An Indian passport is an official document to verify one’s Indian citizenship. Wherever you travel around the world, your identity as an Indian will be intact with your Indian passport. It is essential to have a passport to travel internationally and claim your identity globally. Without a valid Indian passport, you cannot leave or re-enter India. Most countries require a travel visa for entry. Without a passport, the visa cannot be issued. So, make sure to apply for passport ahead of time when planning an overseas trip because you won’t get very far without having it issued.
We all love traveling as it is an everlasting experience. Whether you travel for studies, employment, or a vacation, you will come across different cultures, people, and places. These exposures shape us for good. It is blissful to absorb every picturesque sight that comes our way while traveling. Even memories of old trips make us hum our inner hymn. We all hope for a getaway from the daily monotonous routine. Traveling worldwide, exploring places never seen before is a fantasy for almost everybody. But when the exotic much-awaited opportunity finally arrives, our excitement and preoccupation make us overlook some important things. Traveling can be a pleasurable and most satisfying activity if you are well equipped for it. Let’s list some important things to keep in mind while traveling with an Indian Passport.
Get your Indian passport made in advance.
Some people rise to the thought of a passport only when they start preparing for travel overseas. As you know, you won’t get further than the checking gate at the airport without a valid Indian passport. Also, keep in mind that the visa and everything else depends on it. You require a passport to apply for any visa, and it takes sufficient time to get ready. Do not make this silly mistake and apply for a passport beforehand. And if you don’t have time for the offline process, you can go for an online passport application, from any passport seva online portal.
Learn about visa rules applicable for Indian passports.
If you want to travel abroad and hold an Indian passport, you must first learn about the visa requirements of those countries for Indian citizens. For instance, if you wish to travel to the U.S.A, you have to plan way ahead from the desired departure date as the visa procedure is a bit lengthy. On the other hand, if you plan to travel to the Maldives from India, you don’t have to bother about the visa procedure. Visa rules of countries worldwide get changed from time to time. So, it is necessary to be informed about it before traveling. Knowing these update rules will only make your travel easier.
Keep a copy of your Indian passport.
Always keep a copy of your passport along with your luggage when traveling. In case you lose the passport while on the trip, a passport copy will save you. You can visit the most neighboring police station with your passport copy to report. Afterward, visit the Indian embassy to request a temporary passport and let them know where you are staying.
Check if your passport needs a name update.
In case you have changed your name or the last name because of a marriage or other reasons, it’s necessary to update your Indian passport with your new name according to Indian law. You may face difficulties if you travel with a passport carrying your old name. To update the name in the passport booklet, you have to apply for a re-issue of the passport. If a typographical mistake on your name or date of birth is there in the passport, getting the error corrected right away is essential.
Check the passport expiry.
It is advisable not to travel with a passport that is facing expiry soon. Different countries have distinct sets of rules regarding this. Some countries will not let you travel if your passport faces an expiry date in six months. Look through the list of countries that follow this kind of rule before planning a trip. Indian passport holders are allowed to apply for a re-issue of the passport if the passport is likely to expire in a year.
Make sure you have blank passport pages left before traveling.
Indian students holding Indian passports are all over the world these days. If you are a frequent traveler between your study destination and India or even travel to other countries, you may run out of pages. Some countries offer their citizens the choice of paying extra and buying a passport with added pages. Unfortunately, India doesn’t provide that. So if you are an Indian passport holder and run out of pages, you’ll have to apply for a new one before traveling.
Safety Measures
Passport is the foremost thing while traveling abroad. When you are in a foreign land with a passport indicating your Indian citizenship, it is essential to keep it safe and readable, at least until you reach back India. For this very reason, put your passport in a water-tight plastic bag to prevent water from seeping into your passport, or you can get a passport holder. The holder resembles a small carry pouch and enables you to keep your passport and cash.
Take care of your passport from damages.
Seldom even trivial damage to the passport could result in you having to apply for a re-issue of the passport. Damages are analyzed on a case-by-case basis. The passport officer concludes the degree of damage depending on how readable the passport is. Any ink smudge, tear, or water spillage can delay your long-awaited travel plans. Check for any damages beforehand and take good care of your passport to dodge too many visits to the passport office.
Final words
As the article suggests, it is imperative to maintain a passport to prove your Indian citizenship in any niche of the world. It’s one thing that you have to carry and keep safe as if it is your child when wandering in a faraway land. Make a checklist and verify all of the points mentioned above before planning an international trip with an Indian passport.
