Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to Passport and Consular Services

Home > Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to Passport and Consular Services

Basic Services

1. What passport related services are offered by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham?

Ans The following six services are offered:

Re-issue of passport on expiry of full validity passport or exhaustion of pages.
Renewal of short validity passport to full validity passport.
Issue of fresh passport in lieu of lost passport.
Issue of fresh passport in lieu of damaged passport.
Issue of first time passport to a new born.
Issue of Emergency Certificate to travel to India.
Miscellaneous passport services.

2. What miscellaneous passport services are offered by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham?

Ans The following miscellaneous passport services are offered:

Change of the following personal particulars in passport:
Change in name/surname
Change in/addition/deletion of name of spouse.
Change in address.
Issue of Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
Registration of a new born child in UK within the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate and eligible for Indian citizenship.

3. What other consular services are offered by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham?

Ans:The following consular services are offered:

Legalisation/attestation of documents for use in India.
Certificate to carry ashes of human body of a deceased person to India.
Certificate to carry dead body to India.
Issue of Life Certificate (as evidence of being alive in UK within the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate).
Extending consular access and assistance to Indians in distress in UK within the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate.

Services explained in detail

4. What is Re-issue of passport on expiry of full validity passport?

Ans: Full validity passports have a life of ten years for adults and five years for minors. The expiry date is always mentioned in all passports. A passport holder can apply for reissue of his passport up to one year before and/or within one year after the expiry date. In other words, a passport about to expire need to be reissued within the stipulated two years period mentioned above i.e. one year before the date of expiry and/or within one year immediately after the date of expiry.

5. How to avail the service of re-issue of passport on expiry of its life or exhaustion of pages?

Ans: Use the prescribed form. Click here to download it. Fill up the application form carefully without omitting any column or item. Four photographs of 5 x 5 cm are required. Paste one photograph on the application form and enclose the other in an envelope with the application.
The Indian passport, requiring re-issue, obviously need to be enclosed with the application. The applicant also needs to produce document (valid visa/ILR) to prove that he or she has valid landing rights to stay in UK. A fee of £ 52 for ordinary passport and £ 69 for jumbo passport is also payable by the applicants. The fee is inclusive of all surcharges. Also see page on general instructions for availing passport and consular services.

5A. How to seek a new passport in lieu of a passport which has expired more than two years ago?

Ans: The procedure would be near similar to seeking a new passport in lieu of a lost one on a mutatis mutandis basis. Please refer to item 8 on this page.

5B. Can one request for reissue of a normal 10 year validity passport as a replacement of 20 year validity passport as this is causing difficulty in obtaining visa for many countries whose authorities are objecting to a 20 year validity passport?

Ans: Yes. Please follow the same procedure as is meant for reissue of a passport on expiry of its validity. Also please mention the special reason for seeking to change the validity from 20 years to 10 years.

6. What is a short validity passport (SVP) and under what circumstances such a passport is renewed?

Ans: A short validity passport is often issued to meet exigencies especially when certain requirements for the issue of full validity passports have not been met by an applicant at the first instance. Usually, a SVP is issued for a period ranging from six months to two years. For instance, SVP are often issued to applicants whose Indian nationality has been established beyond doubt but have no valid landing rights and yet their circumstances strongly indicate the possibility of obtaining such landing rights from the competent authority of UK. Besides facilitating such Indian nationals in obtaining landing rights in UK, short validity passports are also issued to Indian nationals under exceptional circumstances to facilitate their journey to India.

7. How to avail the service of renewal of short validity passport to full validity passport?

Ans: The application form required is the same as the one mentioned in Item No.5 above. Click here to download it. The procedure too is same. A fee of £ 52 is payable for renewing short validity passports to their full validity. The renewal of such short validity passports is dependent upon the applicant having used the period of validity of their passport in meeting the conditions that could not be met at the time of issue of short validity passport. For example, an SVP issued in anticipation of a positive police verification report is upgradable to FVP on receipt of such report. Another example could be an SVP issued to facilitate grant of valid visa/stay rights by UKBA is convertible to FVP when such rights are obtained by the applicant.

