MEA notice on revised rules for passport changes

MEA notice on revised rules for passport changes 

Neha.Madaan@timesofindia.com  10.04.2025

Pune : Citizens can now add the name of their spouse to their passport without submitting a marriage certificate, thanks to the introduction of Annexure J option. 

A senior passport official said the new guidelines of ministry of external affairs (MEA) would significantly simplify the passport amendment process.

 “The joint photo declaration (Annexure J), signed by both husband and wife now serves as a valid alternative to the traditional marriage certificate requirement that many found difficult to fulfill,” Pune’s regional passport officer Arjun Deore told TOI. 

“Given that MEA is streamlining the documentary process, this change addresses a significant regional disparity. In Maharashtra, marriages are registered by default. But in northern states, many don’t register marriages and thus, don’t possess marriage certificates,” said another senior passport official. “So MEA has given the option of joint photo declaration as an alternative,” the official added.

Technical glitch hits passport servers nationwide for 2 days

Technical glitch hits passport servers nationwide for 2 days 

DOWNTIME 

Creates Chaos At Key Centres, Appts Affected Neha.Madaan@timesofindia.com 10.04.2025

Pune : The technical glitch plaguing passport servers nationwide continued for a second day on Wednesday, with applicants across major cities expressing frustration as appointments continued to be cancelled or delayed. Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, and other cities witnessed chaos as server issues that began Tuesday worsened, affecting numerous applicants who had scheduled appointments months in advance.

 “The server problem persisted even on Wednesday pan-India. We are trying to sort the issue as soon as possible, and everything should run smoothly soon,” a senior passport official said. “The PSK Pune-Ghorpadi office has not been operational since yesterday due to server issues. I had an appointment at 3.30pm but received no message or email informing me of any cancellation. I’ve been waiting since 12.30pm,” said Mahsku Phadtare, an applicant who urgently needed to travel abroad for work.

 “Officials are only giving one response: ‘Reschedule your appointment or visit Solapur PSK’. This is extremely difficult when I need to travel urgently for professional commitments.” The Mumbai RPO acknowledged the crisis on social media, posting: “Appointments for passport applications at all PSKs/POPSKs under RPO Mumbai are suspended till 1pm today (Wednesday) due to server issues. Affected applicants may reschedule the appointment to a further date.” It later added that applicants would receive an additional chance to reschedule if they had exhausted their three

allowed attempts. 

Parents of minor applicants have been particularly affected. Rahul Singhvi said on X: “My child missed school because of a scheduled passport appointment. It would have been really helpful if we had been informed earlier.” Pallav Kadhi, a businessman from Warje, told TOI, “We had been standing in extreme heat outside the passport office gate for hours Wednesday, and finally they told us to leave, stating: ‘All passport services were suspended for April 9. Additional chance for applicants to reschedule will be further communicated.’

Now, add spouse’s name to passport sans marriage cert

Now, add spouse’s name to passport sans marriage cert

Neha.Madaan@timesofindia.com 10.04.2025

Pune : Citizens can now add the name of their spouse to their passport without submitting a marriage certificate, thanks to the introduction of ‘Annexure J’ option. 

A senior passport official said the new MEA guidelines would significantly simplify the amendment process. “The joint photo declaration (Annexure J), signed by both husband and wife, now serves as a valid alternative to the traditional marriage certificate requirement that many found difficult to fulfill,” 

Pune’s regional passport officer Arjun Deore told TOI.

“Given MEA is streamlining the documentary process, this change addresses a significant regional disparity. In Maharashtra, marriages are registered by default. But in northern states, many don’t register marriages and thus, don’t possess marriage certificates,” said another senior passport official. 

The ‘Annexure J’ form serves as a joint declaration in lieu of a marriage certificate for passport applicants. The document requires passport applicants to declare their name and residence, and affirm that they are married to their spouse, stating they have been living together as a married couple. The applicant must request that their passport be issued or reissued with their spouse’s name included. The form includes a solemn affirmation that all provided information is correct. 

“A designated space is provided for a self-attested joint photograph of the husband and wife. The form must include the place and date of signing, along with signatures of spouses. Additional details required include names, Aadhaar card numbers, voter ID numbers and passport numbers (if available) of both parties,” Deore said