After receiving passport with change of name after marriage for my wife, it was time for my passport to be re-issued. Change required was – correction of name of spouse. It had already filled the whole application online and submitted earlier. I was waiting for my wife passport to get dispatched to schedule my psk appointment. I got the appointment for the next day in psk ameerpet.

After going through details and document advisor, I had gone with following documents – self attested xerox copy as well as original.

1. Wife passport (self attested by her)
2. Aadhaar card – I was looking for address as here. Address printed in my earlier passport was correct but compressed to exclude some important details. Since re-issue was being done, I was looking for this change also.
3. marriage certificate – to affirm the old spouse name as endorsed in my current passport.
4. wife old passport – to support old spouse name as endorsed in my current passport
5. my passport

Reaching to PSK

You need to take U turn at matrivanam circle (since there is no right turn allowed there because of one way) and reach Aditya trade center following the road from ameerpet left turn. This left turn leads to the temple area where again left turn needs to be taken. Take another first left to get on to the matrivanam road (one way). It is kind of clumsy to write it in words. If you don’t get it, try google map.

Once you reach there, you can use the HUDA paid parking for four wheeler. It will cost you INR 20 per hour. You will likely incur anywhere between 60 to 100 based on number of hours at PSK. If you are lucky, you may find a parking in a tree shade.

When to reach PSK

Your reporting time is mentioned on the appointment receipt. Reach there at least 1/2 hr in advance. I entered PSK at around 1.50pm for the appointment scheduled at 2.15pm. They put a queue outside the psk also to enter. Reaching few minutes before the appointment time will not harm. Reach too early will not help either since you will be held outside the building itself by security.

What to carry

Nowadays, security is asking to sign all copies of documents (self attest) outside the psk only to speed up process. I also found many people signing their copies outside and asking other attendees for pen etc. It is good to carry your stationary like pen, stapler with you. It is good to self-attest all your copies at home on front side below, arrange in order and keep in a pouch. I suggest to keep all your originals in a separate pouch to avoid fumbling and dropping some original ids outside or inside PSK. I also suggest to carry a backpack or other bag to keep all your belongings – 1) copies of documents 2) originals 3) appointment receipt handy in hand 4) stationary like pen, stapler.

Since my appointment was around lunch time, I carried my lunch box also. Their is a snack counter serving coffee, noodles, puffs (if I remember correct) etc. but not lunch.

Token number (stage 1)

Once you enter the psk first entry gate, you queue yourself on any of the counters. This stage is to ensure that you have all the required documents and their originals. They check your application specifics and attach required copies; also verify them against originals; make a file and ask you to wait. Then, they assign a token number to your file and ask you to come to desk. You collect your token number printed on a half page of paper with some bar codes and your file. This is when you are ready to enter second entry gate of the PSK. The security swipes your token bar code and let you enter through the gate.

Multiple queues (stage 2)

Your token print will also explain that you have to go through 3 steps aka 2 queues namely A, B and C – finally exit the center.

1. There are large LCD displaying tokens against counters. E.g. B1 – 441 that means B1 counter is requesting person with token 441 to reach him. When you see your token, run to the counter. If you are delayed, it might get skipped.
2. Queue-A is fastest. B slower and C slowest typically.
3. Overall it took me no wait time for A, 1hr for B, 2 hrs for C and .5 hr to collect my acknowledgment receipt near to exit door of the PSK. These numbers are roughly there. I exited around 5-45pm.
4. Queue B n C move slowly in morning hours and faster in evening hours. This is empirical data. I founded officers on C queue to speed up as the day was closing around 5-6pm.
5. If you enter the PSK first thing in morning say 8am, you may exit before lunch time. Otherwise, it is very likely to go post lunch time. Person sitting next to me entered around 11-30pm exited by 4-30pm,
6. It seems volume of application processed each day seem to have increased. I found PSK highly crowded this time compared to my last visit 2 years back. People did not have enough seats to sit and have to stand. That is likely the price to pay since you are able to get appointment as soon as next day nowadays.
7. Once you come in – you wait for you token number to flash against a counter. It flashes against counter in A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 etc.

