Tatkal Passport Fees, Documents Required and How to Apply in 2024?
A Tatkal Passport is an ideal option for people who need their passport on an urgent basis due to any unforeseen reason. This service ensures that the passport is issued within a shorter duration of time compared to the standard passport application process.
If you are looking for details about tatkal passport, read on. In this article, we discuss the fees, application procedure, and documents required to apply for a Tatkal Passport in India.
What is Tatkal Passport?
A Tatkal passport is a type of passport issued by the Indian government for urgent travel needs. It is an expedited passport. The Tatkal scheme was launched to provide faster processing of passport applications. It allows one to skip the otherwise time-consuming passport application process.
The Tatkal scheme is available for both fresh passport applications and passport renewal application However, the fees for a Tatkal passport are higher than that of a regular passport.
Who is Eligible to Apply for a Tatkal Passport?
The Regional Passport Office determines whether to issue a tatkal passport. Remember that not every applicant is eligible to apply under the tatkal scheme. Thus, tatkal passport facility is not available for the following categories:
- Applicants Born to Indian Parents in a Foreign Country (Indian Descent)
- Individuals Deported to India from Other Countries
- A Person Repatriated from a Different Country
- Indian Residents Who Are Granted Citizenship Based on Registration or Naturalisation
- Residents of Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir
- Indian Citizens of Naga Origin but Residing Outside Nagaland
- Individuals Who Wish to Renew Short Validity Passports
- Applicants With a Major Change in Their Name
- Minor Residents of Nagaland
- Applicants Seeking to Re-issue Their Passports After It Was Lost or Stolen
- Applicants related to a criminal court case.
- Individuals Changed in Appearance or Sex. Changes in Personal Credentials (For Example, Signature) Are Also Not Eligible for a Tatkal Passport.
- Children who are adopted by Indian and foreign parents.
- Minors with a single parent.
- Applicants with adverse police report, put under watch list, habitual passport losers or who had earlier travelled on forged or fake passports.
- Children born out of wedlock and has single parent.
- Children born out of surrogacy.
- Passport damaged beyond recognition cases.
- Change of father/mother/spouse name.
Now that you know about what a tatkal passport is and its eligibility, let’s learn about its application procedure.
How to Apply for a Tatkal Passport Online?
Are you wondering how to apply for a tatkal passport? Follow these simple steps:
- Register on the official website of Passport Seva.
- Once you create an account on the portal, log in with your user ID and password.
- Select one of these two options – ‘Fresh/Re-issue’.
- Choose “Tatkal” as the scheme type.
- Download the application form and fill it in with relevant details, such as your name, employment type, family details etc.
- Submit the form online and complete the application procedure by making an online payment.
- Take a printout of the receipt and book an appointment at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).
Tatkal Passport Fees for a Fresh Passport Application
| Age of the Applicant | Number of Pages in the Booklet | Passport Validity | Normal Passport Fees | Tatkal Passport Fees |
| Below 15 Years | 36 | 5 Years | ₹1000 | ₹ 3,000 |
| Aged 15 to 18 years | 36 | 10 years | ₹1500 | ₹ 3,500 |
| Aged 15 to 18 years | 60 | 10 years | ₹2000 | ₹ 4,000 |
| 18 years or older | 36 | 10 years | ₹1500 | ₹ 3,500 |
| 18 years or older | 60 | 10 years | ₹2000 | ₹ 4,000 |
Tatkal Passport Fees for Re-Issue / Renewal of Passport
| Age of the Applicant | Number of Pages in the Booklet | Passport Validity | Normal Passport Fees | Tatkal Passport Fees |
| Below 15 Years | 36 | 5 Years | ₹1000 | ₹ 3,000 |
| Aged 15 to 18 years | 36 | 10 years | ₹1500 | ₹ 3,500 |
| Aged 15 to 18 years | 60 | 10 years | ₹2000 | ₹ 4,000 |
| 18 years or older | 36 | 10 years | ₹1500 | ₹ 3,500 |
| 18 years or older | 60 | 10 years | ₹2000 | ₹ 4,000 |
Tatkal Passport Fees for Replacement of Passport
| Reason for Replacement | Number of Leaves in the Booklet | Passport Validity | Normal Passport Fees | Tatkal Passport Fees |
| Lost, Damaged or Stolen | 36 | 10 years | ₹ 3,000 | ₹ 5,000 |
| Lost, Damaged or Stolen | 60 | 10 years | ₹ 3,500 | ₹ 5,500 |
| Change in Personal Particulars, Deletion of ECR | 36 | 10 years | ₹ 1,500 | ₹ 3,500 |
| Change in Personal Particulars, Deletion of ECR | 60 | 10 years | ₹ 2,000 | ₹ 4,000 |
| Change in Personal Particulars, Deletion of ECR (For Minors) | 36 | 5 years or till minor attains majority | ₹ 1,000 | ₹ 3,000 |
How to Pay the Tatkal Passport Fees?
For online payment, you can opt for the three following options:
- Internet Banking
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
You can also pay the applicable tatkal passport fees in cash at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra. Also, you can pay via the State Bank of India challan.
Documents Required for Tatkal Passport
You need to submit any 3 of the following documents to apply for a tatkal passport:
- Aadhaar Card
- Voter Card
- SC/ST/ OBC Certificate
- PAN Card
- Ration Card
- Arms License
- Service Identity Card
- Documents Of Property
- Gas Bills
- Driving License
- Birth Certificate
- Pension Documents
- Bank/Post Office/Kisan Passbook
- Identity Card of a Student from a Recognised Educational Institution
How Much Time Does It Take to Process Tatkal Passport?
