Passport tracking: Here’s What You Need to Know

My friend was surfing the internet yesternight, checking for places which she could visit on her trip to Paris. All the luggage had been packed. Two days from now, she will be taking off for Paris. While the phone was in her hands only, her passport application caught her eye. She had applied for her passport almost 20 days ago and was still devoid of it. 

Apart from stuff like clothes and other belongings, you need to be mindful of your documents too, while boarding a flight to another nation. But, how could she know what stage her passport was at? Don’t panic. This blog is the solution for the same. 

In this blog, we shall try to take you through why and how to track passport status and answer some related queries. So that, when you are about to take off, you have everything in your hands! 

Things you need to know before tracking passport status

Once you set out on tracking your passport status, there is certain information that the passport tracker asks for. They are as follows:

1. Application type: what is your application type? Is it regular or tatkal? 
2. Reference number: It is a unique number assigned to each applicant to identify their passport. It is crucial to know your reference number in order to track your passport status.
3. Date of birth: Your date of birth mentioned in your official documents should be remembered during passport tracking.

How to Track my Passport: Step-by-step Process

Here’s the step-by-step guide on passport tracking:

1. Select the 'Track Your Application Status' tab on the official passport website.
2. Choose the type of application from the list of options in the drop-down menu.
3. Click on 'Track Status' after entering the 15-digit file number and your date of birth in the format specified. Your application's current status will be displayed onscreen.

Common issues while tracking for a passport:

After knowing the procedure of passport tracking, let us now encounter some common issues that people face while tracking passport status.

Issue 1: the status of the entered file number is not available in the system. 

Issue 2: Undelivered status

Issue 3: The application was submitted more than a year back

Issue 4: Your passport might have been dispatched a month back and has not been returned to us.

Frequently asked questions

Q1- Why is my passport taking so long? I was told in the post office that it would take 15 days.

The Covid 19 pandemic has brought the world almost to a halt. Due to restricted travel, less staff, and other such reasons, the passport applications are being blocked and hence, your passport might be delayed. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, passport applications were processed at a much faster rate.

Q2- Where do I search for passports online or offline?

For online mode, the government has created an app called mPassportSeva. Here you can look for your passport status.

To track passport status offline, you can use the following means:

3. National call center: To obtain your passport's current status, call the National Call Centre's toll-free number, 1800-258-1800, and speak with a Citizen Service Executive. Even if you call outside of business hours, the Automated Interactive Voice Response (IVRS) will provide you with the information you need.
4. SMS: You can also check the status of your passport via SMS. Send an SMS to 9704100100 from your registered phone number.
5. Passport Seva Kendra can also be used to track passport status (PSK). You can also send them an email to inquire about the status of your passport.

Q3- How do I know if my passport is ready for collection?

If your passport is ready for collection, you will be notified through an email or SMS, saying your passport is “Ready for Pick Up”. You can go to your selected location and get your passport.

Q4- How can I get my passport acknowledgment number?

The Letter of acknowledgment is an official document that is given to you when all the paperwork is done at the PSK. In case you haven’t received it yet, kindly connect to the Passport Seva customer service.