The ministry of external affairs has recently tweaked passport rules. Metro tries to decode how the new system changes the way a passport applicant books an online appointment and chooses documents while applying for the bluebook.

Normal passport before police verification

New rule: People applying for a passport for the first time under "Normal" category can get their passport without police verification if they submit the following documents while appearing for an interview at the Passport Seva Kendra:

• Aadhaar card

• PAN card

• EPIC (electoral photo identity card)

• An affidavit in form of Annexure I (format available on www.passportindia.gov.in)

"The Aadhaar database has been linked to the passport database. The moment an applicant submits his/her Aadhaar details, the passport department can verify them," a ministry official said.

Of the three identity documents, only the Aadhaar can be verified on the Internet in real time. Questions have been raised on how a passport officer would verify the other documents.

Earlier practice: People applying for a normal passport would have to wait for the police to carry out a physical verification of their address and check their crime record, if any.

What the change means: The police will conduct a verification after the passport is issued (as in the case of a Tatkal passport). This will save an applicant at least a month that the cops usually take to file a report.

How different the process is from that of a Tatkal application

• If you apply for a Tatkal passport, you are expected to get an appointment within two days. But for a "normal" passport without police verification, the date of appointment would depend on availability.

• For a Tatkal application, one has to pay Rs 3,500. But for a "normal" passport, the fee is Rs 1,500.

• Like in a Tatkal passport, one can get the bluebook by producing three/four requisite documents.

Booking an appointment

New rule: The new rule states an applicant will get to choose from a list of five dates available at the earliest. On clicking the "book an appointment" option, a calendar pops out offering the next five available dates the applicant can choose from.

Earlier practice: The date of appointment was generated by the system based on availability but the applicant did not have any say in choosing a date. Although there was an option to change the date of appointment, the new date generated would again be chosen by the system.

What the change means: Applicants from now can choose the date on which they wish to appear for the interview at the Passport Seva Kendra. The time of appointment, however, is still generated by the system.