mPassport Police app cuts passport police verification time by 9 days

mPassport Police App, a custom app aimed to improve the overall Police Verification Report (PVR) process, has reduced the time taken for passport police verification from the national average of 14 days to only 5 days in the states where it has been implemented.

In response to concerns raised in Parliament regarding delays in passport issuance in Punjab, the Ministry of External Affairs provided insights into the situation, shedding light on the steps taken to address the challenges.

According to Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, the average time taken for the issuance of passports, excluding Police Verification time, ranges from 7 to 10 days for Normal passports and 1 to 3 days for Tatkaal passports. The police verification process, a crucial step in the issuance, averages 14 days nationwide. However, in states where the mPassport Police App has been implemented, including Punjab, the verification time has been reduced to within 5 days.

Acknowledging the surge in demand for passport services across the country, heightened by the backlog induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry shared the details of the measures taken to mitigate delays. 

While addressing the lower house, Jaishankar mentioned the key steps taken to streamline the process including adding an extra workday for Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) employees. Additionally, the Ministry has established additional passport processing counters, known as Camp PSKs, at Passport Offices. Mobile vans have been deployed to cater to passport applicants, ensuring wider accessibility.

In response to the heightened demand, the Ministry has increased daily appointments and used cross-granting practices. Moreover, the deployment of additional personnel aims to expedite the passport issuance process, especially in regions experiencing a substantial surge in applications.