My Tryst with the Indian Passport Office

If you are one of those Indian’s that breaks out into a sweat, gets all agitated and hassled at the thought of having to deal with our government bodies for any sort of work, then you might sympathize with me.


If you or anyone you know has ever applied for a passport in the good old “passport agent days” you know what I mean when I say that agents that helped with making passports seemed like a boon as you didn't have to wait in never ending queue’s and sweat it out trying to get your passport application submitted. 

For those of you that are planning to apply for your passport (new/re-issue) I hope my entry will answer a few questions.

In December of 2012 my passport was due to become invalid and so I decided to start the procedure of getting the passport renewed. The process of passport application/renewal seems fairly simple on the passport office website.

1. You create a login for your application on the website: http://www.passportindia.gov.in
2. Download the form that can be filled offline and then uploaded to the website OR you can fill the form online itself. Best part of the online form is that you can return to it later in case you are interrupted while filling it.
3. Once you upload your application form on the website, you will then be able to upload supporting documents that are required to be carried with you to the passport office. Please note the following important pointers:
1. If you are applying for a re-issue passport, please do not believe the online document advisor that states that only a photocopy of your old passport (first and last 2 pages) would be required along with application form. The truth is that you need to carry in original and 1 photocopy the following documents:
1. the old passport in original and photocopy of front and last 2 pages of the same
2. residence proof - even if you address hasn’t changed and is the same as on the old passport
3. ID proof
4. Date of Birth proof
5. Graduation Certificate (if applicable)
2. Uploading the documents on the website would in no way mean that you will not be required to carry the originals and photocopy to the passport office. The only good uploading the document does is that the people at the passport office will not have to do it themselves.
3. For address proof, keep 2 supporting documents, just in case they ask you for something other than the one you wish to give them.
4. To get an appointment at the PSK (Passport Seva Kendra) please check the time that passport office starts the booking online. For Mumbai it is 3 pm daily. Keep in mind if you log in at 3:10 pm you will get a message saying no more appointments available. That is how quickly appointment slots get taken. So if you do want to be BS’ed around for 2 months like I was, log in at 3 pm (or whatever time it is for your city) sharp and get your appointment.
5. Try to get you appointment in the first half of the day, it’ll probably ensure you have to make just one trip to the PSK.
6. The website tell you to arrive at the PSK 30 mins prior to your appointment time, unless you have a tatkal application you might want to go earlier. The queues are horribly long.

All the above is just the preparation stage. Getting your passport application through (new or renewal) seems like cooking now. I hate cooking just for the record. LOL that aside, now for the fun facts..

• Your documents will be checked at every stage. When you arrive at the PSK, the security will check your application form and then go ahead and frisk you before sending you inside.
• Once inside you stand in a queue that is long (unless you are the lucky first few to have arrived at the PSK that day). The queue for tatkal, reissue and fresh applications are separate so ensure you stand in the right queue.
• Once you arrive at the counter, they will check your documents, they may or may not ask for your originals at this stage (i wasn't asked, person before me was). If they find all your documents to be in place, you will be given a token number and sent ahead.

If you have your token, congratulations you have 3 more critical steps before you are done.
Your token allows you to enter the office, where your application is processed through counters A, B and C.

Counter A is where all your documents will be checked against the originals. Payments will be taken for your passport application. Fingerprints and photographs taken (see why agents can’t do this for you anymore), etc.


Counter B and C to be honest I have no clue what they do, but they do check your documents again and ask you questions (sometimes). Once all 3 counters are cleared you are a free man/woman again, all thats left is to collect an acknowledgement letter for your application and leave.


Please note that while the last 2 steps seem like something that will happen quick, it won’t unless ofcourse yours is a tatkal application. Tatkal applicants gets preferential treatment ensuring that you finish your work in the same day. You even get your passport within 2 days of application (only tatkal applications).

Facilities available at PSK’s:

• ATM
• Photocopying
• Coffee/snacks

What I recommend:

• If you are like me and by that I mean easily bored, then carry a book or ipod/mp3 player along. The waiting periods can be gruesome otherwise.
• Freshen up after you get your token if possible, else you look horrid in your passport photograph.
• Ask for help if you are not sure of something, they are well government employee’s so don’t expect them to go out of their way, but they will help out.

If you have any doubts, feel free to ask questions, I will help as best I can.

Sway

I close my eyes & wait,

To watch that sexy gait.

