My passport application was rejected. Can I appeal?

What the Law Says

The Passports Act, 1967 governs passport issuance and rejections in India. Section 15 specifically provides the right to appeal against an order refusing to issue a passport.

If your passport application is rejected, the law gives you two levels of appeal. First, you may submit a written representation to the Regional Passport Officer who passed the rejection order. If that is dismissed or ignored, you may file a formal appeal before the designated appellate authority — the Passport Officer (Appeals).

The appeal must be filed within 30 days from the date of the rejection order. A fee of Rs. 500 is payable with the appeal. The appellate officer must decide the appeal within 60 days of receipt, unless extended for reasons recorded in writing.

Statutory Text

Any person aggrieved by an order made under this Act may, within thirty days from the date of communication of such order, prefer an appeal to the officer authorised by the Central Government in this behalf.

— Passports Act, 1967, s. 15 — Appeals

Statutory Text

Every appeal under this section shall be in writing and shall be accompanied by a fee of five hundred rupees.

— Passports Act, 1967, s. 15 — Appeals

What to Do

Sources