Digital verification delays issue of passports in Mangalore

Digital verification delays issue of passports in Mangalore

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru: September 14, 2015: Venisa, 82, who is counting her last days wished that she would be able to attend her only grand daughter’s wedding at Abu Dhabi on September 15-19. She had applied for renewal of her passport on August 8, which never came. She had to cancel her visit.

 

It’s not only the case of Venisa, Rithesh had applied for his passport in August and had to report for training in USA by August last. For all reasons he may have lost an opportunity to go for training due to this delay.

Rithesh said, "Police said the there is a problem with the dongle required for digital signature verification. I was looking forward to go to USA for training. Hope the company gives me due consideration considering the delay has not been on my part."

Sources said passports are pending at the Police Commissioner’s office here for want of digital signature verification. The dongle required for this verification has not come and thanks to this, thousands of passports from a few weeks are stuck without being forwarded to Regional Passport Office, Bengaluru.

Travel agents say the delay has resulted in many new passports and renewals pending, in turn leading to cancelling flight tickets and other important programmes abroad.

Rithesh said the police, on his request had sent the hard copy of the passport to Bengaluru. But the assistant passport officer had informed him that nothing could be done at their end to update his status, unless Mangaluru police did the needful.

Shantharaju, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) admitted there was a hiccup at their end. "We have got the dongle and will be put into use immediately. We will show highest progress today evening and tomorrow. We have updated passports till 12 days back. After that we had a problem with the dongle,’’ he said.

Regarding if any applicant who is in urgent need of the passport, Shantaraju said, "If anybody needs urgently, we will send the hard copy by speed post. Last week we sent ten Haj applicants passport hard copies to Bengaluru by speed post and informed the passport office. They have got their passport."