re-issue / Renewal (Tatkaal) | ₹3,500 | 1–3 working days at PSK (~7 working days end-to-end) |
| Minor Passport (Below 18 Years) | ₹1,000 | 30–45 days |
| ECR to ECNR Conversion | ₹1,500 | 30–45 days |
Documents Required
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Passport Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
❌ Mistake: Choosing Tatkaal when Normal would have been fine
✅ Fix: Tatkaal costs ₹2,000 more and is meant for genuine emergencies (medical travel, job abroad within 2 weeks). If your travel is 30+ days away, Normal is sufficient and saves money. Tatkaal does NOT guarantee delivery in 7 days — only PSK processing is faster; police verification and dispatch delays still apply.
❌ Mistake: Using a private Passport Seva Kendra booking website
✅ Fix: The only official site is passportindia.gov.in. Many paid booking sites claim to 'speed up' your application — they cannot. They simply book the same appointment you could book yourself for free. You are paying for nothing.
❌ Mistake: Not checking the name spelling matches exactly across all documents
✅ Fix: Your name on the passport application must match exactly with your Aadhaar, PAN, and birth certificate — including middle name, initials, and spelling. Even a minor difference (Sibin vs Sebin, or O vs Oommen) triggers a discrepancy notice and delays the process by weeks.
❌ Mistake: Ignoring police verification status after PSK visit
✅ Fix: After your PSK appointment, track your application status regularly at passportindia.gov.in. If police verification is marked as 'adverse' or 'pending for long', you need to follow up with your local police station — the PSK does not do this automatically.
❌ Mistake: Not linking Aadhaar mobile before applying
✅ Fix: The passportindia.gov.in portal sends OTPs to your Aadhaar-registered mobile for verification. If your mobile isn't linked to Aadhaar, link it first at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra. Applications fail at the OTP step if the number doesn't match.
📞 Passport Seva Helpline
Passport Seva Helpline: 1800-258-1800 (toll-free, Mon–Sat 8AM–10PM)
Official Portal: passportindia.gov.in
mPassport Seva App: Available on Google Play Store and App Store
For NRIs: Contact nearest Indian Embassy / Consulate for passport services