8.What procedure is to be followed and documents enclosed with the application to obtain a fresh passport in lieu of a lost passport?

Ans: Firstly, the application form is the same as the one mentioned in Item No. 5 above. Click here to download it. Five passport size photographs (5 x 5 cm) are required. One photo be pasted on the application and the remaining four be enclosed in an envelope and securely pinned to the application. It is very important to note that application for this service is never accepted by post. It is also not accepted through an agent. The application in this case has always to be presented in the Consulate by the applicant in person. Usually, the applicant is interviewed by an officer of the Consulate before accepting the application.
The most important requirement is to provide documentary evidence of the applicant’s current nationality as an Indian. Needless to say a photocopy of the lost Indian passport is of great value. In the absence of a photocopy of the lost passport, important details of it such as number, date of issue, place of issue are of great help. If neither photocopy nor the details of the lost passport are available, the applicant is advised to produce as much evidence as possible of being an Indian. Voter’s identity card, Indian driving licence, PAN card issued by income tax authority or any other photo identity paper issued by a Governmental authority in India are examples.
The other documents required would be a certificate from local police indicating registration of the loss of the passport. Separately, the applicant has to furnish a self-certified statement detailing the circumstances in which he or she lost the passport. Documents such as utility bills (electricity, water, and telephone, and bank statement, NHS card) to prove place of residence in UK also need to be enclosed. The common requirement of proving availability of valid stay rights in UK (visa/ILR) is also applicable to this service. In case the visa/ILR of the applicant is more than one year old, he or she may be required to additionally prove that he or she has not acquired British nationality. This be done by furnishing a certificate from British Home Office (BHO).
The applicants may also have to furnish an affidavit stating that (a) he/she has not acquired foreign nationality/does not hold the travel document of a foreign country, (b) has not applied for asylum in UK/a foreign country, (c) his current landing rights is not that of a political refugee and (d) he has not entered UK illegally. In case, the applicant is an illegal immigrant he may have to additionally mention the circumstances in which he or she entered UK. It is also a requirement that the applicant has to satisfy that his visa/stay rights in UK are not based on grant of asylum directly or indirectly.
He may have to truthfully disclose if he or she had ever applied for asylum. All cases where an application was made to UK Government for asylum would need disclosure about the current status of such application. The status could be either of the following: (a) rejected, (b) under consideration before an appellate authority after rejection, (c) accepted, (d) under consideration. The onus of proving the current status of such application with credible documents would be on the applicant. In case the applicant’s application for asylum has been rejected or withdrawn, an affidavit stating his recant from his earlier position against government of India would also become necessary. An effort has been made to incorporate all affidavit related requirements into one single affidavit to help the applicants in terms of paperwork. The applicant has to carefully strike out the items not applicable to him or her. The applicant also should append his or her signatures against the items struck off as not relevant to him or her. Click here for downloading specimen of affidavit. This affidavit can be made under oath before the competent officer of the Consulate for a fee of £10. Alternatively, such an affidavit can be made before a notary public which is also acceptable.

8A. Is it absolutely essential to have valid visa/stay rights in UK to apply for a replacement passport in lieu of a lost or damaged one?

Ans:No. This general condition is relaxable depending upon circumstances of each individual case. The applicant has to satisfy that he is not hiding from local laws or evading local authorities. Correspondence with UKBA for obtaining stay rights is good evidence of such proof. An applicant is also required to satisfactorily convince the passport officer that grant of an SVP would facilitate obtaining of such stay rights.

9. How much time would it take to get a replacement passport in lieu of a lost passport?

Ans: Issuing replacement passports in lieu of lost passports would take different time periods as situations vary widely. It is difficult to spell out a standard time norm for this service. Normally, cases in which the photocopy of the lost passport or relevant details of the lost passport are available and readily traceable in the database of the Consulate, the time taken to replace the passports could be as little as two to three weeks. Other cases in which such details are unavailable or are not readily authenticated against a check of records in our database, more time would be required. In latter cases, often the personal particulars including the photograph of the applicant is sent to original passport issuing authority in India or abroad for authentication of the lost passport particulars. In cases where such passport details are either not available or the lost passport expired more than five years before, an additional verification by local police in India to prove the Indian nativity/nationality of the applicant would be essential. Such cases, needless to say, would take more time. Usually authentication by passport issuing authorities take six to eight weeks and verification by police takes as many as three to six months. Applicants should accordingly calculate their own time norm before enquiring about the status of their pending applications.

