MEA flags over 1,300 complaints of double passports in five years

The Ministry of External Affairs has reported that 1,343 complaints of individuals holding more than one Indian passport were received in the past five years. The Government said such cases pose security risks and action is being taken under existing laws to address the issue.

In a written reply to Parliament, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said Indian passports are issued only after confirming an applicant’s identity, address and citizenship through documents and police verification. He stated that whenever incidents of double or multiple passports are reported, authorities “impound/revoke the passports as per the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967.”

The Government has acknowledged the misuse of the passport issuance system by some individuals and highlighted the measures in place, including legal action and technological upgrades, to detect fraudulent applications and prevent attempts to secure more than one passport.


The Minister said the upgraded Passport Seva Project 2.0 includes stronger checks to detect applicants trying to secure more than one passport. Authorities can take swift punitive steps, including cancellation of fraudulently obtained documents.