Police visit must for passport verification

The Mumbai state home department has issued a Government Resolution (GR) requiring police officials to visit the homes of Indian passport applicants to verify their identity and prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining Aadhaar and PAN cards. The move comes in response to concerns over organised gangs involved in anti-India activities.

Mumbai: Concern over illegal immigrants obtaining Aadhaar and PAN cards to get Indian passports, the state home department on Monday issued a Government Resolution (GR) making it mandatory for police officials to visit the homes of Indian passport applicants in their jurisdiction in order to complete the verification process. Although the rule is not new, the GR stresses its stricter implementation to curb the menace of organised gangs illegally obtaining Aadhaar and PAN cards to get Indian passports and are involved in anti-India activities.

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Various central agencies have brought this to the notice of the state government.

The police will run a background verification for criminal records, each verification must also have a mandatory visit to the home of the applicant so that a passport is not granted to a non-Indian, according to the GR.