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Government Services

Passport Police Verification: Status, Documents and Delays

After your PSK visit, police check your address and record. The report comes back clear, adverse or incomplete, and an adverse report can be re-verified.

RM

Written by Rohan Mehta

Published 10 October 2026·6 min read

On this page8 sections
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After your PSK visit, the local police check your address, identity and record, then send a Police Verification Report (PVR) marked clear, adverse or incomplete. A clear report on a normal application means dispatch within three working days of the PVR reaching the Passport Office. An adverse report can be re-verified.

Key facts

Item Detail
Who verifies Police at the address given in your application form
Default mode Pre-police verification (before the passport is issued)
Dispatch after a clear PVR (normal, pre-verification) Within three working days of the PVR reaching the Passport Office
Post-verification and Tatkaal dispatch Third working day after you submit the application, without waiting for the PVR
MEA target for police to submit the PVR 21 days (2016 press note)
Track status Track Application Status on passportindia.gov.in, or call 1800-258-1800
Adverse report Contact the Passport Office; re-verification can be requested

This page picks up after your Passport Seva Kendra visit. For the application itself, fees and appointment booking, see our guide on how to apply for a passport online.

When police verification happens

The Passport Seva portal lists three verification modes. The Passport Office decides which one applies to you.

Mode When police verify Normal passport dispatch
Pre Before the passport is issued Within three working days of the PVR reaching the Passport Office
Post After the passport is issued Third working day after the application is submitted
No No verification Third working day after the application is submitted

Most fresh applications go through pre-police verification. The portal says a first-time normal applicant who gives Aadhaar, voter ID (EPIC), PAN and an Annexure-E affidavit is processed on post-verification, with no extra fee, once the Aadhaar number is validated online. Tatkaal passports are also issued first and verified later.

Some cases skip verification or change mode:

ItemDetails
Government employeesan Identity Certificate (Annexure A) means no verification, an NOC (Annexure G) means post-verification, and a Prior Intimation letter (Annexure H) means pre-verification.
Minorsusually no verification if a parent holds a valid passport and both parents sign Annexure D. Children aged 15 to 18 who choose a 10-year passport are verified first.
Re-issuefresh verification is done if your old passport expired more than three years ago.

Documents to keep ready

The officer checks that you live where your form says you do. Keep these at hand for the visit or the police station call:

  • The originals of the documents you showed at the PSK, especially your proof of present address and proof of date of birth
  • Your application acknowledgement with the 15-character file number
  • Aadhaar, and your PAN and voter ID if you have them
  • A rent agreement and a recent utility bill if you are a tenant
  • Details of every address you lived at in the past year. You need proof only for your present address, but the form asks for all of them.
  • Your gazette notification or name-change papers if your name has changed
  • Court permission to travel abroad if a criminal case is pending against you

You can apply at any Passport Office, but verification always happens at the address in your form. If you lived in more than one place, verification can be done at both your permanent and present addresses.

Reading the verification status

  1. Go to passportindia.gov.in and click Track Application Status under Passport Services.
  2. Select the application type.
  3. Enter your file number and date of birth, then click Track.
  4. Read the latest status on the Status Tracker screen.

The tracker usually moves from police verification being initiated, to the report being received, to the passport being granted and dispatched. If a message is unclear, call the national call centre on 1800-258-1800. It is toll-free and you can enter your file number on the phone menu.

Clear, adverse and incomplete reports

Report What it means What to do
Clear Police found your details correct Wait for grant and dispatch; track the speed-post number
Adverse Police did not recommend issue, for example over an address mismatch or a pending criminal case Contact the Passport Office for the reason and seek re-verification
Incomplete The officer could not finish the check, for example over missing documents or not finding you at home Contact the police station or Passport Office and complete the check

For an adverse report, the portal’s advice is to contact the Passport Office to learn the reason. After you clarify, a re-verification can be requested, and the office needs a clear report from it before issuing the passport. Common fixable causes include moving house after applying, having no nameplate, or being away when the officer came.

A post-verification passport is not safe either. The portal notes a passport can be impounded or revoked later if the report is adverse.

If the Passport Office rejects your application or impounds or revokes a passport, you can file an appeal. Log in to the portal, select Log Appeal, choose the application and submit. You get an appeal number.

Delays and how to escalate

If verification has not moved in weeks, work up this ladder:

  1. Call the police station that covers your address and ask whether the file has reached them.
  2. Call 1800-258-1800 and register a grievance. You get a service request number to track it.
  3. File a grievance online under Feedback and Grievances on passportindia.gov.in, then use Track Grievance Status.
  4. Visit the Passport Office enquiry counter, generally open 10:00 to 13:00, with your file number.
  5. Email the MEA Public Grievance Cell at passport.pg@mea.gov.in, or file on CPGRAMS.
  6. If the MEA does not resolve it in reasonable time, approach the Directorate of Public Grievances at dpg.gov.in.

For a trip that cannot wait, the portal notes Tatkaal applications are issued on post-verification. A passport is only step one; our comparison of forex cards, credit cards and cash covers spending abroad.

Frequently asked questions

How long does passport police verification take?

It depends on your police station. The MEA set a target of 21 days for submitting the report when it launched the mPassport Police app in 2016. A normal pre-verification passport is dispatched within three working days after the report reaches the Passport Office.

What does an adverse police verification report mean?

Police did not recommend issuing the passport, often because of an address mismatch or a pending case. Contact the Passport Office for the reason and ask for re-verification.

Is police verification done for Tatkaal passports?

Yes, but after the passport is issued. Tatkaal passports are dispatched on the third working day after submission, without waiting for the report.

Does police verification happen at my permanent address or present address?

It happens at the address in your application form. In some cases, police check both your permanent and present addresses.

My verification has been pending for months. What should I do?

The portal advises visiting the Passport Office concerned. You can also register a grievance on 1800-258-1800 or on the portal and track it with the service request number.

Can I get a passport if a court case is pending against me?

Yes, if you attach court permission to travel abroad. A short-validity passport, normally for one year, is usually issued, subject to the court order.

Is police verification needed for a minor’s passport?

Generally not, if a parent holds a valid passport and both parents consent through Annexure D. The Passport Office makes the final decision.

Sources

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