Once your application is successful with the final status “Granted”, you can expect your tatkal passport to be dispatched within the third working day. This range of days is inclusive of the police verification and excludes the date of application submission.
In addition, if an applicant does not require police verification, he/she can expect the passport within 1 working day from the date of application.
Difference Between Normal and Tatkal Passport
The main difference between the two kind of passports is their processing time and hence the suitability for urgent travels. However, there are a few other differences as stated below:
| Point of Difference | Normal Passport | Tatkal Passport |
| Processing Time | 30-45 days | 1-3 days |
| Fees | Standard application fees | Increased Fee (as per above table) |
| Appointment | Needs prior appointment | Needs prior appointment as normal passport |
| Availability | Available for a large category of applicants | Some categories are classified as not eligible for tatkal passport. Thus, available for a smaller category of applicants. |
| Purpose | Suitable for regular travel requirement. | Required for urgent travel situations. |
| Proof of Urgency | Not required | Applicant usually needs to submit a proof of urgent need of travel. |
| Police Verification | Post Issuance Police Verification is done depending on case basis. | Pre or Post Police Verification passport issuance, depending on case basis. |
FAQs About Tatkal Passport in India
Does a tatkal passport require a verification certificate from a gazetted officer?
No, you do not require a verification certificate to get a tatkal passport.
What is an appointment quota for tatkal?
Two types of appointment quotas are available under a tatkal application. As a Tatkal applicant, you can book the same under a normal quota if you cannot schedule an early appointment.
Is there any online calculator to determine the Tatkal passport fees?
Yes, you can use the fee calculator tool available on the official website to know the details of Indian passport tatkal fees.
My passport got drenched in rain and damaged. I need to travel abroad soon. Can I get a tatkal passport?
Check your passport. If the details are legible, you can apply for a tatkal passport. However, if the details are damaged beyond recognition, you can’t apply for a tatkal passport.
Can I apply for tatkal passport for my minor child?
Yes. You can apply for a tatkal passport for your minor child, provided they don’t fall in any of the excluded category as mentioned above.
Do I need to wait for police verification to get my tatkal passport?
No. if your application status is “granted”, it will be issued without waiting for police verification.
Can minors get a tatkal passport if their parents have a criminal background or adverse police verification?
Yes, such minors can get a tatkal passport only if the competent authority or the regional passport officer approves it.
Is police verification required for tatkal passport?
No, generally police verification is not required under the tatkal passport scheme. However, it depends on case-to-case basis or may be carried out later.
Where can I check the exact tatkal passport fees?
You can check the exact tatkal passport fees using the tatkal passport fees calculator available on passport seva kendra website.
Can I change my normal appointment to a Tatkal one?
No. You can’t change the process. However, you can cancel the appointment and rebook under the tatkal scheme.
Can we apply for tatkal passport online?
Yes, we can apply for tatkal passport online on the official website of Passport Seva.
What is the colour of tatkal passport?
Tatkal passport is blue in colour as other regular passports. The blue colour differentiates these regular passports from any other official or special passports.
Is tatkal better than normal?
A tatkal passport is issued within a shorter duration of time, making it a better option if you need a passport urgently. However, it is more expensive than a normal passport, and not all passport offices offer tatkal services.
A normal passport is less expensive and has a standard processing time of 10-15 days, making it a better option if you do not require a passport urgently.
Thus, you can select the type of passport based on your requirements.
How many pages are there in a tatkal passport?
A tatkal passport has the same number of pages as a regular passport, which is 36 pages in India. However, there is an option to get a jumbo passport with 60 pages for those who travel frequently and require more pages for visa stamps and endorsements.
Does tatkal passport slots open daily?
Yes. Tatkal passport slots open as per the regular passport office opening days.
Is the appointment opening time for tatkal passport services same as that for regular passport services?
The appointment opening time for different passport offices might differ from the regular passport services. Check the details here. However, in case of Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs), where the demand is exceedingly high, the appointments would be opened at the same time, as for normal services.
Is the tatkal passport fee refundable?
No, the passport fees once paid cannot be refunded. However, if you are unable to attend the appointment on the scheduled date, you can reschedule it up to a maximum of twice in a year. Post that, the application will be cancelled, and you will need to reapply.
Can you get tatkal passport in 2 hours?
No, the normal processing time for tatkal passport is 1-3 days. Hence, you might not be able to get a tatkal passport in 2 hours.
Can we apply for tatkal passport offline?
No, tatkal passport can be applied only online on the passport seva official website.
Why tatkal passport is costly?
Tatkal passport is costly for the simple reason that it is processed on priority basis as compared to a normal passport.
Do I need to be physically present for tatkal passport policy verification?
Yes, if at all, police verification is done for your tatkal passport, you must be physically present for it.
However, generally police verification is not required under the tatkal passport scheme. It depends on case-to-case basis or may be carried out later.
Can you book tatkal passport 2 days before/ 48 hours before?
Generally, tatkal passport processing time is 1-3 days. However, you should apply a little in advance unless it's some urgency that can't be avoided.
Are there any disadvantages of tatkal passport?
Though tatkal passport is an appropriate solution to urgent travel needs, it might have certain disadvantages. Some of these are:
- Tatkal passports are considerably costlier than the normal passports due to their priority processing.
- Tatkal passport services are limited to certain sections of people and cannot be utilised by all.