Visakhapatnam: Good news for all those who used to wait for the Police verification of their passports, for 21 days, will now be done in just three to four days.
This scheme is starting from May 30 thanks to a web-based verification service called passport police verification service (PPVS).
To implement this online procedure, Vizag cops were provided tablets at the launch of the app by the state police chief DGP JV Ramudu, who also inaugurated the Early Response and Command Centre that includes vehicle tracking, PPVS and jail releasing monitor system in the city.
The web application for PPVS would benefit passport applicants as well as the police department. Cops can use the jail release monitoring system for AP also to speed up the process of verification as it will give easy access to information on whether the passport applicants were involved in any crimes or arrested before.
However, the DGP said criminals too had turned tech-savvy, which is why there was a need to upgrade the jail release monitoring system by linking it with the national database to prevent criminals from getting passports at other centres.
What happens now?
- Police officials will check the passport application on their tabs, contact and meet the applicant before verifying their credentials.
- They will send a verification report online to the passport verification cell, which will send the report to the passport official.
- Applicants will get an automatic SMS and email about the police verification status
- An applicant receiving an SMS stating that his or her application was rejected, they can go for a re-verification by approaching the grievance department at the passport verification cell.
Earlier process:
On receipt of the forms online, the police station used to verify address and scrutinise criminal antecedents (if any) of the applicant within seven days.
After that, the police station would submit the report to Special Branch II of CID in a physical format. The passport branch SB II would scrutinise the documents and submit the report online to Regional Passport Office.
The passport applicant will be intimated about the status of application by a text message from police once the application reaches the police station for verification.
The applicant needed to visit the station, if possible at the earliest, upon receipt of this text message. Applicants can visit the police station anytime between 9 am to 11 am and 6 pm to 8 pm except on Monday.