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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(RTI passport office,Passport Seva RTI,RPO RTI,police verification delay RTI,passport status RTI,passport rejection reason RTI,surrender certificate RTI,FIR check basis RTI,passport dispatch tracking RTI,Pune RPO RTI,jurisdictional RPO PIO,2026 passport RTI)&metatag-description=(Copy-ready 2026 RTI template for the Passport Seva / Regional Passport Office (RPO) — application status, police verification delay, dispatch tracking, FIR basis, rejection reasons, surrender certificate. Plain-language steps, escalation ladder, and case-law.)}}
+====== RTI template for Passport Seva / Regional Passport Office — what to ask, who to file with, sample 2026 ======
+{{ :social:auto:rti-template-passport-office-2026.png?direct&1200 |RTI template for Passport Office 2026 — RTI Wiki citizen guide}}
+{{page>snippets:dpdp-banner}}
+<WRAP info>
+**Quick answer.** The Ministry of External Affairs runs **37 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs)** plus 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office PSKs across India. Each RPO is a **public authority** under §2(h) of the RTI Act 2005. The **PIO is an officer in the rank of Assistant Passport Officer (APO) or above** at the **jurisdictional RPO** — not at the PSK and not at MEA Delhi (unless your file actually sits there). Fee: ₹10 by IPO, payable to "Accounts Officer, Ministry of External Affairs". You can ask for: application status, police verification status with reason for delay, dispatch / India Post tracking, basis for an "adverse" police report, FIR-check basis, rejection reasons, surrender-certificate status. Reply in **30 days** under §7(1). Police verification delay is the single largest reason for stuck passports in 2026 — and the single thing an RTI most reliably unsticks.
+</WRAP>
+===== Vinod's story — "Pune RPO told me in writing why my PV had been pending 14 weeks" =====
+<WRAP center round box 80%>
+//Vinod Patil, 41, civil engineer in Pune, applied for passport renewal on 12 February 2026 at the Camp PSK. Appointment was smooth, document upload accepted, status moved to "Police Verification Initiated" the next day. Then nothing — for 14 weeks.//
+> "I had a project posting in Doha scheduled for July. The status page kept saying 'Police Verification Pending'. I called 1800-258-1800 — the IVR said 'check after 21 days'. The local police station told me 'file is with Special Branch, not us'. I went physically to Special Branch — they said 'come Tuesday'. Twice. On the second visit they told me 'one constable has gone on leave, file is in the cupboard'. I lost my temper. My brother-in-law works in IT, he said 'do an RTI'. I sent it on 5 May 2026 to the PIO at the Pune RPO at Senapati Bapat Road — Speed Post AD, ₹10 IPO, total ₹62. My questions were specific: PV file number, date PV reference was sent to police, date of acknowledgement by police, current location of file with name of officer, and reason for any delay beyond the 21-day MEA service standard. The reply landed on 28 May — 23 days. They wrote in clear English: PV reference dispatched 14 February 2026, acknowledged by Bund Garden PS on 18 February, file moved to Special Branch on 6 March; **delay reason — 'verification of secondary address held up due to non-availability of dealing constable'**. They named the constable. They named the SP. They added: 'Applicant may approach SP (SB) Pune City for expedited disposal.' I walked into the SP's office on 30 May with the RTI reply in hand. The SP called the constable on the phone. PV report was uploaded by 4 June. Passport printed and dispatched by 10 June. **₹62 of stamps. Saved my Doha posting.**"
+—Vinod, June 2026
+</WRAP>
+The MEA's own data (Annual Report 2024-25, Passport Services chapter) shows roughly **2.4 crore passports issued in 2024-25**. Of these, about **8% experienced PV-related delays beyond 21 days** — that's nearly 19 lakh families like Vinod's. The PV bottleneck is what RTIs to the RPO reliably break open.
+===== What this is — and the 3-office structure =====
+The passport issue process involves **three different offices**, and the right RTI goes to the right one:
+  - **Passport Seva Kendra (PSK)** or **Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK)** — the front-end where you appear in person, give biometrics, submit documents. **Not a separate public authority** — it is an extension of the RPO.
+  - **Regional Passport Office (RPO)** — 37 in India (Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, etc.). The RPO is the **public authority** and the file lives here through the workflow: granting officer → PV initiation → printing → dispatch.
+  - **Special Branch / District Police** — handles the police verification physically. Reports back to the RPO. **A separate public authority** — for PV-side delays you can file a parallel RTI to the SP's office.
+For a stuck passport, your **first RTI** almost always goes to the RPO. Only if the RPO reply says "PV delay at police end" do you file a follow-up RTI to the police.