Applicants are discouraged to make out of turn inquiries about the progress of their application. They are also discouraged to bring extraneous influences on the Consulate for expediting such applications. The Consulate would contact the applicant on its own as and when the passports are ready for issue.

10. What if the local UK police is not registering the loss of the Indian passport?

Ans: A self-certified statement detailing the date and time and the name of Police Station visited which refused such registration may be furnished. The Consulate would accept such statement in lieu of police report.

11. What procedure is to be followed and documents enclosed with the application to obtain a fresh passport in lieu of a damaged passport?

Ans The procedure followed in this case by and large is the same as the one followed in case of procedure meant for issue of a replacement passport in lieu of a lost passport. Click here to download the application form. Click here to download the affidavit specimen.

12. What procedure is to be followed for issue of a first time passport for a newborn in UK?

Ans: Application for all types of passport services is one and the same. Click here to download. This service is preceded by the service of registering the child’s birth in the Consulate. Such registration must be completed within one year of the birth of the child. It is advisable that both the services are applied for on the same day as it saves time and repeat visits to the Consulate. The parents of the child have to file a declaration to the effect that they are parent(s) of the child and have consented jointly to apply for Indian citizenship and a passport for their newborn. Click here to download the declaration specimen. Self certified photocopies of passports of the parents with valid landing rights and full version birth certificate of the newborn need to be enclosed with the application. Originals would also be required to verify the authenticity of the photocopies enclosed with the application. The birth registration fee is £ 17 and passport fee for a five year valid passport is £36 (inclusive of all surcharges). The application can be submitted either across the counter in person or sent by post. If it is sent by post, a pre-paid special delivery self addressed envelope may also be enclosed to return the originals as also the new passport of the child.

13, Is it necessary for the parent (s) to also sign the application meant for issue of a new passport for a newborn?

Ans:Yes. Either of the parents may sign to the effect that the particulars of the newborn mentioned in the application are correct and parent(s) are responsible for its correctness.

14. What are the requirements regarding appending thumb impression of a newborn on the application form?

Ans: Yes. It is necessary. There is an earmarked space for the purpose. Left thumb impression for a male child and right thumb impression for a female child needs to be appended at this earmarked space.

15. What is the procedure to apply for an emergency travel document (EC) to travel to India?

Ans: Click here to download the application form. The application form is the same form meant for passport services. The procedure followed is the same as the one meant for issue of a new passport in lieu of lost/damaged passport. Please see relevant question-answer above. The only difference is that in case of EC, the applicant is not required to be in possession of valid landing rights in UK. The fee for EC is £6 (inclusive of all surcharges).

15A. Can an applicant request for a change or amendment in any of the nine personal particulars in his/her passport at the time of re-issue of his/her passport in lieu of passport about to expire, a damaged passport, upgrading a SVP to full validity passport?

Ans: Yes. No extra fee is payable. There is no need to use a separate miscellaneous service form if an amendment seeking request is combined with the main request of reissue of a passport. Applicant, however, has to clearly mention at appropriate place that he/she is seeking an amendment in one or more personal particulars.
It is relevant to mention that normally no amendments are permissible unless trustworthy documentary evidence is provided in support of the claimed change in status. Additionally, the Consulate may, in certain cases (such as a change in name) also like to know the purpose for seeking a change. For certain personal particulars special documents are needed to show that manadatory procedure has been followed. For details read on.

16. How to add/change the surname of a married woman in her passport to include her husband’s surname?

Ans: Please use application for miscellaneous services on passport. Click here to download. Two passport size photographs (5 x 5 cms) are required. Documents required are : (a) passport in original (b) marriage certificate (c) copy of husband’s passport. The fee for this service is £22.

