GENERAL NOTE ON PASSPORT SERVICES

Types of passports:

(i)  Ordinary Passport is the usual category of passport issued to Indian citizens. Normal validity of an ordinary passport is ten years. Applicants are expected to obtain their passports from the nearest Passport Office or Mission (Embassy of India or Consulate General of India) under whose jurisdiction they currently reside.

(ii)  Diplomatic or Official Passports are issued to persons holding diplomatic or official status.

Classes of travel documents: 

(i)  Emergency Certificate: An Emergency Certificate is normally issued to authorize a person to enter India. It is valid for a very limited duration.

(ii)  Certificate of Identity: Issued for the purpose of establishing the identity of a person. Generally not issued outside India.

How to Apply

•  Application form is to be filled online first. Please read relevant links and FAQs before submitting the application. Form is available at www.passport.gov.in/nri/. After completing online application form, take a print, sign in required columns and attach photographs of the specified size.

  
   Basic requirements (supporting documents etc.) and photo specifications for any kind of passport application may be seen at link given below.
  
   Additional requirements related to different circumstances under which passport is applied for may be seen at relevant links given below.
  
   When the application form and all supporting documents are in order, please apply at one of the service centres at The Hague, Amsterdam or Rotterdam run by the Embassy’s sole authorized service provider, VFS Global Applications at Amsterdam and Rotterdam are accepted by prior appointments. At the service centre in The Hague, applicants may go either with prior appointment or without prior appointment. For address, timings, locations and other details relating to VFS Global, visit the website www.vfsglobal.com/india/netherlands.
  
   Applications for Diplomatic and Official passports are received directly at the Embassy of India, The Hague.
  
   Applicants should keep the acknowledgement slip carefully and show the acknowledgement slip and old passport (in case of re-issue) to the service provider in order to collect their passports.
  
   In all cases of applications for re-issue of passport (except in lost/ stolen cases, where the prescribed procedure is akin to that for a new passport), the last held/expired passport in original needs to be submitted along with the duly filled-in application form and other required documents. Old passport(s) will be returned to the applicant(s) after cancellation, along with the new passport. Valid visas in the old passport (s) are not cancelled and can be used until the date of expiry of the visa. 
  
  

Mode of application: Applicants are advised not to go through travel agents/touts who often charge a large amount for their services. No agent has been authorized by Embassy of India, The Hague to accept passport applications, except VFS Global. For an Emergency Certificate, one should apply direct at the Embassy of India, The Hague.

Time Frame for service: Normally 1 month from the date of submission of application provided all conditions are met. Cases where pre-police verification is required, or other complex cases, would take longer. Such complex cases generally include the following:

 Lost/stolen/seriously damaged passport cases

 Applicant who last travelled on an Emergency Certificate

 Change of sex

 Change in appearance

 Re-issue in lieu of minor’s passport (valid for 5 years or upto 18 years) on applicant attaining age of majority

 Substantial change in name and/or personal particulars

Penal provision: As per provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, an applicant should not furnish any false information or suppress any material information with a view to obtain passport or travel document. Any such action shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term up to two years or fine up to Rs. 5000/-; or both.

Note:

• If you observe any printing mistake in your newly issued passport, please contact the passport Counters immediately. If it is a mistake by the Passport Section, the correction (s) will be made without charging any fee. If the mistake in printing is due to wrong information filled by the applicant in the application form or due to any other reason ascribable to the applicant himself, a new passport can be issued and the case will be processed as a fresh case with payment of all the relevant fees and by following the required processes.

  
   The requirements mentioned in this section are only indicative and not exhaustive; the Embassy can ask for any additional information/document for processing the passport application.
  
   Applicants can request delivery of passport by Courier, for which a charge will have to be paid by the applicant in advance to the service provider. This is a Value Added Service and is NOT mandatory for applicants. They may opt to avail this service if they desire so. Applicants should ask for written receipt of the Courier Charges if deposited with the service provider. For details of Value Added Service please click https://indianembassy.nl/eoi.php?id=Misc
  
   From 25th November 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny visa or entry to any person travelling with a non-Machine Readable Passport. Indian citizens residing in the Netherlands and holding handwritten passports as well as 20-years passports with validity beyond the 24th November 2015, should, therefore, apply for re-issue of passports and obtain Machine Readable Passports well before the deadline.
  
   Information related to Indian passports is posted on different websites like that of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Embassy of India, the authorized service provider, etc. Discrepancies in regard to information on different websites may be brought to the notice of the Embassy of India. Embassy’s website gives only a general account of the various rules and guidelines, which are subject to change from time to time. Government’s guidelines on the subject, and not the website, remain the final source of understanding on the subject.
  
  

Contact Us: If you still have any doubts/queries related to individual cases after going through the relevant links and FAQs, you may send your queries to the e-mail ID: consular@]indianembassy.nl . Please write your particulars/ contact details and state the issue in concise terms. General feedback and suggestions for improvement in passport related services may be sent to [email protected]l.

Detailed Guidelines/ Procedure (Please click on relevant link below for more information)

1. Basic Requirements and Photo Specifications
2. Re-issue of Passport in general cases (above 15 yrs of age)
3. Change of applicant’s name subsequent to marriage / remarriage / divorce / death of spouse etc.
4.Change of Spouse’s /parents name etc.
5. Change of address
6. Change of signature
7. Change in appearance etc
8. Passports for children under 15 yrs (minor)
9. First Passport for Children born in the Netherlands
10. Issue of Emergency Certificates in lieu of damaged/lost Passports
11. Fee Structure for passport services.
12. Forms
13. FAQs