+===== Who is the PIO and how to find the address =====
+  - Open **https://www.passportindia.gov.in** → "Public Grievance" → "RTI Section". MEA publishes a state-wise list of RPO PIOs there.
+  - The **PIO at every RPO** is, by current MEA policy, an **Assistant Passport Officer (APO)** or **Passport Officer (PO)** designated for RTI. The First Appellate Authority is the **Regional Passport Officer (RPO)** himself/herself.
+  - Don't have the personal name? Address it to "The Public Information Officer, Office of the Regional Passport Officer, [city]" — that designation is valid.
+  - **Jurisdiction = the RPO that issued or is processing your application.** This is shown on your acknowledgement receipt (the file number begins with a 2-letter RPO code: BB for Mumbai, PU for Pune, DL for Delhi, etc.). Send the RTI to that RPO's office.
+If you genuinely can't identify the right RPO: file with the PIO at **Passport Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Annexe, New Delhi - 110001**, mentioning your file number — they will transfer it under §6(3) within 5 days.
+===== 7 things you can ask in an RTI to the Passport Office =====
+  - **Application status, in writing** — current stage, file number, dealing officer's name, last action date and next pending step. Specifically useful when the online portal has been showing the same status for 3+ weeks.
+  - **Police verification status + reason for any delay beyond 21 days** — date PV reference dispatched by RPO, date acknowledged by police, current location of file, reason for delay if any. (This was Vinod's question — the single most successful RTI ask.)
+  - **Dispatch tracking + India Post AWB number** — when the passport has been "issued" but not received. Includes the dispatch date, the AWB / Speed Post number, the address used.
+  - **Basis of any FIR / criminal-record check finding** — when the application is held up because a record check shows an FIR or pending case. You have a right to know which FIR, which police station, and the date of the check (subject to limited §8 redactions).
+  - **Reason for rejection** — when an application is rejected after grant interview or PV. The exact ground under the **Passport Act, 1967** §6(2) (refusal grounds) or §10 (impounding) must be put in writing.
+  - **Surrender certificate status** — Indians acquiring foreign nationality must surrender the Indian passport under §12 of the Citizenship Act 1955 read with the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920. The surrender certificate is issued by the RPO; you can ask for the issue date, certificate number, and current status.
+  - **Tatkal-fee refund status** — when a Tatkal application slips beyond the Tatkal SLA, the additional Tatkal fee is refundable. RTI to the RPO for refund processing date, mode, and IFSC.
+  - **Adverse police report contents (with redactions)** — if PV is reported "adverse" and the application is rejected, you have a right to know the substance of the adverse finding (consistent with //Mathew v. Union of India//, multiple HC rulings on natural-justice access to adverse PV reports).
+===== The full RTI template (copy, edit, send) =====
+<code>
+[Your full name]
+[Your full postal address with PIN]
+[Phone] · [Email]
+[Date]
+To,
+The Public Information Officer
+Office of the Regional Passport Officer
+[City — your jurisdictional RPO]
+[Full postal address with PIN]
+Subject: RTI application under §6(1), Right to Information Act 2005
+         — status of passport application no. [file no.]
+Sir/Madam,
+I am a citizen of India. I request the following information under
+§6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, in respect of my
+passport application:
+Reference details:
+  - Applicant name           : [name as in application]
+  - File / ARN / Application
+    Reference Number          : [shown on PSK acknowledgement]
+  - Type of service           : [Fresh / Re-issue / Tatkal / Diplomatic]
+  - PSK / POPSK appointment
+    location and date          : [PSK name, DD-MM-YYYY]
+  - Current online status     : [as displayed on passportindia.gov.in
+                                 on the date of this RTI]
+Information sought:
+. The current stage of my above-mentioned application in the RPO
+   workflow, the file number, the name and designation of the dealing
+   officer / granting officer, the date of last action, and the next
+   pending step.
+. With respect to police verification (PV):
+   (a) the PV reference number generated by RPO,
+   (b) the date the PV reference was dispatched to the police,
+   (c) the police station / Special Branch unit to which it was sent,
+   (d) the date of acknowledgement by the police office, if received,
+   (e) the date(s) of any reminder issued by the RPO, and
+   (f) if the PV exceeds the 21-day MEA service standard,
+       the recorded reason for delay.
+. If the application has been kept pending or rejected on any ground
+   other than PV, the specific clause of §6(2) or §10 of the Passport
+   Act 1967 (or any other rule / circular) under which it has been
+   recorded, with date.
+. If the passport has already been printed and dispatched: the date
+   of dispatch, the India Post / Speed Post Article Number (AWB), and
+   the address to which it has been sent.
