MEA Expands Doorstep Passport Service Nationwide

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Aug: The Government of India, through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), is rapidly expanding its “Passport Seva Mobile Van” service, an initiative designed to provide doorstep passport application facilities to citizens in remote areas, for the elderly, and for busy professionals.

The service, officially part of the “Passport Seva Aapke Dwar” program, eliminates the need for applicants to travel to distant Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and endure long queues. Instead, a specially equipped mobile van, functioning as a full-service digital passport office, arrives at the applicant’s home or a designated location to complete the entire process.

The van is equipped with a biometric machine, a document scanner, and a camera, allowing for on-the-spot document verification, biometric data capture, and digital uploads to the central Passport Seva system. A significant benefit of the service is that there are no additional fees; applicants only pay the standard passport application charges.

While the provided text mentioned locations like Bhopal, Chennai, and Kargil, recent official announcements confirm the service has been deployed to all 37 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) across the country, with new launches happening in regions like Chennai and Guwahati in recent months. The MEA plans to further scale the initiative by deploying two to three vans per region, with a focus on areas that lack a local PSK.

To avail of the service, applicants must book an online appointment through the official Passport Seva Portal and select the “Mobile Passport Seva” or “Van” option. They can then choose a convenient date and time slot for the van to visit. This e-governance initiative is aimed at bridging the final access gap and ensuring that passport services are made more accessible, efficient, and citizen-friendly for all Indians.