HIGHLIGHTS
- Remembering your passport expiry date will be hassle-free now as you will get text reminders for passport renewal
- Your Passport Seva Kendra or office will send you two reminders by SMS
NEW DELHI : Since many people forget to renew their passports on time,
Passport Seva Kendras or offices have started sending out reminder alerts
before the expiry of their passport.
The
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said SMSes are being sent to passport
holders before expiry of their passport starting September 2019. Two SMS are
being sent to the concerned passport holders – one before 9 months and another
before 7 months of the date of expiry of their passport.
“This
has been initiated by the ministry as a citizen friendly proactive service
delivery measures to the valid passport holders. As part of the SMS, citizens
are also informed about the authenticate website of the Ministry
www.passportindia.gov.in for online submission of application related to
passport services,” MEA said.
A
typical such SMS message for passport renewal reads like this: “Dear
Passport Holder, Your Passport KXXXX949 will expire on XX-Feb-20. Apply reissue
at www.passportindia.gov.in or mPassport Seva App. Please ignore, if applied”.
Most
countries allow people to travel with passports with a minimum validity of six
months and travelers often realise that their passport is about to expire only
at the last minute while booking their flight tickets.
An
ordinary passport for adults is valid for 10 years from the date of issue and
can be renewed for another 10 years while the validity of a minor’s passport is
restricted to five years or till they attain the age of 18, whichever is
earlier.
A
recent report of the world’s most powerful passports had ranked Indian passport
at number 82 as it gives visa-free entry to 58 destinations all over the
world.
SOURCE businessleague.in
