A. General Information about Passport:

a. Hand written applications are no longer accepted. Only online filled application is accepted.

b.  Only the residents falling under the jurisdiction of the High Commission of India, Mbabane are eligible to apply online through this website. This service is not rendered to Indian nationals who are on a visit visa or business visa. The applicants need to have valid work permit or resident permit of Eswatini.

c. An ordinary passport is valid for 10 years from the date of issue. Minors are issued passport for 5 years or up-to attaining 18 years, whichever is earlier.

d. It is an offence under the Passport Act, 1967 to give false information in the Application. Passport facilities can be denied on grounds of suppression of factual information, submission of false particulars, wilful damage of passport and for making unauthorized changes in the passports.

e. It is an offence to hold more than one valid passport at a time.

f. All applicants are advised to renew their passport 1 year before the Expiry Date of their existing passport. Do not wait till the last moment for this exercise.

g. Passports are printed in New Delhi and these are received by the Mission by courier. The whole process takes 2-3 weeks. Mission is not providing Tatkal passport services. All applicants are therefore, advised to submit their passport applications at least one month before the date of travel to avoid any inconvenience.

h. If passport is lost or destroyed, the fact and circumstances should be reported immediately to the nearest Indian Mission and the local police.

i. The Indian Constitution does not provide for Dual citizenship and accordingly, it is illegal for a person to possess a valid Indian Passport once he/she has acquired citizenship of another country.

j. If you have acquired foreign citizenship, please surrender the Indian passport to the High Commission of India, Mbabane. The Indian passport is returned to the applicant after cancellation and a Surrender Certificate will be issued. The cancelled Indian passport and Surrender Certificate should be kept in safe custody with you as it may be required at the time of applying for the OCI Card.

k. The information given in these pages are general guidelines only. The High Commission has the right to ask for any other original document at any stage and these documents are required to be presented for scrutiny and satisfaction of the High Commission before rendering any service. 

B. How to apply for Passport services:

a. All passport applications need to be filled up online at https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in. After filling in the details and successfully acceptance of the application online, a Web File bearing number like SWLMP000…… and an application form is generated that can be printed by the applicant. This printed copy becomes the application form.

b. Please sign the form strictly within the box provided for it on the first page, below item 26 on the second page and in the two boxes below item 29 on the third page. In case of infants or minor who cannot sign or illiterate, kindly affix his/her thumb impression at the appropriate places as mentioned above. Thumb impression should be of left hand in case of males and right hand in case of females.

c. In case of minor applicants, Parents should not sign inside any of the boxes. Parents should fill the item 28 and then sign at the designated places.

d. Two photographs of size 2 inch by 2 inch with white background (preferably in contrast dress) are required. Paste one photograph in the square box provided for this purpose on the first page. Attach the other photograph with the application. Photographs should not be signed or stapled or marked in any way, as it is required to be scanned and printed on the passport.

e. The photograph should have a frontal view, with both ears and chin to forehead being visible. Eyes should be open. There should not be any distracting shadows on the face or on the background. Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both the edges of the face must be clearly shown. The expression on the face should look natural. Black and white photographs, photographs with coloured or dark glasses, dark background or in uniform, Polaroid prints, glossy photographs or computer prints will not be accepted. Photographs that do not conform to these requirements will be rejected and may cause a delay in processing the applications.

For more details please follow the link : Click here
http://www.hcimbabane.gov.in/docs/Annexure%201-Photo%20Specification%20for%20Visa,%20Passport%20and%20OCI%20Services.pdf

f. Please fill the columns 7 onwards by hand in capital letters with blue/black pen. No columns should be left blank. If any of the columns is not relevant to you please indicate NA but should not be left blank. A brief idea about how to fill the form can be seen at the link given below:  https://passport.gov.in/nri/Online.do

g. Please attach the requisite self attested documents and submit the form physically in Consular Section of High Commission of India, Mbabane on any working day between 0900 to 1200 hrs. The address of High Commission of India, Mbabane is Villa No. 18, The Royal Villas, Ezulwini Valley, Eswatini.

h. The forms and affidavits mentioned in the following pages can be downloaded from the section ‘Forms and Annexure for download’ under Consular Services menu.

1. Renewal of Passport on Expiry or Exhaustion of pages: An application for renewal of passport can be made within one year from date of expiry of the old passport or on exhaustion of pages. Signature in the application form should match with the signature in the old passport.

Following self attested documents are required if there is no change in the new passport. (If there are any changes in the passport particulars or signature then additional documents as mentioned in Section 5 of this page will be required.)

(i) Online application form complete in all respect. (please see section B above)

(ii) Original Passport and copy of the passport (first two pages, last two pages and pages containing any endorsement/observation)

(iii) Work Permit/Entry Permit/Resident Permit, original and copy.

(iv) Personal Particular form (Form 3)

(v) Requisite fee.

2. Lost and Damaged Passport: In case of lost passport, please inform the near police station and obtain a copy of the FIR. Also inform the Mission without delay. A duplicate passport may not be issued for the second loss/damage of passport unless the circumstances are adequately explained. Habitual losers of passports will be denied further passport facilities. Following self-attested documents are required: 

(i) Online application form complete in all respect. (please see section B above)

(ii) Applicant’s Original damaged Passport and its copy (first two pages, last two pages and pages containing any endorsement/observation); or Copy of lost passport (in case of lost passport)

(iii) Work Permit/Entry Permit/Resident Permit, original and copy

(iv) Personal Particular form (Form 3).

