The Passport Seva portal, which had been temporarily down for technical repairs, has been restored ahead of schedule, allowing for the resumption of passport services. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Seva portal and the Global Passport Seva Project (GPSP) became fully operational as of 7:00 PM IST on September 1, 2024. This early restoration comes as a relief to both citizens and authorities who rely on the system for managing passport-related services.
Portal Restoration and Appointment Rescheduling
According to an official announcement on the Passport Seva website dated September 2, 2024, the technical repairs were completed sooner than expected, allowing the portal to reopen earlier than the initially planned timeframe. The portal’s downtime had caused a temporary halt in the appointment scheduling process, affecting numerous applicants.
To address this disruption, the MEA stated that appointments scheduled for August 30, 2024, would be rescheduled, and applicants would be notified of their new appointment dates. The swift action aims to minimize inconvenience for applicants who were affected by the temporary outage.
Government Warns Against Fraudulent Websites
Alongside the restoration news, the MEA issued a cautionary notice regarding a rise in fraudulent websites and mobile applications posing as legitimate passport service providers. These fraudulent platforms have been collecting personal data and charging excessive fees under the guise of assisting with online form submissions and appointment scheduling.
“The Ministry has discovered a large number of fraudulent websites and applications that gather applicant data and demand exorbitant payments in exchange for online form completion and passport appointment scheduling,” the MEA warned.
Among the websites identified as fraudulent are domains such as www.applypassport.org, www.online-passportindia.com, www.passportindiaportal.in, www.passport-india.in, www.passport-seva.in, and www.indiapassport.org. Many of these websites use domain extensions like .org, .in, or .com to mislead applicants into believing they are associated with official government services.
Guidelines for Rescheduling and Avoiding Scams
The MEA strongly advises citizens to avoid these fraudulent websites and to refrain from making any payments on these platforms. For those seeking passport-related services, the official website remains www.passportindia.gov.in, where genuine and secure services are available.
Applicants can also use the official mPassport Seva mobile app, which is available for download on both Android and iOS app stores. This app provides a secure alternative for managing passport applications, scheduling appointments, and accessing other related services.
Ensuring Secure Access to Passport Services
The early restoration of the Passport Seva portal marks a significant step in resuming essential services for Indian citizens. The MEA’s advisory highlights the importance of vigilance against online fraud, ensuring that applicants use only official channels for passport services to protect their personal information and avoid unnecessary charges.
