2.9 Crore Indians Traveled Abroad This Year Amid Simplified Passport Process

New Delhi: The Indian government has made significant strides in simplifying the passport issuance process, benefiting millions of Indian citizens. As a result, more than 2.9 crore Indians have traveled abroad this year. This information was shared by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in response to a question raised by Congress MP Shakti Singh Gohil in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Simplified Passport Process for Citizens

Explaining the benefits of the easier passport application process, Minister Singh highlighted that any applicant in India can now apply for a passport from anywhere in the country, regardless of whether their current residential address falls within the jurisdiction of the selected Regional Passport Office (RPO). Citizens can also apply, pay, and schedule appointments via the "M-Passport Seva" mobile app. Additionally, the government has successfully integrated DigiLocker with the Passport Seva Program (PSP) system, allowing citizens to submit necessary documents for passport services digitally without needing paper-based submissions.

According to the data provided by the Minister of State, the number of citizens traveling abroad has consistently increased over the years. During the pandemic, in 2020, 7.3 million Indians traveled abroad, and in 2021, the number rose to 8.5 million. This trend continued to rise sharply, with 21.8 million Indians traveling in 2022 and 28.1 million in 2023. As of December 8, 2024, 29.1 million Indian citizens have already traveled abroad this year.

Rising Demand for Passports

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs revealed that by November 2024, various Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) across India received a total of 12.37 million passport applications, out of which 11.85 million passports were successfully issued.