Fit to fly? Check your passports first, says RPO

Fit to fly? Check your passports first, says RPO

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:12.12.2021

If you are planning to travel abroad, it would be prudent to check that your passport is valid and in order, the Regional Passport Office, Hyderabad, said in an advisory issued on Friday.

“Many international travellers may not realise that having an unexpired passport is sometimes not enough to obtain visas or to enter certain foreign countries. Indian citizens travelling on passports which may expire in less than six months should renew their passports before any upcoming international travel,” said RPO (Hyderabad) Dasari Balaiah.

The RPO also urged parents to check passports of their minor children too as it is of a shorter validity period of 5 years unlike 10 years for adults.

Regarding booklets, RPO said that some countries did not accept passports which may have fewer than two pages remaining.

As a result, the passport holder should check if there are enough pages. As there is no provision of additional booklets/visa sheets, such applicants will be required to apply for re-issuance of passport. To avoid such hassles, frequent flyers can opt for jumbo passport containing 64 pages.

In case of applicants exhausting maximum number of appointments, they can approach the RPO for rescheduling their appointment, the advisory said. Applicants can also visit public enquiry counters (PECs) in Regional Passport Office between 9.30 am and 4 pm on all working days with all relevant documents for redressal of their grievances or any passport-related assistance, the RPO advisory said.