Passport Reissue
What is passport reissue?
The
Passport office usually has two main issuing functions – they either issue out
new passports or reissue an old passport.
For
instance, If a citizen of any country has ever been issued a passport before, (No
matter how long ago it was or whether the passport was used or not) to either replace
the passport or get new booklet, he or she can only re-apply under the
“reissue” category.
All
passports expire. These passports remain valid until the date of expiry after
which they become inadmissible for travel purposes or as legal means of
identification.
Why
would I need to a reissue of my old passport?
Apart from
the passport being expired, there are several other reasons why an individual
may want his/her passport reissued, they include:
Change
in personal information:
Changes to
personal information displayed on passport like:
·
Name:
maybe because of marriage, or wrong spelling, or printing errors.
·
Date of birth:
Mainly due to mistakes, mismatch or misprint made on the passport or the birth
certificate.
·
Address:
Due to change of address, mistake, misprint, spelling error, etc.
Used
up pages:
·
Any passport that has all its pages
filled out with stamps or inoculation certificates, etc. this means that the
booklet has been exhausted and can no longer be used for travel.
·
Once this happens, the passport
holder is to request for a reissue of his/her passport and even a booklet with
higher number of pages (60 page booklet)
Damaged
passport:
·
If for any reason the passport is
disfigured or damaged, the holder must apply for a reissue and will make sure
return the old booklet to the passport office.
·
Even when damage is very minimal,
such that the embossed logo on the passport cover, the printed details, the
stamps or the certificates inside the passport are still very much readable, we
still recommend that the holder applies to get a reissue.
·
Passports with any defect, no matter
how small can cause a lot of embarrassment for the individual while travelling
or when using it as a means of identification.
·
Damage in this context may imply
spilling of liquid on the passport booklet which obscure information makes
printed texts unclear.
Lost
Passport:
·
If a passport holder misplaces his passport
booklet, he/she must first of all file an FIR at the local police station. He
will then take a copy of this FIR and submit alongside an application for
reissue at the Passport Office.
·
The passport owner can suffer great
losses his identity is stolen as a result lost passport.
·
These cases are often treated as
matters of National security because terrorists can use these lost passports to
impersonate themselves as citizens.
·
The owner of the lost or stolen
passport must immediately report to the police department before going to the
Passport Office.
·
If the passport was misplaced or
stolen abroad, the owner should her country’s embassy or post in that country
and report the incidence.
Validity
due to expire / or has expired within 3 years ago:
·
Passport holders should apply for
reissue if old passports have expired less than 3 years ago or will be expiring
in less than a year or so.
·
Validity periods for passports
reissued before the old booklet expires will usually be for a longer period of
time.
·
After expiration of the passport,
but less than 3 years after, the passport holder can use the same process to
apply for a reissue.
·
If however 3 years have passed, then
the holder must use a different process to apply for a new passport, which is:
Validity
expired over 3 years ago:
·
If the passport has expired for over
3 years, the holder must use a different process to apply for a reissue.
·
Passport reissue can also be seen as
being an extension of the validity of a passport to be used for travel or as a
means of identification.
Passport
Reissue Documents
Outlined
below is a list of statutory documents that you are to present when
applying for a passport reissue. The Passport Office may however demand additional
documentation depending on situation they are dealing with;
1.
Proof of Identity: A
legally acceptable document which contains your personal details like; your
name, contact details e.t.c, appearing as it is on all other official records
and as you will want it on your passport.
2.
Proof of Age: A
legally acceptable document that corroborates the applicant’s name and also
contains his/her date of birth. Presenting a birth certificate will usually
serve the purpose.
3.
Proof of Address: : A
legally acceptable document that confirms the applicants place of residence as
it is mentioned in his application form.
4.
Passport Photographs: PSKs
would usually have cameras meant to take passport photographs of applicants
installed, however, you may still be asked to provide 2 recent passport photographs
of yourself.
5.
Former booklet: Passport offices will usually demand
that the applicant return his / her old or expired or damaged booklet.
6.
Self-attested copy of first and last
pages of booklet: The applicant must submit alongside
his application for reissue, the first two and last two pages of the former
booklet which must be self-attested by him.
7.
Letter of Appointment with PSK: A printout of the final page of the online booked
appointment that confirms payment, date and time of appointment with the PSK
should be brought along
Police Verification before Reissue
As
soon as the application is received, the Passport Office makes on whether the
case would need Police Verification or not, if it does; then they will
determine if its pre or post police
verification in passport.
For
instance, if the applicant’s personal details such as, name and address e.t.c. has
not changed in the new issue, that means the Passport Office may be needing
only a post-Police Verification.
However,
if the application is bearing a different name or address, the Passport Office
will be performing a pre-Police Verification so as to validate the details that
have been provided by the applicant.
This decision
is made based on the Passport Office’s records, and also the availability of
all that is needed to perform the necessary verification (depending on the
number of applications the office has received).
The
exceptions to the different types of Police Verification exercise that will be
decided by the Passport Office in cases of reissue will be based mainly on
whether it is:
·
It is a case of lost or misplaced or
stolen passport or;
·
It is a case of change in the
personal details of holder.
