Passport network expands six-fold in last decade; 1.5 cr services delivered in 2025: MEA official
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- The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has significantly expanded its passport services network over the past decade.
- In 2025 alone, 15 million passports and related services were delivered, with 500 passport centers now operational nationwide.
- The ministry also noted an increase in visa-free and visa-on-arrival destinations for Indian citizens.
India's passport services have undergone a dramatic expansion, with the number of passport centers increasing six-fold in the last decade, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official.
We opened 10 POPSKs last year, and this year another 10 will be opened.
Marking the 14th Passport Seva Divas, the official revealed that the country now boasts 545 Passport Kendras, a substantial leap from the 77 centers operating ten years prior. This expansion facilitates the delivery of millions of passports and related services annually. In 2025 alone, 15 million such services were provided, including 13.9 million passports.
47 countries have a visa on arrival for Indians and 66 countries offer electronic visa for Indians.
The efficiency of the process has also improved, with the time spent at Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) averaging less than 45 minutes, excluding police verification. The ministry plans to further enhance accessibility by opening an additional 20 POPSKs this year.
The event marks the anniversary of the Passports Act of 1967 and serves as a reflection on the modernization of India's passport infrastructure.
Beyond domestic services, India has also expanded its global reach for citizens. The number of countries offering visa-free entry to Indians has risen to 27, up from 16 in 2019. Additionally, 47 countries provide visa-on-arrival, and 66 offer electronic visas for Indian passport holders. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" vision for the success of the Passport Seva Programme, highlighting digital advancements like the upgraded PSP V2.0 and the global rollout of GPSP V2.0, including chip-enabled e-Passports.
The MEA has achieved significant digital milestones, including the successful operationalisation of the upgraded Passport Seva Programme (PSP V2.0) domestically and the deployment of the Global Passport Seva Programme (GPSP V2.0) at diplomatic missions worldwide to better serve the Indian diaspora.
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Originally published by Times of Oman. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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