Over 355,000 passports issued in Ghaziabad through 2025

We issued the highest number of passports in 2025 and took up various initiatives to reduce pendency,” said Anuj Swarup, regional passport officer

Ghaziabad: The regional passport office in Ghaziabad issued a total of 355,094 passports in 2025, the highest since it started in June 1997, said officials.

The regional passport office in Ghaziabad caters to applicants from Agra, Aligarh, Baghpat, Bulandshahar, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hathras, Mathura, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Shamli and Saharanpur. (HT Archive)

According to the official figures, the passport office issued a total of 355,094; 323,286; and 319,676 passports in the years 2025, 2024, and 2023 respectively.

The statistics also indicate that police clearance certificates, required by several countries, were also issued to the tune of 11,308; 12,763; and 14,862 in 2025, 2024, and 2023 respectively, said officials.

The data shows that the passport office at Ghaziabad issued 288,039 passports during the pre-Covid year of 2019, while the figures dropped to 109,009 during the peak Covid year of 2020. The figures further improved during the post-Covid years.

“We issued the highest number of passports in 2025 and took up various initiatives to reduce pendency,” said Anuj Swarup, regional passport officer.

Officials familiar with the development said that the passport office has already established a dedicated grievance redressal cell for customer support, while walk-in service has been made more effective.

Passport Lok Adalats were organised in November and December, 2025, and the regional passport officer interacted with the applicants for redressal of their files, said officials, adding that six passport Melas were also organised at Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) at Vrindavan, Agra, Baghpat, Bulandshahar, Meerut, and Noida in 2025.

The officials said that it has a Passport Seva Kendra at Sahibabad in Ghaziabad, while 11 other districts, except Shamli, have a presence of POPSK each.

“The figure of passports issued in 2025 is the highest since the passport office in Ghaziabad came into existence in 1997. To achieve the high number of passports, the office also deployed mobile van throughout the year across 14 government organisations and renowned academic institutions. Under a special drive, additional appointments were opened on Saturdays at Passport Seva Kendra and POPSKs, and the office remained open on 33 Saturdays during the year to ensure timely delivery of passports and other services to citizens,” said an officer from the passport office.

The regional passport office in Ghaziabad caters to applicants from Agra, Aligarh, Baghpat, Bulandshahar, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hathras, Mathura, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Shamli and Saharanpur.