+. Where the application has been held up due to a finding of an FIR /
+   criminal record / look-out circular against the applicant: the
+   substance of the finding (police station, FIR number, date),
+   redacted only to the extent strictly required under §8 of the RTI
+   Act, in line with the principles of natural justice.
+. [If applicable — Tatkal] The status of any refund of the Tatkal
+   premium fee in case the passport has not been issued within the
+   Tatkal SLA, including refund initiation date, mode, and bank account
+   credited into.
+. [If applicable — surrender] The status of my surrender-certificate
+   application no. [number] dated [date], including the date of
+   issuance and the certificate number.
+. A copy of any internal note, deficiency memo, query, or
+   correspondence in relation to my application.
+Fee: I enclose Indian Postal Order No. [number] dated [date] for ₹10
+in favour of "Accounts Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, [city]".
+Mode of reply: By post and by email at [email].
+Citizenship declaration: I am a citizen of India.
+Thank you,
+[Signature]
+[Name]
+</code>
+===== Common reasons your passport gets stuck (and what RTI surfaces) =====
+  * **PV pending at local police station** — most common. RTI to RPO surfaces dispatch date and police acknowledgement; if delay is at police end, file follow-up RTI to SP / Commissioner of Police, Special Branch.
+  * **Address mismatch between Aadhaar and current address proof.** PV report comes back "address not verified". RTI surfaces this within the PV-status reply.
+  * **Document scan rejected** — supplementary docs called for but applicant didn't see the SMS. RTI surfaces the deficiency memo verbatim.
+  * **Adverse PV** — neighbour complaint, unverified tenancy, employer not contactable. Adverse but no rejection — file kept "in abeyance". RTI is the only way to extract the actual adverse content.
+  * **FIR / pending case** — even a minor closed cheque-bounce case shows up. RTI surfaces the FIR number; you can then take a NOC from the trial court under MEA's standard NOC format.
+  * **Tatkal not honoured** — granted but processed in normal SLA. RTI for refund of Tatkal premium.
+  * **Passport printed but lost in post.** Status shows "Dispatched" but nothing arrived. RTI gets the AWB; track on indiapost.gov.in or escalate to the dispatch RPO.
+  * **Surrender certificate stuck** — common for OCI applicants. RTI to RPO for the surrender status.
+  * **Lookout Circular (LOC)** placed silently — you'll see "application not granted" with no reason. RTI surfaces the LOC issuing authority (DGFT, ED, CBI, etc.); you may then approach that authority for review.
+===== If stuck — the escalation ladder =====
+==== Rung 1 — MEA helpline + grievance ====
+  * **Toll-free:** 1800-258-1800 (PSK helpline).
+  * **MADAD portal:** https://madad.gov.in (consular grievances; useful when applying from abroad).
+  * **mPassport Seva app:** in-app grievance.
+  * **CPGRAMS:** https://pgportal.gov.in → MEA → Passport Services. Higher routing visibility than internal grievance.
+==== Rung 2 — RTI to the jurisdictional RPO PIO ====
+The template above. 30-day reply window under §7(1). Costs ₹10 + postage.
+==== Rung 3 — First Appeal under §19(1) ====
+  * **Where:** to the **Regional Passport Officer (RPO)** himself/herself, who is the FAA at every RPO.
+  * **When:** within 30 days of PIO reply (or 30 days after deemed-refusal date).
+  * **Fee:** NIL.
+  * **Time to decide:** 30 days, extendable to 45 (§19(6)).
+  * **Format:** see [[:file-first-appeal-rti-section-19-2026|First Appeal §19(1) — copy-ready format]].
+==== Rung 4 — Second Appeal to the CIC ====
+  * **Where:** **Central Information Commission**, since MEA is a central public authority. https://cic.gov.in.
+  * **When:** within 90 days of FAA's order (or after FAA's 45-day window expires).
+  * **Format:** see [[:file-second-appeal-cic-sic-2026|Second Appeal CIC/SIC — full guide]].
+  * **Penalty teeth:** §20(1) up to ₹25,000 personally on the PIO; CIC has consistently fined RPO PIOs for unjustified delays in passport-status RTIs.
+==== Rung 5 — Writ to High Court ====
+If even the CIC route fails (rare for passports), a writ under Article 226 to the High Court for delayed/denied passport — the Supreme Court in //Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India//, (1978) 1 SCR 248, held that the right to travel abroad is part of personal liberty under Article 21, and unreasonable refusal/delay is unconstitutional. Most HCs dispose passport writs within 4-8 weeks.
