TN police to use app for verifying passport applicants

The Tamil Nadu police will soon implement a mobile app for passport verification on a pilot basis in three districts, said a senior Ministry of External Affair official here on Monday.

He also said handwritten passports were not valid any longer and those holding the same have to get it exchanged for a digital passport.

Speaking to reporters, K. Balamurugan, Regional Passport Officer, Chennai said: "The Tamil Nadu government has agreed to use a mobile software application loaded in a tablet to ease the process of police verification needed for issuance of a passport."

According to Balamurugan, there will not be any paperwork for the police as every detail will be available on the tablet. He said the central government pays around Rs. 150 per verification to the police department for reports submitted within 21 days and Rs. 50 for reports submitted beyond that.

He said the the police department can easily finance the purchase of tablets out of the passport verification fee. For applicants who submit Aadhar card, PAN card, Voter Identity card and an affidivit on criminal cases, passports would be issued within four days on post-police verification basis.

According to Balamurugan, a total of around 4.10 lakh passports -- fresh and renewal -- were expected to be issued in the Chennai region.

--IANS

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