Indian Passport Renewal Guidline

[smkasim]

Hi Guys
I been to high commission in London for passport renewal.
I can see huge difference and our high commission is getting better when compared to my previous experience a year before.

The total wait time from getting token and to be called by an agent is less than an hour. The same happen yesterday as well.
I been to high commission by 11:15 and collected a token from the security.
And when i enter the waiting room, I am about 30 numbers behind. But the agents were dealing very fast and the numbers moving fast. Within an hour my number turns up and I have given all the documents but forgot to get the authorisation letter from my wife and photos are not up to high commission specifications.Since there is difference in appearance of photo they need a affidavit as well. Then went today with my wife with new photos and applied for new passport with in an hour without any problem.

So my advice to fellow forum members, please do some home work before you go to high commission

Below is a guideline for Indian passport renewal:

1. Tokens are issued between 8:30 and 12:00 and no limits on number of tokens.
2. Please go straight to the entry door where there will be security waiting to give tokens. Explain clearly the purpose of visit to the security so that he can give the correct token for the correct department.
3. Don't queue up outside because those queue is for OCI tokens which starts from 12:30 pm.
4. Photo specification: 4 photos 45mm x 35 mm(Standard UK passport size photos). Please make sure if you wear Scarf , the ears should be visible.
5. Take all the required original documents with photocopies of each and passport copies should be self attested. The current or recently expired Passport having valid Visa or Residence Permit is required to be enclosed along with photocopies of detail pages and Visa. In case the latest Passport is additional booklet(s) issued to the original Passport, the additional booklet(s) plus the original Passport must be furnished.
6. If you are going to apply for someone( family member) please get a authorisation letter in high commission specified format.
7. Original Passports of both the parents are required to be shown at the time of submission of application for issue of Passport for a child and self-attested photocopies of Passports of both parents are also required to be submitted along with the application form for the minor child’s Passport.

If your previous passport is machine readable passport, then renewal of passport takes only one week (max 10 days).

If your passport is hand written old type passport then it takes one month for renewal of passport. The high commission do verification from the issuing city passport office.

Most of the information is available in the hcilondon.in website. Please search and check the information before you go to high commission.
All the forms are available to download from http://www.hcilondon.in/download.php

The security will ask for the purpose of visit. Please mention him very clearly that you are going to renew your passport which is going to expire. Because there are different counters for different service like lost/damaged passport, renewal of already expired passport more than a year.