INDIAN PASSPORT FOR MINORS (BANGALORE RPO)

After much delaying for several reasons I finally geared up to bring out my daughters passport. She is minor, infant really (1year 3 months). So I started filling up the passport application form and after that looking at the ANNEXTURE’s. My wife and I both had valid INDIAN passport and we are neither divorced nor separated so that narrows down to 3 forms, which are as follows ANNEXTURE “H”, ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F”. I believe you have to fill in some extra ANNEXTURE forms for divorced or separated parents.
ANNEXTURE “H” anyways you have to fill in a plain paper and signed by both the parents so not much hassle. Now we are left with ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F”.

DAY 1:
It was almost 3:10 PM, so I thought of paying a visit to Passport office once, and I had a feeling the work will not be done. Anyways I went down to RPO office, Koramangala. I reached there by 4:00 PM and it was all empty so I figured out its closed for the day. I asked the security guard there of the timings and he told me it’s from 9 AM till 12 AM only. So who ever get inside the office before 12 AM their work will be proceeded after 12 AM but no new entry after 12 AM. I suggest if you are all prepared with all your documents it’s better to go early. I asked him if ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F” is required and he said “yes” and told me I have to go the court and there you will get NOTARY OFFICERS who can give affidavits for those forms. So I went to Mayo Hall near BANGALORE CENTRAL mall. You will always find lawyers there ready to greet you. I went along with the lawyer who was standing right at the gate and I told him I want affidavit for ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F”. He said he can only help me with ANNEXTURE “F” for which he will charge 300 bucks, which I feel was high but I did not bargain. After some time he came back again and told me that he knows a guy who can help me with ANNEXTURE “I”. I said fine. He took me to another lawyer and he immediately was asking like give me all this details etc. I asked him how much and he very casually said 4000 bucks. I was totally pissed off and I did not even argue with him and said no and came back. Anyways I came back home and I was thinking from where I will get this done and I started browsing the net to see if ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F” are mandatory for minor and browsed to one of the blog. There it was mention that ANNEXTURE “I” and ANNEXTURE “F” are not required.

DAY 2:
I directly went to RPO office and reached there at 10:10 AM. For tatkal there is a different line at the back of the office where you have to take a token and go inside the office. It was a very long line. I also came to know there that you can take the token online and you save time by not standing in the line to take the token. The online token is given out for the next day and is valid for one day. I don’t have the token link but you can Google the passport token link and fill in the information and take a print out copy of it and go directly to RPO the next day.
Once you enter inside the RPO office and go to the room, there is a line next to the door for document verification. We did not know about that and were waiting for our token number to be called. Anyways it’s good that we realized in time and validated our document. After that you wait for your token number and submit your form and then go to first floor, meet the Assistant Regional Manager and then go to counter number 8 in first floor itself to pay the money. I was charged Rs 2100 as fee for tatkal (all inclusive).

Few other important pointers:1. Carry 2 copies of each of the document that you are attaching like address proof etc along with the originals. Don’t forget to carry the original document.
2. If you are providing the rental agreement or gas connection or phone bill then make sure you have got the latest bill or current year’s rental agreement. I am not very sure if they honor the rental agreement. It’s better to carry Voter ID card or PAN card if the address is same as the present address.
3. If the passport is for minor then bring your baby along with you. If the baby is too small they might consider else they might ask to bring the baby.
4. It’s always helpful to carry all documents (address proof’s etc) just in case they don’t accept the other. Go prepared with documents if you don’t want to revisit again.
5. Carry a pen with you, very important.
6. For minor since there is no police verification is required (if both the parents have a valid INDIAN passport) the last 2 pages of the form (where you furnish the information in duplicate) is also not required but it’s better to fill in and go.
7. So in my case only one picture of my daughter was needed along with ANNEXTURE “H”, Xerox copy of both the parent’s passport and the address proof for which I have produced my voter ID card.
8. You are not asked for the proof of urgency for tatkal, but if you do have some sort of proof like an email from office etc, it’s better to carry just in case.
9. For minor, ANNEXTURE "I" and ANNEXTURE "F" are not required.

The service in RPO is prompt so if you have all the documents, you should be out of RPO office in half a day. Hope this article will help you with your kid’s passport. All the best. Cheers.


PS: Please look at the comments section, as lot of useful tips has been posted.