Even after an applicant’s passport receives approval, the anxiety doesn’t end until the physical copy of the passport lands up with the applicant. Officially, an applicant’s passport is approved by the Passport Seva Kendra, the authorities proceed to make arrangements for printing and dispatching the document to the applicant’s present address. This is done through India Post’s Speed Post facility. While this is generally the norm, in cases of emergency, an applicant may submit an application seeking to personally collect his or her passport from the RPO concerned. The discretion on whether or not to allow the applicant such a service however depends on the authorities.
Online tracking of delivery status
The Passport Seva Kendra online portal as well as the mPassport Seva app offer the facility to track the status of an application by entering the 15-digit passport file number and date of birth. If ‘printed’ status is indicated, it would mean that the passport is due for dispatch. If the passport has been dispatched, the applicant will receive a 13-digit tracking number in PPxxxxxxxxxIN format that facilitates tracking of the consignment in the Speed Post tracking utility. It is important to ensure that the alphabets in the 13-digit tracking number are always in capital letters. For the tracking number to reflect on the India Post’s Speed Post tracking portal, it may take up to 24 hours from the time of allotment of the number.
Speed Post tracking via website
The applicant may log in to www.indiapost.gov.in and select the Track Consignment option to enter the Consignment number and search. The delivery status is displayed and the same may be verified by visiting the respective Post Office. The tracking system has been so designed that all current information in respect of the applicant’s passport delivery along with its precise location gets reflected. Related information on the date of submission or delivery of the passport as well as the different locations where the consignment has been received or dispatched or delivered appears in the tracking portal.
Speed Post tracking via SMS
Another rapid way of tracking the delivery status of a passport without having to log in to the India Post website is through SMS service of India Post. For this, the dedicated numbers 166 and 51969 for SMS have been provided. The applicant should type in POST TRACK followed by the 13-digit tracking number as text and send the SMS to either of these numbers to know the real time status of the consignment. Such status queries are available for a maximum period of 60 days from the date of SMS enquiry. Standard SMS charges as applicable with the respective mobile networks apply.
Special cases
In unfortunate cases where the officials of India Post are unable to locate the consignment, it may so happen that the same was returned to the sender. It may happen when the mailman is not convinced about the identity proof of the applicant while delivering the passport at the given address and decides to return it to the sender. The Regional Passport Office may then be contacted for further course of action.
In cases where the applicant’s current address has changed while the passport application is under process, it is advisable to furnish a fresh application at the at the Regional Passport Office concerned for immediate updating of the address. A proof of the new address should also be attached along with the application. The consignment may also have to be returned in case the present address of the applicant as mentioned in the application form has changed and the mailman fails to find the applicant in the old address.