17. How to add the name of spouse after marriage in one’s passport?

18. How to add/delete the name of spouse after divorce or re-marriage?

Ans: Please use application for miscellaneous services on passport. Click here to download. Two passport size photographs (5 x 5 cms) are required and the photograph should be against the white background. Documents required are : (a) passport in original (b) absolute divorce decree (c) re-marriage certificate, if applicable (d) copy of husband’s passport, if applicable. The fee for this service is £22.

19. How to delete address mentioned in my current passport and add my new address?

Ans: Please use application for miscellaneous services on passport. Click here to download. Two passport size photographs (5 x 5 cms) are required. Documents required are: (a) passport in original (b) documents such as utility bills to prove the new address in India. The fee for this service is £22.

20. How to include UK address in Indian passport?

Ans: Usually an UK address is not permitted on the Indian passport. However, in exceptional circumstances only when the applicant proves that he/she does not have any permanent address in India and additionally, he/she has indefinite leave to remain in UK, an applicant is permitted to reflect his/her UK address in his/her Indian passport. If necessary, the Consulate might ask for an affidavit from the applicant about he/she not having a permanent address in India. For others who would like to reflect their UK address in addition to their permanent address in India, the service is available by way of an endorsement on the Indian passport as an observation.
The procedure adopted is the same as mentioned in item no. 19 above.

21. How to change my old photo/incorporate my new photo to match my current appearance which has changed?

Ans: This service is not available under miscellaneous service. A fresh passport has to be issued to provide this service. Click here to download the application form which is the same for general passport application form. Documents required would be an affidavit from notary public certifying that the the new photo to be incorporated in the passport is of the applicant. Click here to download the affidavit format.

22. How to obtain a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)?

Ans: PCC is often required for employment in foreign countries and seeking visa from foreign governments etc.. Click here to download the application form. An additional form need to be filled in and submitted. Click here to download the additional PCC form. The fee for this service is £22.

23. Can a foreign national also apply for a PCC/Character Certificate?

Ans: Yes. Foreigners who have previously resided in India may also on occasion apply for PCC. A certificate to this effect could be issued only after verifying records of the police in India. Procedure to be followed is same as mentioned in item 22 above.

24. How to send a consent certificate to passport officer in India to help spouse in India in applying for passports of children in India?

Ans: Consulate does not issue any certificate. However, it legalises an affidavit to be sworn by the applicant in this connection. Strictly speaking this is a legalisation service. There is a prescribed format of the affidavit. Click here to download it.
This should be accompanied with a duly filled in application form. Click here to download the application form. If the applicant is British (foreign national), he or she has to notarise the affidavit through a public notary before it can be legalised by the Consulate.

25. How to legalise a certificate to sponsor an Indian national with the aim of facilitating his/her travel from India to UK?

Ans: A standard format for sponsorship declaration is available on our website. Click here to download it. Attach this declaration with a duly filled in application form. Click here to download it. Supporting documents required are : (a) salary slip or other proof of income (b) valid passport of the sponsor (with a photocopy) and valid visa (in case of Indian national) (c) proof of ownership of property or accommodation (d) bank statement showing a minimum balance of £ 2000. Fee for this service is £ 10 (including all surcharges).

26. How to obtain services pertaining to attestation/legalisation of documents such as Power of Attorney, Will, education certificates etc. from the Consulate?

