The Indian government has declared that the online portal for passport applications will be temporarily unavailable for five days. The shutdown, which begins on August 29, 2024, and ends on September 2, 2024, is due to a routine maintenance exercise aimed at enhancing system performance and ensuring a smoother user experience in the future.
During this period, no new appointments will be scheduled, and those already booked will be rescheduled. The disruption will affect a wide range of services, including application submissions, appointment bookings, and other related services. The shutdown will also impact various authorities, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Regional Passport Office, Bureau of Immigration (BOI), India Security Press (ISP), Department of Posts (DoP), and the Police, who will be unable to access the system.
The Passport Seva portal, which is used to book appointments at centres across the country for new passport applications or renewals, will be down for technical maintenance. The portal's unavailability will affect citizens who were planning to apply for a new passport or renew an existing one during this period.
On the day of the appointment, applicants are required to reach the passport centres and provide their documents for verification. Following this, a police verification takes place, and then the passport is dispatched to the applicant's address. Applicants have two options for receiving their passports. They can opt for the regular mode, in which the passport reaches the applicant within 30-45 working days, or the Tatkaal mode, which ensures delivery within 10 days. However, these timelines will be affected by the maintenance shutdown.
The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that this shutdown is part of routine system upgrades. A senior official from the ministry reassured the public that contingency plans are in place to minimize inconvenience. The official stated, For rescheduling of appointments, we always have contingency plans. The maintenance activity for a public-centric service (like Passport Seva Kendras) is always planned in advance so that no inconvenience is caused to the public. So rescheduling an appointment will not be a challenge.
This is not the first time that the portal has been temporarily shut down for maintenance. A similar event occurred in March, indicating that such shutdowns are a regular part of the portal's operations.
Once the portal is back online, users can continue to book appointments for new passports, renewals, and other services. While the shutdown may cause some inconvenience, it is essential for the smooth functioning of the portal. The maintenance is necessary to enhance system performance and ensure a smoother experience for users in the future. The government has assured citizens that they will be notified of their new appointment dates and times as soon as possible.
In the meantime, citizens are advised to keep an eye on the official Passport Seva portal and official announcements for updates and notifications about rescheduled appointments and the completion of the maintenance. For urgent cases, it's advisable to monitor official announcements for any special instructions or guidance.
