Tatkaal Passport
A passport is your primary document without which you can’t travel abroad. It takes significant processing time. IT can take several weeks to complete verification and dispatch. Especially if you need to travel abroad urgently, you can opt for a tatkal passport (also written as Tatkaal passport). This 'Out of turn' passport issuance, is an expedited service provided by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A passport under tatkal scheme is usually issued within 1-3 working days, depending upon the police verification process. Read the article below to learn more details about a tatkal passport in India.

What is a Tatkaal Passport?
Getting a standard passport can sometimes be a lengthy procedure requiring days of preparation and formalities. The 'tatkaal for passport facility is an expedited scheme managed by the MEA. This passport application procedure allows.
It lets eligible people apply for and receive a passport quickly and easily if they need to travel outside India urgently. You can use this service whether you need a fresh document or a passport renewal in tatkaal.
Key Features of Tatkaal Passport Scheme
The table below summarises tatkal passport time and fees, processing speeds, and validity details under the tatkal scheme:
| Category | Specification |
| Tatkal Passport Fee* (Base Fee + INR 2,000 Tatkaal charge) | 36 Pages: INR 5,00060 Pages: INR 6,000 |
| Official Helpline | 1800 - 258 - 1800 (Toll-Free) |
| Passport Booklet Options | 36 or 60 pages |
| Tatkal Passport Processing Time | 1-3 working days (Dispatched on 3rd working day) |
| Validity | 5 - 10 years as per age |
| Police Verification | Conducted after the passport is issued |
| Tatkal Passport Renewal | Provided |
* Fee will vary with the service opted and is subject to change with time and government regulations.
An application submitted under the tatkal passport procedure in India is similar to that of a regular passport, but it is faster and reduces the passport processing time. Your passport is necessary for applying for a visa and planning your travel itinerary when visiting multiple countries. It is among the most important documents to carry abroad along with your official ID and travel insurance plan.
Tatkaal Passport Eligibility: Who Can Apply?
Understanding who can apply for tatkal passport is crucial before starting your application. While most general applicants qualify, specific high-risk or complex document categories are barred from using the tatkal scheme.
Who Can’t Apply for Tatkaal Passport?
You cannot apply under tatkal passport eligibility or tatkaal passport eligibility rules if your application falls into any of the following restricted categories:
Fresh Issue Cases
- Citizens of India by Registration/Naturalisation (granted citizenship by MHA)
- Children adopted by Indian or Foreign parents
- A child born out of wedlock has a single parent
- Children born out of surrogacy
- Minors with a single parent (One parent deceased)
- Major change in name
- Those with a present address outside the jurisdiction of the RPO
- Minor's application with Annexure C (Ex. Minors whose Parents are divorced or separated, etc)
- Applicants repatriated from abroad at Government cost
- Applicants deported to India or travelled on an Emergency Certificate
- Persons of Naga origin including minors (below 18 years)
- Persons of Naga origin residing outside Nagaland
- Persons of J&K origin including minors (below 18 years)
- Applicants who attract section 6(2)(e) or 6(2)(f) (related to criminal court cases)
- Applicants with adverse police report, put under the watch list, habitual passport losers or those who had earlier travelled on forged or fake passports
Re-issue & Renewal Cases
- Tatkal passport renewal eligibility excludes lost/stolen passport cases
- Re-issue of Short-Validity Passport
- Passport damaged beyond recognition cases (where the passport number, photo, or name is illegible)
- Change in sex, appearance or signature
- Change/correction of date of birth or place of birth
- Change of father/mother/spouse name
- Major change in name
- Those with a present address outside the jurisdiction of the RPO
- Minor's application with Annexure C (Ex. Minors whose Parents are divorced or separated, etc)
- Applicants repatriated from abroad at Government cost
- Applicants deported to India or travelled on an Emergency Certificate
- Persons of Naga origin, including minors (below 18 years)
- Persons of Naga origin residing outside Nagaland
- Persons of J&K origin, including minors (below 18 years)
- Applicants who attract section 6(2)(e) or 6(2)(f) (related to criminal court cases)
- Applicants with adverse police reports, put under the watch list, habitual passport losers or who had earlier travelled on forged or fake passports
Documents Required for Tatkaal Passport
To fulfil eligibility for tatkal passport and tatkal passport renewal, adult applicants over 18 years must present any three supporting documents from the official list below, whereas minors under 18 must present two documents:
- Old/last passport if applying for a re-issue
- Aadhar card (with verified biometric record)
- Voter ID (EPIC)
- Birth certificate
- Permanent Account number (PAN card)
- Driving License from the state where the applicant submits
- Student photo ID issued by recognised educational institutions
- Post Office Passbook, Kisan Passbook, or Bank Passbook
- Arms License issued under the Arms Act of 1959
- Certificate for Scheduled Tribe, or Scheduled Caste or Other Backward Class
- Service photo ID issued by the Central/State government, local bodies, Public Sector Undertaking, etc.
