External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the External Affairs Ministry is actively collaborating with State and Union territory police forces to expedite the police verification process for passport applicants. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance the efficiency of the passport delivery ecosystem in Bharat.
Jaishankar highlighted the Centre’s commitment to leveraging passports as a catalyst for national development, facilitating international trade, attracting investment, and promoting global mobility.
Highlighting recent advancements, Jaishankar noted the establishment of 440 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras, complementing the existing 93 Passport Seva Kendras, 533 passport processing centres, and 37 regional passport offices nationwide.
Additionally, the integration of passport issuance systems across 187 Indian missions abroad aims to streamline services for applicants worldwide.
“To further streamline passport services, we are actively working with State and Union territory police forces to reduce the time taken for police verification,” Jaishankar stated.
He highlighted the successful rollout of the mPassport Police App across 9,000 police stations in 25 States and Union territories, significantly reducing verification times.
The integration of the Passport Seva System with the DigiLocker platform facilitates a paperless documentation process, enhancing user convenience and efficiency, Jaishankar added.
Previously reported statistics from December 2023 indicate that States and Union territories implementing the mPassport Police App have reduced the average police verification time to less than five days, significantly improving service delivery.
Jaishankar reiterated that police verification plays a crucial role in the timely issuance of passports. He highlighted passports’ multifaceted role in national development, including enhancing tourism, facilitating educational and skill development opportunities, strengthening diplomatic ties, and ensuring crisis management capabilities such as the evacuation of Indian nationals during emergencies.
The EAM, in collaboration with the Central Passport Organisation, remains committed to delivering passport services in a timely, reliable, accessible, transparent, and efficient manner, Jaishankar affirmed.
In 2023 alone, the ministry processed 16.5 million passport-related services, marking a 15 per cent growth in passport and related services.
Jaishankar concluded by accentuating the government’s dedication to leveraging passport services as a cornerstone of Bharat’s development agenda, enhancing global connectivity, security, and legal identity for its citizens.
