Alina
Passport Appointments in Hyderabad Rescheduled
Passport Appointments in Hyderabad Rescheduled
Technical Maintenance Leads to Rescheduling
Hyderabad: The Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in Hyderabad and other cities across India have announced the rescheduling of appointments that were originally set for August 30. This decision comes as a result of technical maintenance work that has necessitated a temporary shutdown of the Passport Seva portal.
Passport Seva Portal Temporarily Unavailable
The Passport Seva portal, the primary platform for passport-related services in India, is currently undergoing technical maintenance. The portal has been shut down from 8:00 PM IST on August 29, 2024, and will remain unavailable until 6:00 PM IST on September 2, 2024.
A message on the portal has informed users of this temporary unavailability, stating, “Passport Seva portal will be down for technical maintenance from 29th August 2024, Thursday 20:00 hrs IST to 2nd September, Monday 06:00 hrs IST. System will not be available during this period for citizens and for all MEA/RPO/BOI/ISP/DoP/Police Authorities. The already booked appointments for 30th August 2024 will be suitably rescheduled and informed to applicants.”
Rescheduled Appointments for Passport Centers in Hyderabad
In light of the technical maintenance, appointments at the five passport centers in Telangana, including the three centers located in Hyderabad, have been rescheduled. The passport centers in Hyderabad are:
- PSK Ameerpet
- PSK Begumpet
- PSK Tolichowki
At these PSKs, the earliest available appointment slots have been moved to September 4, 2024. This rescheduling has caused some inconvenience to applicants who were originally scheduled to visit the centers on August 30. However, the authorities have assured that the rescheduled appointments will be communicated to all affected applicants.
Impact on Appointment Wait Times
The temporary shutdown of the Passport Seva portal has inevitably led to an increase in wait times for passport appointments. With the next available slots not until September 4, applicants are advised to plan accordingly. The increased demand following the maintenance period may result in further delays, so it is recommended that applicants book their appointments as soon as the portal becomes operational again.
How to Apply for a Passport
For those looking to apply for a new passport or renew an expired one, the process is straightforward and can be done through the Passport Seva website. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply:
- Visit the Official Website: Go to the Passport Seva portal. Click here to access the website.
- Registration/Login: New users need to register on the portal, while existing users can log in with their credentials.
- Apply for Passport: Once logged in, click on the link labeled “Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport.”
- Form Filling: Applicants can choose to fill out the application form online or download it, complete it offline, and then upload it to the portal.
- Payment: After filling out the form, applicants are required to pay the application fee, which varies depending on the type of passport and service selected.
- Book Appointment: Following payment, applicants can book an appointment slot at the nearest PSK. In Hyderabad, the PSKs are located in Ameerpet, Begumpet, and Tolichowki.
- Visit PSK: On the day of the appointment, applicants must visit the selected PSK, where they will go through various stages of the application process, including document verification, biometric data collection, and submission of the application.
- Police Verification and Passport Delivery: After the application process is completed at the PSK, the final step is police verification. Once this is done, the passport will be dispatched to the address provided in the application form.
Planning for Future Appointments
Given the current situation with the technical maintenance, applicants are encouraged to stay informed about the status of the Passport Seva portal and book their appointments promptly once it is back online. Those who had their appointments rescheduled should check their emails and the Passport Seva portal for updates on their new appointment dates and times.
Conclusion
While the temporary shutdown of the Passport Seva portal has caused some disruption, the maintenance is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the system in the future. Applicants are advised to be patient and make the necessary adjustments to their plans. The rescheduling of appointments will hopefully be a temporary inconvenience, with services expected to return to normal after September 2, 2024.