- Pension documents or old age pension order
- Ration card
Note: If you are applying for documents required for Tatkal passport renewal (re-issue), you must also submit your original passport along with self-attested copies of the first and last two pages.
As you prepare these documents for the Tatkal procedure, don't forget to buy international travel insurance for your upcoming trip. It is not mandatory in several countries, but it is strongly recommended for overseas travel. Even with little to no time, it will only take a few clicks to secure your trip abroad.
Reasons & Requirements for Tatkaal Passport Application
Many applicants frequently ask if they can apply for tatkal passport without any reason or if there are any requirements to go for the tatkaal scheme. Under updated Ministry of External Affairs regulations, the following need to be kept in mind:
- No Reason Certificate Required: You no longer need a Verification Certificate signed by a Gazetted Officer or a specific emergency proof letter to qualify for reasons for tatkal passport. You can apply for tatkal passport by submitting an official tatkal undertaking form along with standard identity and address documents.
- Standard Eligibility: As long as you meet the basic tatkaal passport criteria, submit valid documentation, and do not fall under any ineligible categories, your application will be evaluated.
- Final Authority: The Passport Office reserves the ultimate discretion to approve or reject an application submitted under the tatkal scheme.
How to Apply for Tatkaal Passport Online
Applying for a passport under the tatkal scheme is similar to the procedure of a normal passport. Take a look at the simple steps involving the online tatkal passport application below:
You must be eligible to apply for a tatkal passport in India. A passport under the tatkal scheme is not available for the following categories for both fresh issue and renewal of a passport:
- Visit the Passport Seva Website: Go to the official Passport Seva website, click on 'Register Now' and create your login credentials.
- Login to Your Account: Login using your registered ID and password.
- Access Applicant Home: You will be directed to 'Applicant Home', where a list of services will be available.
- Apply for Passport: Click on 'Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport'.
- Select Application Type: Choose whether you need a fresh passport or a re-issue.
- Select Tatkaal Scheme: Under 'Required Scheme', select the 'Tatkaal' option.
- Fill Application Form: Fill the form with correct and up-to-date information.
- Submit & Pay Online: Complete the application, then submit it and make the payment online.
- Download Receipt: Save and print the fee receipt generated after payment.
- Book Tatkaal Passport Appointment Slot: Book an appointment at the nearest Passport Seva Kendra.
- Upload Undertaking: Fill out and upload the standard tatkal undertaking form on the portal.
- Print Receipt: Print the appointment receipt, which contains your Application Reference Number (ARN) to bring to the centre.
Please note that not all applicants can apply for a passport under the Tatkaal scheme. If your application status is 'Granted', only then can you avail of this benefit.
Tatkaal Passport Processing Time & Delivery Timeline
The tatkal passport issue time is usually 1-3 working days without a police verification, which is usually conducted after the passport has been dispatched. Compared to the normal passport procedure that takes 30-45 days, the time taken to process an application for tatkal passport is shorter.
Under the tatkal passport scheme, applicants can avail faster processing in a separate queue as well as earlier passport appointment.
Once the applicant has visited the PSK (Passport Seva Kendra) and the final status is 'Granted' for their tatkal passport application, by the third day the tatkal passport is dispatched.
Tatkaal Passport Fees in India
The tatkal passport fee differs as per age of the applicant, the number of pages in a passport, and the reasons for re-issue. Since it is a faster process, tatkal passport charges are usually higher than a normal passport. These are the different fees for tatkal passports in India:
Fees for Fresh Tatkaal Passport
For new users registering on the Passport Seva Portal (applying for the first time), the fee has been mentioned in the table below:
| Applicant's Age | Fee in INR (36 Pages) | Fee in INR (60 Pages) |
| Adult (18+ Years) | 5,000 | 6,000 |
| Minor (Below 18 Years) | 4,250 | - |
| Minor Fresh / Re-issue (15-18 Years, 10 years validity) | 5,000 | - |
| Re-issue (Personal Particulars Change / Page Exhaustion / Deletion of ECR) | 5,000 | 6,000 |
| Re-issue in lieu of Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passport | 5,000 | 6,000 |
* For applicants below 18 years, the fee would be different, so it is best to refer to the passport fee calculator. It will give you the applicable fee.
