Ahmedabad: Passport applicants will no longer be required to go to police stations for verification, according to a circular issued on Tuesday by DGP Law and Order, Shamsher Singh. The goal of this initiative is to streamline the verification process and enhance its user-friendliness.

The circular instructs police stations not to summon applicants for verification. Instead, police officials will take on the responsibility of verifying the applicant’s background and ensuring the absence of any criminal history.

In accordance with the updated regulations, police officers will visit the home of applicants only if there are particular grounds to suspect fraudulent or unlawful activities. In all other instances, verification will be conducted remotely, ensuring convenience and efficiency for passport applicants. This change is expected to significantly reduce the time and effort required for passport applications.

The decision was prompted by concerns about a high rate of passport rejections due to the absence of applicants at home during verification visits.

Sources also suggest that the circular was issued in response to complaints about corruption and unnecessary hardships faced by applicants, which were brought to the attention of the DGP. DeshGujarat