Ans: Documents could be of any of the following types:
(a) Documents issued by an authority under UK law ( e.g. birth certificates, bank statements, salary slips, company incorporation certificates, educational degree/certificates )
(b) Documents issued by an authority under Indian Law ( e.g. same as above)
(c) Documents prepared and executed by the applicants themselves in UK (e.g. affidavits, declarations, power of attorney, will etc)
The general principle is that documents mentioned at (a) and (c) to be used/produced before the authorities in India have to be attested/legalised by the Indian Mission/Post concerned. This is common to both, Indian nationals as well as foreign nationals. However, for foreign nationals, legalisation of documents mentioned at (a) need to be apostilled by Legalisation Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of UK Government before such documents could be counter attested by the India Consulate. It is relevant to mention that India is one of the signatories to The Hague Apostille Convention and the new scheme was implemented in India on 29.8.2007. The purpose of the Convention was to reduce the two stage authentication of public documents to one single stage. If a public document is apostilled by the country of origin, it does not require re-authentication by authorities of the country in whose territory it has to be produced. Therefore, it is not mandatory for British or Indian nationals to have these documents counter attested by the Indian Consulate. The counter attestation by the Indian Consulate is optional. Documents mentioned at (b) owned either by Indian or foreign nationals need to be apostilled by the Ministry External Affairs (Consular Section), New Delhi or any of its authorised officers before these can be counter attested by the Indian Consulate. Here again, as per Hague Apostille Convention counter attestation is optional. For documents mentioned at (c), procedure for legalisation are different for Indian and foreign nationals. For foreign nationals the documents invariably need to be notarised by a Notary Public before these could be attested by the Indian Consulate. For Indian nationals such notarisation by a Notary Public is not essential. Personal appearance at the Indian Consulate is ordinarily required in legalising such documents. Personal presence is exonerated if such documents are already notarised by a Notary Public. Already notarised documents (other than wills) can be sent by post or through authorised representative for attestation. Legalisations of wills, however, compulsorily require the presence of executants. Attestation of documents would require the following:-

- Valid Indian /foreign passport of the applicant as the case may be
- Duly filled in Application form for miscellaneous services
- The document(s) to be attested in original (together with a photocopy of each)
- Two passport size photographs
- Fee (Click here to see the fee structure)

27. How to obtain a certificate to carry ashes of human body to India?

Ans: Click here to download the application form. Documents required would be : (a) Passport in original to identify the deceased person or whose ashes is to be carried (b) death certificate from the local authority (c) cremation certificate (d) certificate from the applicant that the urn contains ashes of the deceased (e) valid passport of the applicant carrying the ashes. This is a gratis service and no fee is charged.
Note: If the deceased person held an Indian passport, the same may be brought to the Consulate for cancellation.

28. How to obtain a certificate to carry a body of a deceased person to India?

Ans: Click here to download the application form. Documents required would be : (a) Passport in original to identify the deceased person or whose body is to be carried (b) death certificate from the local authority (c) Coroner’s Out of England Order (d) certificate from the applicant that the casket contains body of the deceased and packed according to international regulations (e) Embalming certificate (f) Dead body free from infection certificate issued by competent doctor (g) valid passport of the applicant carrying the dead body.. This is a gratis service and no fee is charged.
Note: If the deceased person held an Indian passport, the same may be brought to the Consulate for cancellation.

29. How to obtain a Life Certificate (as evidence of being alive in UK within the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate)?

Ams: Click here to download the application form. An additional form pertaining to Life Certificate be filled. Click here to download the additional form. Applicant’s valid Indian passport with valid UK visa be attached. The fee for this service is £ 10 (inclusive of all surcharges).

30. How an Indian national can obtain consular access and assistance when in distress in UK when residing within the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate for situations not already covered above?

Ans: The Indian Consulate is here to help Indians who require assistance in UK, but it can’t and won’t help in every situation just because one is Indian. The Consulate can offer help which is appropriate to the individual circumstances of each case.
Help is not available to get a person out of prison. Help is also not available to prevent the local authorities from deporting an Indian national after his or her prison sentence is over or it has been established that the Indian national is an illegal immigrant. Help is also not available in paying any bills or any money to overcome financial liabilities. Consulate also has no provision to make travel arrangements, arrange accommodation or find employment. Indian Mission officials cannot persuade local authorities to waive any fine or to give an extension in case of overstay or change the purpose of UK visa.

Help is available by way of approaching and liaison with concerned local authorities in matters of enforcing rights and privileges available to Indian nationals under local laws. In other words, Consulate may be approached for help when an Indian national is deprived of his/her rights guaranteed to him/her under UK laws and/or is being denied due process of law. Consulate pursues instances of racial discrimination, domestic violence against women, etc. to help the person in distress.

Indian Consulate is restricted in the actions it can take in UK. Consular staff cannot replace specialist advisers such as lawyers.

31. What are the various time norms for other passport and consular services?