How to Calculate Tatkaal Passport Fee Online?
You can find the exact cost for tatkal passport application by using the 'Fee Calculator' feature available on the Passport Seva Portal. All you need to do is to input relevant information and click on the 'calculate the fee' button. Here are the steps to use the passport fee calculator:
- Step 1:Visit the official 'Passport Seva Portal' website and find the 'Passport Fee Calculator' link.
- Step 2:Upon clicking, you will need to fill in details like Application Type, Type of Service (Fresh or Reissue), Age of Applicant, Number of pages in Booklet and Required Scheme
- Step 3:Select the number of pages required in passport
- Step 4:Under the 'Required Scheme' category, select scheme as 'Tatkaal'
- Step 5:Click on the 'Calculate Fee' button once you have filled in all the details. The fee will be displayed in INR.
Please note that all these fields are mandatory to get the accurate passport fee amount. If applying for a Tatkal passport renewal, then make sure to select the reason for re-issue carefully.
How to Pay Tatkaal Passport Fee?
Please note that those applying under the tatkaal passport scheme only need to pay the amount online as applicable under the Normal scheme. The remaining amount needs to be paid in cash when they visit the nearby Passport Seva Kendra after their application under the tatkaal category has been accepted.
For those applying for a tatkal passport online, there are multiple ways to pay the tatkal passport fee:
- Using Credit or Debit Card
- Using Internet Banking
- SBI Wallet Payment
- SBI Bank Challan
Tatkaal Passport Status Tracking
Once your application is submitted at the PSK, you can easily track your tatkal passport tracking status online:
- Navigate to the Passport Seva Portal home page.
- Click on 'Track Application Status'.
- Select Application Type as 'Passport/PCC/IC/GEP'.
- Enter your 15-digit File Number and Date of Birth.
- Click 'Track Status' to check real-time processing, printing, and Speed Post tracking details.
Tatkaal Passport: FAQs
-
Q: My passport is damaged, and I need to go abroad. Can I get a tatkal passport?
Ans: If your passport has not been damaged beyond recognition and the passport number is visible, you can apply for a re-issue of your passport under the tatkal scheme. However, if the booklet is completely torn, burnt, or illegible, tatkal passport eligibility is revoked, requiring a standard re-issue application. -
Q: When can I get tatkaal passport?
Ans: You can get a tatkal passport if you need to travel abroad urgently, but your old one is damaged, expired, lost or has some changes in personal details. -
Q: How many days does a tatkaal passport take?
Ans: Under official MEA guidelines, a tatkal passport is dispatched within 1-3 working days after your appointment at the Passport Seva Kendra. -
Q: Is police verification required for tatkal passport?
Ans: Yes, the police verification for tatkal passport is usually done once the passport has been issued. However, the passport is expected to be dispatched on the third working day without waiting for the police verification report at the passport office. There could be some special cases where a verification is not required, which can be checked on the official website. -
Q: Is there a way to calculate the exact tatkal passport fee?
Ans: Yes, you can find out the exact tatkal passport fees using the official fee calculator given on the Passport Seva website. Select your age group, booklet size (36 or 60 pages), application type, and select 'Tatkaal' under required scheme to view exact charges. -
Q: I'm a resident of Nagaland, can I apply for a tatkal passport?
Ans: No, Indian citizens within Nagaland are ineligible for the tatkal scheme due to mandatory pre-police verification requirements in the region. Applicants from Nagaland must apply under the Normal passport issuance procedure. -
Q: What is the total fee for an adult Tatkaal passport in India?
Ans: An adult 36-page tatkal passport price costs INR 3,500 (INR 1,500 base fee + INR 2,000 Tatkaal fee). A 60-page adult booklet costs INR 4,000 (INR 2,000 base fee + INR 2,000 Tatkaal fee). Fees for lost or stolen passport reissues range from INR 5,000 to INR 5,500.
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