(v) Original FIR copy for lost passport.

(vi) Affidavit to be filled and signed by the applicant explaining the circumstances of loss/damage of the passport (Form 8).

(vii) Letter from employer/sponsor/organization confirming employment.

(viii) Requisite fee.

3. Fresh passport to a New Born Baby: Application is to be submitted personally by both the parents. Following documents duly attested by either parent are required: 

(i) Online birth registration form complete in all respect. (Please see sub-menu Online Registration of Birth of children for Indian citizenship under Consular Services menu for more details).

(ii) Online application form complete in all respect. (please see section B above)

(iii) Birth Certificate of new born baby both original and copy.

(iv Original passport of both the parents and copies thereof (first two pages, last two pages and pages containing any endorsement/observation).

(v) Work Permit/Entry Permit/Resident Permit, original and copy.

(vi) Marriage Certificate original and copy.

(vii) Personal Particular form (Form 3).

(viii) Requisite fee.

4. Reissue of passport to a Minor upto 18 years of age: It is compulsory to have a separate passport for a minor as the procedure of endorsing names of minor children in their parent’s passports has now been discontinued with. A minor in this case refers to a child who is less than 18 years of age and the passport for the child will be valid for five years only from the date of issue or till 18 years of age, whichever is less. Either of the parents or guardian has to submit the application with the all the self attested documents given below: 

(i) Online application form complete in all respect. (please see section B above)

(ii) Original passport of minor child and its copy (first two pages, last two pages and pages containing any endorsement/observation).

(iii) Original passport of both the parents and copies thereof (first two pages, last two pages and pages containing any endorsement/observation).

(iv) Work Permit/Entry Permit/Resident Permit, original and copy of both parents and minor child.

(v) Personal Particular form (Form 3).

(vi) Requisite fees.

5. In case of any change in passport particulars: In case of any change in the particulars in laminated pages of the passport, a fresh booklet is required to be issued.

a. Change of address: If address in the new passport needs to be changed, then please provide proof of address in India (both original and self attested copy). It could be Election ID card, Electricity/Water/Gas/landline or post paid mobile Phone Bill, Driving License, Aadhaar Card, Registered rental agreement, etc. In case of minor, Parent’s passport and parent’s address proof.

b. Change of name after marriage (for woman applicant):

(i) Marriage certificate issued by the Registrar of Marriage and one self-attested photocopy;
or
A joint photo affidavit signed by both husband and wife in presence of consular officer (Form 15).

(ii) Copy of husband’s passport (front and last page)

(iii) Affidavit for change of name after marriage in presence of Consular officer (Form-13).

c. Minor correction of name in passport: Spelling correction/change of spelling which phonetically does not result in change in name or shifting of words/changing arrangements of various parts of existing name without inserting/deleting any words/letters in the existing name are categorized at minor correction in name.

(i) The most recent name as shown in at least a couple of personal documents, educational certificates etc. issued by Government authorities to be submitted.

(ii) Affidavit for minor name change in presence of Consular Officer (Form 9).

d. Complete name change in passport: For complete/substantial name change an applicant should furnish:

(i) Prescribed Deed Poll/Sworn Affidavit in presence of Consular Officer (Form 16)

(ii) Original newspapers announcing the change of name published in two leading daily newspapers (one popular daily newspaper in Eswatini and another at his permanent address in India) OR name change by Gazette notification published in the Indian Union/State Official Gazette especially in cases of complete name change abroad.

e. Change from ECNR to ECR: To change the status from ECNR to ECR following documents needs to be submitted: Matriculation certificates or higher degrees or professional degrees OR Proof showing the applicant or applicant’s spouse is staying abroad for more than 3 years (original and self attested copy).

f. Inclusion of spouse name in new passport: If married and Name of Spouse is not yet included in previous passport and you wish to include spouse name in new passport then please provide (i) original marriage certificate with self attested photocopy (ii) copy of passport of spouse.

g. Change of signature in new passport: If applicant wish to change their signature or from thumb impression to signature the please provide affidavit in the Form 17.

Public Advisory on Passports:

a. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has phased out all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) from 25th November 2015 onwards. Foreign Governments may deny visa or entry to any person travelling with non-MRP passport. All handwritten passports with pasted photos or 20 year validity passports, earlier issued by Government of India are considered non-MRP passports. The Government started issuing MRP passports since 2001. All new Indian passports are ICAO-compliant MRP passports. All Indian citizens who are holding non-MRP passports are advised to apply for re-issue of passports and obtain MRP passports to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining foreign visa or immigration problem.

b. Indian citizens travelling on passports which may expire in less than six months should renew their passports before any upcoming international travel. Many countries deny visas or not allow entering their countries if passport validity is less than six months.

c. Some countries do not accept passports which may have fewer than two pages remaining. Please check your passport to ensure that you have enough visa pages. There is no provision of additional booklets/pages now. You are required to apply for re-issue of passport every time your passport pages expire.

d. Your passport is a valuable document. It should always be either in your own custody or in the custody of a person duly authorized by you. Passports should not be sent out of the country of residence by post.

e. Frequent travellers are advised to scan all pages of their passport, visa, etc and store them on their personal USB flash drives, external hard drives, laptops or on their email address for easy access in case of lost or misplaced travel documents.