Ministry of External Affairs will include the facility for applying for Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs) at all online Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) across the country from September 28.
The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will include the facility for applying the Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs) at all online Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) across the country from September 28, it said in a statement on Monday.
This facility is being introduced to address an unanticipated surge in demand for PCCs, the ministry informed. The increasing demand for PCCs is an indication that a large number of Indians are returning to their jobs abroad.
This step would significantly add to the availability of PCC appointment slots, and at an earlier date, said the statement. This step will also improve the experience of citizens while availing of passport-related services.
The Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal ministry for the issuance of passports. Police Clearance Certificates are an essential requirement while applying for passports and are a pre-requisite for the issuance of passports to applicants. Often, the issuance of the PCCs by the local police in the process takes time which results in a delay in granting of passports.
The ministry’s action of extending the PCC application facility to online Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) will help Indian citizens seeking employment abroad and also meet the demand for other PCC requirements, such as in the case of education, long-term visas and emigration, as per the consular, Passport and Visa Division of the MEA.
Police Clearance Certificates are issued to Indian Passport holders in case they have applied for residential status, employment, long-term visa or immigration.
