Passport Seva Portal Restored Ahead of Schedule After Technical Maintenance

The Passport Seva portal, which had been temporarily down for technical maintenance, is now back online earlier than expected. The portal, along with the Global Passport Seva Program (GPSP), resumed its services from 7:00 PM IST on September 1, 2024. This update was confirmed by the official Passport Seva website, which stated, "After successful completion of technical maintenance well before schedule, Passport Seva portal including the GPSP is now up & running w.e.f. 1900 hrs IST on 01 September 2024. The system is now available for citizens and for all MEA/RPO/BOI/ISP/DoP/Police Authorities."

Maintenance Schedule and Rescheduled Appointments

The maintenance period was originally planned to last five days, starting from Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 8:00 PM IST, and ending on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 6:00 AM IST. During this time, the system was unavailable for citizens as well as authorities from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Regional Passport Offices (RPO), Bureau of Immigration (BOI), Indian Security Press (ISP), Department of Posts (DoP), and Police Authorities. 

The official Passport Seva website had earlier communicated that appointments scheduled for August 30, 2024, would be rescheduled. "The already booked appointments for 30th August 2024 will be suitably rescheduled and informed to applicants," the website mentioned. The portal's early restoration means applicants can now access the services sooner than anticipated.

Beware of Fraudulent Websites and Mobile Applications

In a related advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs has warned citizens about numerous fraudulent websites and mobile applications that are exploiting unsuspecting applicants by collecting their data and charging hefty fees for passport services. The ministry highlighted several fake websites, including:

- www.indiapassport.org

- www.online-passportindia.com

- www.passportindiaportal.in

- www.passport-india.in

- www.passport-seva.in

- www.applypassport.org

"It has come to the notice of the Ministry that many fraudulent websites and mobile applications are collecting data from applicants and also levying additional hefty charges for filling up the online application form and scheduling appointments for Passport and related services," the ministry stated.

Official Channels for Passport Applications

To avoid falling victim to these scams, the Ministry has advised all citizens to apply for Indian Passport and related services only through the official website, [www.passportindia.gov.in](http://www.passportindia.gov.in). Additionally, applicants can use the official mobile app, mPassport Seva, which is available for download on Android and iOS platforms.

This timely update ensures that citizens can now access the Passport Seva portal services without delay, while also remaining vigilant against fraudulent activities.