As you walk to me & say,

"Hold my hand & sway"

And sway I do with you,

For life, this I must do!

I fear if I didn't sway,

I'll live not another day!

Sad Day

Ahh it is a sad day today. I woke up feeling good, especially since Whiskey seemed to be in an extremely good mood. He even ran outside and played for a little while, something he never does during the daylight hours as he's really shy around other humans.

While playing with him, he happened to jump on my phone and when I picked it up to check if it was ok, I noticed a text message from my friend and ex-housemate. Her labrador "Bubbley" passed away today :-(

She will be loved and missed for sure. May the little darling's soul rest in peace.

Judgement Day - May 21st 2011 (What a laugh)

Image by JoetheLion via Flickr

How many times have we heard about the end of the world? Year 2k was meant to be the end of the world and yet here we are, predicting another end of the world.

*Fair warning to all sinners: Repent as you will be judged next weekend!!*

People seem to have a lot of time on hand from the looks of it. And boy are they shameless. They are proven wrong and still they will give you that sheepish smile, think up some lame-ass excuse for the world still rotating like it did the day before and then go back into their tower of thought and cook up another theory, twist around a few more verses from the "Holy" Bible and announce a new date for "Armageddon"

Abortions - Is it always a bad thing?

Image via Wikipedia

As humans we are quite a judgmental lot. We like to form opinions about people, add our sense of morality to other people's decisions and lifestyles. And when we are questioned about it, we say that its all a part of us being  social animals.

Recently, a friend had to make a decision. She had to decide whether the baby she'd conceived was one she could keep. After considering where she stood at the present moment in her life, she decided that it was not right to get a baby into the world. Her decision to abort the child was however opposed by people who believe she's committing a heinous crime.

Its sad really the sorrow and grief and self-doubt that our so called "society" can put us through. I've spent quite some time counselling my friend and helping her understand that the decision to keep or not keep that child was her's and her's alone.

There are various reasons why a lady might consider abortion. Lets look at a few:

1. Teenage pregnancy 
2. Bad financial conditions
3. Single and alone and smart enough to know that she cannot provide sufficiently for the kid
4. Victim of rape
5. Not being prepared to shoulder the responsibility.

Now consider this, if a teenager carried a child full term and had the child, people will then look at her and call her a slut, but if she chose abortion she'd be called a sinner. In either case she's been judged. Likewise in any other scenario. 

We as individuals, living together in a society need to stop judging and dictating other people's life. Its just wrong on so many levels.

Movie Review: Thor - Starring Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins & Natalie Portman

Yup, this weekend was movie weekend. I worked hard in the kitchen (got a few cuts while working with the knife to prove it) and I watched movies. Well 2 movies. "Limitless" that I wrote about yesterday and "Thor", is what I watched today.

Did I like the movie: Hell yeah!!!! Like I said earlier on in some post or the other, I love anything thats not real!! Movies based on Marvel Comics.....even better. I loved Iron Man, Iron Man 2 not so much, but I still liked it. Thor.....mmmm was great fun. The movie is well made, starts of fantastically with Thor landing on earth immediately followed up with a flashback of how he ended up being on earth powerless etc. Story moves on at a remarkably good pace. 

Movie Review: Limitless - Starring Bradley Cooper & Robert De Niro

Its my two-pence opinion, so if you haven't watched the movie and watch to keep an open mind about it etc etc, stop reading right here (like hell yeah....you never gonna be able to do that)

So after reading about this movie from a friends blog post and another friends FB update, I decided I would give it a shot. Both said the exact opposite things, so I wanted to see for myself. Anyways, got the movie and watched it. Now if you don't know anything else about me, you should know this, anything that is not real fascinates me. My mind doesn't like the mundane everyday stories of loved and lost or hardships and trials and crap of that sort. I mean yes, they might make a good watch, but life is crappy enough without movies making your heart sink with every twist in the plot.

Chef's Corner

Image by MarxFoods.com via FlickrI couldn't sleep. I said my usual good night's and even fell asleep for about 30 mins, when Whiskey my love decided it was time to jump on my tummy. So I'm awake, like wide awake. I get on my puter, as is the case, no sleep means its puter time. I login in to Second Life and cruise the clubs. Finally hung out with some friends blah blah blah....

Later I got some prawns (shrimps) and I already had some dried prawns (shrimps) laying around at home. So I decided to cook it all up. Here's there results....infact let me do one up on that. I'll give you the recipe's ;)