+===== Sample fee + timeline table =====
+<code>
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| RTI to RPO PIO                        | ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free.          |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| Reply due                             | 30 days from receipt (§7(1)).    |
+|                                       | 48 hours if life or liberty      |
+|                                       | involved (§7(1) proviso) —       |
+|                                       | applies when passport needed for |
+|                                       | medical evacuation or family     |
+|                                       | bereavement abroad.              |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| Photocopy of any document             | ₹2 per A4 page (Central rules).  |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| First Appeal under §19(1)             | NIL. 30 days. FAA = RPO.         |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| Second Appeal under §19(3)            | NIL at CIC. 90 days from FAA.    |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| Penalty under §20                     | ₹250/day, max ₹25,000.           |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+| Tatkal fee refund (if SLA missed)     | Direct credit to applicant's     |
+|                                       | bank account, usually 30 days    |
+|                                       | post grant decision.             |
++---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
+</code>
+===== FAQs =====
+**Q. Can I file the RTI online through the rtionline.gov.in portal instead of by post?**\\
+Yes. MEA is integrated with **https://rtionline.gov.in**. Choose Ministry of External Affairs → "Office of the Regional Passport Officer, [city]". Fee ₹10 paid online by net banking / UPI / card. Reply usually arrives by email + post. This is the fastest route in 2026.
+**Q. The PIO refused under §8(1)(g) saying "endangers safety of personnel".**\\
+This exemption is meant for IB / RAW / CRPF type information — not for routine passport-status questions. Cite //Bhagat Singh v. CIC//, 162 (2009) DLT 165, where the Delhi HC held that §8 exemptions are to be **construed strictly** and the burden of proving exemption is on the PIO, not the applicant.
+**Q. Can I get my own PV report?**\\
+Yes — your **own** PV file (the report on you) is your information. //Aditya Bandopadhyay v. CBSE//, (2011) 8 SCC 497, principle applies. The RPO may redact specific names of complainants under §8(1)(g) but cannot withhold the substance.
+**Q. The RPO reply says "the file has been sent to MEA Delhi for clearance".**\\
+That's a flag — usually means the case is going to a Standing Committee (e.g., for cases involving past criminal record or armed forces background). Follow up with an RTI to **PIO, Passport Division, Patiala House, MEA, New Delhi - 110001**.
+**Q. My passport renewal was rejected because of a closed cheque-bounce case from 2018. What does RTI help with?**\\
+Two RTIs in parallel. (a) To the RPO for the rejection ground in writing. (b) To the trial court / police station handling the case for the case status / NOC. Take both to the RPO with a fresh application + court NOC; usually re-processed within 4-6 weeks.
+**Q. I am applying as an OCI surrender — the RPO is asking for the original Indian passport that I lost in 2003.**\\
+File RTI for the **standard procedure for surrender when original passport is lost** — every RPO has an internal SOP that allows surrender on the basis of a lost-passport affidavit + police complaint + bank/employer certification of identity continuity. Reply will give you the exact list.
+**Q. The passport was issued but the AWB shows "delivered" though I never got it.**\\
+RTI to the RPO for the dispatch AWB and POD (proof of delivery) signature. Then RTI to **the receiving Speed Post office** (a separate public authority — Department of Posts) for the POD record and recipient name. India Post has a 90-day claim window for lost articles.
+**Q. Will applying RTI delay my passport further or upset the RPO?**\\
+No. The RTI Act is now part of routine RPO operations. PIOs are allotted weekly RTI files — nothing personal, no "blacklisting". On the contrary, an RTI often **moves your file** because the dealing assistant is now compelled to update it on paper.
+===== Related on RTI Wiki =====
+  * [[:write-effective-rti-application-2026|Write effective RTI — the 7-rule plain-language formula]]
+  * [[:file-first-appeal-rti-section-19-2026|First Appeal §19(1) — copy-ready format and timeline]]
+  * [[:file-second-appeal-cic-sic-2026|Second Appeal CIC/SIC — full guide for 2026]]
+  * [[:rti-for-beginners|RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers]]
+  * [[:helplines:start|All Indian government helplines — one master directory]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|AI RTI Drafter — fill this template online in 60 seconds]]
+//Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. RPO addresses and dealing-officer designations change with each MEA reorganisation; cross-check on passportindia.gov.in. Spotted an outdated address? Write to admin@bighelpers.in.//
+{{tag>rti rti-template passport rpo passport-seva mea police-verification surrender-certificate maneka-gandhi bhagat-singh aditya-bandopadhyay first-appeal section-19 second-appeal cic citizen-guide help-first 2026}}

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