Ahmedabad RPO issues passport to a family in just 2 hours for emergency travel to US

In a compassionate response, the Ahmedabad Regional Passport Office issued passports in just two hours for a grieving family, enabling them to swiftly accompany their loved ones to the US for a funeral. Pratik Parikh, accompanied by his wife Kavina and daughters Divisha and Prisha, urgently needed travel documents to attend the last rites of Pratik's father, Gopal Parikh, who passed away on August 1.

The family encountered a hurdle with the passports for Pratik's daughters. Pratik, a Maninagar-based businessman, told ToI, "My relatives informed me about the possibility of an emergency visa, but the challenge lay in obtaining passports for my daughters."

Prisha's passport was due to expire within six months and required renewal for visa purposes. Divisha, however, did not possess a passport at all," he added.


Acting swiftly, Wren Mishra, the regional passport officer in Ahmedabad, attested, "Recognizing the urgency of the situation, we expedited the passport issuance process and ensured all their documents were in order. By noon (Thursday August 3), printed passports were issued for both the girls."

Pratik shared, "While my wife and I held valid passports, our daughters urgently needed theirs. After consulting a senior officer at the regional passport office, we were directed to Mishra, who promptly instructed his team to address our case urgently, given our intention to attend my father's funeral."

Expressing his surprise at the swiftness of the process, Pratik praised the helpful staff for their efficiency in providing them with the necessary passports.

Officials noted that the earliest available appointment for a regular passport was set for September 19, with an August 4 option for a tatkal passport.