Queue A

– is managed by TCS employees. This step is to scan all documents, edit anything in your application, take your photo, finger prints of all fingers & thumbs, and e-ready your application in their web application. There is one screen that is facing your side. As the executive edits your application, you can see everything. I kept my eyes on the screen to ensure that all data was correct.

Especially, I was looking for my address to be accurate and see what to compress and what not to. In case of address, it is tricky because of character and line limits. As you would have seen, that you might have to compress (your address) much more when submitting your application. This is your last chance to still try to edit it with the executive. Further, the address – as it will appear on passport – is little different than how it shows while editing. For example: even though the editing screen shows address as ” ..cyberabad..” – on print screen, it shows as Hyderabad. When I asked him, he did shows me in a screen how it will look – as printed on my passport. The person was patient enough to allow me to take another snap since my hairs were clumsy in my first snap. (You will have to leave with this picture on your passport for 10 years).

One edit was done in my passport application. I had selected “personal details change” -> spouse name addition when filling my application online. He edited it to use “personal details change” -> others (spouse name change). Once he is done, your application is in queue B.

I saw one person had put neighbors address as in west Bengal – not local to Hyderabad. His application got pushed back from queue B to queue A. This step is meant for all data entry.

Queue B

– is managed by government passport officers – to verify all documentation. If the application passes this step, it is likely you will get through.

1. People who have not done full homework and missing some required documentation – will be asked to go and come next day or so with missing documents.
2. Application with contention may get forwarded to head- passport officer sitting in the cabin “AP-01”. As far as I understand, contentious applications are resolved by him and you token will flash in this queue optionally.
3. Because of the heavy traffic – there is decent amount of load on each passport officer. I suggest not to test their nerves. Stay calm and avoid unwanted arguments. Of course, in case of any invalid reason to reject your application, you may have to defend.
4. If you have solid documentation backing your application, it will breeze through. Otherwise in case of minor or subjective issues with your application, your success might depend on your luck, allotted passport officer and his/her patience. He may straight off reject it, focus on minor issue or may be considerate. Needless to say – having solid documentation is must.
5. There is a waiting hall, and wait area near queue-B counters. Stay near counter B area when your token number is in range of 10-20 from the current running token number. This is to avoid getting your token skipped.

Queue-C

This step handles 2-tier validation before marking your application approved. AFAIK, this stage also decides whether police verification is required or not. Officer will cross check with your original documents again here. Keeping your all originals in a separate pouch helps here also. Make sure you collect your all originals while moving out of counter A, B or C. In case of re-issue, the current passport will be stamped “extended by issue of new passport” on counter C. Make sure you hand over correct passport to the person. He might be in hurry in case of crowd. Stamping different passport will make it invalid! Keep the token number also safe with you until you exit.

Cabin before Exit

After queue-C, you will collect acknowledgment receipt from a cabin near exit door. It is opposite C counters and manned by TCS staff. He will print the acknowledgment on taking your token number paper. This receipt will mention summary of your application. Before exit, ensure you have collected all your belongings; if you need to take a leak, rest rooms are only inside psk btw. Congratulations! You can now exit.

Security outside the exit door ensures that you have left your file in psk. You can now secure your receipt in your bag, pay the parking fee and leave for your home. I did so and await the passport arrival through speed post.

Over and out.

Update: my passport currently shows status as “Passport application has been granted to applicant on 23/07/2014. Your application is under processing. You would receive an e-mail/sms once the passport is dispatched” after roughly 3 weeks from psk visit.

update: my passport now shows status as “Your Passport has been printed and You would receive an sms/e-mail once the passport is dispatched” after roughly 4 weeks from psk visit. I had also opted for paying INR 30/- to receive status update using SMS and I am receiving SMS whenever status changes.

Final update: I received the passport through speed post last week. It came after around 5 weeks since my psk visit. The SMS update for speed post dispatch was incidentally delayed and came after I had received the passport.