Apply for a Passport Online in India: Fresh & Renewal Guide

You can apply for an Indian passport online and then visit a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) once. The same process works for a first passport (called a “fresh” passport) and a renewal (called “re-issue”). Use only the official website or the official Passport Seva app. Never pay an agent website for an “appointment”.

Before you start

An email ID and mobile number that you check daily.
Proof of present address, for example Aadhaar, electricity or water bill, postpaid mobile bill, gas connection proof, voter ID, rent agreement, or a photo passbook of a running bank account.
Proof of date of birth, for example birth certificate, school leaving or matriculation certificate, PAN card, driving licence or voter ID with full date of birth. If you were born on or after 1 October 2023, only a birth certificate is accepted.
For renewal: your old passport (original) and a copy of its first and last pages.
Online payment: UPI, debit or credit card, or net banking.
Your name, date of birth and parents’ names should match across all documents.

Passport fees (revised from 1 July 2026)

These are the government fees listed on Passport Seva in November 2026. Fees are not refunded. Always confirm on the official Fee Calculator before you pay.

Adult (and age 15 to 18 choosing 10-year validity), 36 pages, fresh or re-issue: Rs 2,500. Tatkaal: Rs 5,000 in total.
Adult, 60 pages, fresh or re-issue: Rs 3,500. Tatkaal: Rs 6,000 in total.
Minor below 18, 36 pages (valid 5 years or till age 18): Rs 1,750. Tatkaal: Rs 4,250 in total.
Replacing a lost or damaged passport (adult, 36 pages): Rs 5,000.
10% discount on the basic fee for fresh passports (not renewals) for children up to 8 years and senior citizens above 60.

How to apply: step by step

Go to passportindia.gov.in or open the Passport Seva app (earlier called mPassport Seva). Click Register. Choose the passport office for the place where you live now. Confirm your email and log in.
On your dashboard, open Services and choose Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport.
Fill in each section: passport type (Normal or Tatkaal, 36 or 60 pages), your details, family details, address, emergency contact, previous passport and other details. You can save and come back later.
Check the preview very carefully. You cannot edit the form after you submit. When you submit, you get an Application Reference Number (ARN). Note it down.
Go to View > Pay and Schedule Appointment. Choose the appointment quota, pick a PSK or POPSK, and see the next available date. Pay online. Payment is compulsory before booking.
Save the appointment confirmation. You will also get an SMS. Normal appointments can be rescheduled up to three times. Tatkaal appointments can be rescheduled only once.
Visit the PSK or POPSK on time with all original documents and one set of self-attested photocopies. Your photo and fingerprints are taken there. You must go in person.
Complete police verification if it applies to you. Then track your status online with your ARN.

If you do not visit the PSK within 90 days of submitting the form online, you have to submit the form again.

Renewal (re-issue): what is different

Choose re-issue and enter your old passport number in the form.
Carry your old passport. If your address has changed, carry proof of the new address.
In most renewals, police verification is not needed or is done after the passport is issued. A lost passport or a complete change of name usually needs police verification.
If your passport expired more than three years ago, fresh police verification is started.
To renew at a different passport office from the one that issued your passport, create a new login with the same email and select the new office.

Tatkaal: for urgent travel

You pay the full Tatkaal fee while booking, even if you book a slot in the Normal quota.
Adults must show any three documents from the official Tatkaal list (such as Aadhaar, PAN card, voter ID, birth certificate), plus address and date of birth proofs. Minors need two.
No Gazetted Officer certificate is needed.
Police verification is usually done after the passport is issued. Once the status shows “Granted”, the passport is normally dispatched on the third working day, not counting the day you applied.
If a Tatkaal document is missing, the application goes on hold and is not processed on the fast track.

Police verification

For most fresh passports, police verification happens before the passport is issued. A police officer checks you at the address in your form. Keep your phone on and stay reachable. After the police report reaches the passport office, the passport is usually dispatched within three working days. First-time Normal applicants who submit Aadhaar, voter ID, PAN card and an affidavit in the Annexure-E format may get post-police verification at no extra fee, subject to Aadhaar validation.

Common mistakes

Using fake look-alike websites or paying agents for appointments.
Spelling your name or date of birth differently from your documents.
Not listing all places you lived in the last one year.
Choosing Tatkaal without having all the Tatkaal documents.
Bringing a small cut-out or privately printed Aadhaar card. Use the original letter, PVC card or a digitally signed e-Aadhaar.
Paying the old fee or not checking the Fee Calculator.
Missing the police officer’s visit because you changed address or did not answer calls.

Official links

Passport Seva portal (Ministry of External Affairs)
How to apply for a fresh or re-issue passport
Passport Fee Calculator
Documents required for Tatkaal
Police verification FAQ
National Call Centre: 1800-258-1800

Last checked: November 2026