Contents
- 1 Passport Issuing Authority
- 2 What does the field “Passport – Place of Issue/Issuing Authority” mean?
- 2.1 “Issuing Authority” for Foreign Nationals
- 2.2 Who is authorized to issue the passports? Are there any other places where passports are issued?
- 3 What is an OCI card?
- 3.1 Eligibility Criteria for OCI cards
- 3.2 The process involved in the application of an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card:
- 3.3 Travelling Abroad and VISA’s
- 3.3.1 What does the word VISA mean? What are the various sections of the visa application form?
Passport Issuing Authority
What does the field “Passport – Place of Issue/Issuing Authority” mean?
The “Passport – Place of Issue or the Issuing Authority” in a passport refers to the place where the passport has been issued.
Earlier, there were several different passport centers and passport agencies which used to process the application and issued the passport. The passport issued from these agencies used to have the name of the place or state mentioned in the passport. The term ‘place of issue’ has now been replaced by the term ‘Issuing Authority’ on the passport provided in the United States and printed as the US Department of States imprinted in black colored ink. In most cases, it appears on the photo page of your passport book.
Many people are confused about what to mention in the visa application form when it comes to the field ‘Passport – Place of Issue’ or ‘Passport- Issuing Authority’.
If your passport was issued years back, it may be mentioned as the ‘National Passport Center’, simply mention it in the same way in your visa application.
“Issuing Authority” for Foreign Nationals
In case the passport reads ‘US Department of State’ under the ‘Issuing Authority’, then you have to write that in the visa application form. In case you are a foreign national, and your passport was issued by a Consular or Embassy in the United States, write the name of the Consular or the Embassy that issued the passport.
If your passport was issued by a US Consular or Embassy outside the country, the place of issuance of the passport will be mentioned there. This is pretty much the same with respect to all the countries.
Who is authorized to issue the passports? Are there any other places where passports are issued?
The United States Department of States is the exclusive authorized body that issues passports to individuals in the US.
There are several other legit passport agencies or centers across various parts of the United States that process passport applications. If you want more information about the different passport centers please visit the US Department of State-Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The US Passport Services have also assigned numerous public sector offices as passport acceptance facilities to make it easier for the applicants to approach for the visa application process. The applicants can avail the option of applying for passports from these facilities, some of these organizations include the post offices, state courts, libraries, county offices, and few other offices.
What do different sections of the passport indicate:
When it comes to US passports, the US Department of State has segregated them into different categories based on their purpose. These passports have different colored covers on them for the authorities to differentiate between them: Service (Grey cover), Official (Maroon cover), Diplomatic (Black cover), Refugee passport (blue or green cover), Re-entry permit, Emergency passport, and US passport card.
The passport has several different sections that have their own meanings. There are two main pages in the passport: the ‘biodata page’ and the ‘signature page’.
The biodata page contains all the details of the passport holder and about the passport itself:
- Name of the passport holder, nationality, date of birth, place of birth, gender
- Photograph
- The place of issue or the Issuing Authority
- Type of passport
- Passport Book Number
- Passport issuance Date
- Passport expiry date
- Code of the issuing country
- Endorsements
There is a machine-readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of the biodata page which enables the Authorities to get all the information about the passport holder and the passport booklet by putting the passport under the scanning machine.
The signature page has the signature of the passport holder. If the passport holder cannot sign for some reason, for example in the case of toddlers or children, it has to be signed by the parents of the child of a person who has the authority to sign on behalf of the passport holder. A passport is considered invalid without the signature of the passport holder.Now that we have covered the ‘Place of Issue/Issuing Authority’ and the various facilities or centers authorized to issue a passport, let’s move on to understand what OCI card refers to.
What is an OCI card?
The Overseas Citizenship of India or the OCI is the permanent residency offered to the people of Indian origin who have moved out of India and settled down in another country and have acquired citizenship of that country. The OCI card is applicable only to those individuals who have the provision of holding dual citizenship in the country they are living in.
Eligibility Criteria for OCI cards
There are certain eligibility criteria for applying for an OCI card. You can visit the official website of the Bureau of Immigration- Government of India for more information on who is eligible for OCI under the Indian laws.
There are some perks when it comes to having an OCI card, but there are limitations as well.
Let’s talk about the benefits first:
- Travel to and from India multiple times without any restrictions.
- You will get a visa that is valid for a lifetime and can be used for various legit purposes.
- Work in any private company in India without needing employment authorization.
- Enjoy equality with the NRI and the Indian residents on both international and domestic affairs.
- You do not have to register with the local police authorities no matter how long you stay in India.
- You will be provided equality both in terms of benefits and pay for professions such as doctors, nurses, lawyers, chartered accountants, architects, and dentists.
The various limitations to having an OCI card are:
- You cannot cast your vote in India.
- Restricted from becoming a member of any political or parliamentary bodies.
- You will not be able to hold a position within the government or any other government or public sector companies.
- Cannot run for or hold a constitutional post.
- You are not entitled to get an Indian passport.
- Cannot buy properties related to plantation or agriculture
The process involved in the application of an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card:
There are some important steps involved when applying for an OCI. The step-by-step process is mentioned below:
- Step 1: Identify which category of OCI do you belong to and whether you are eligible for obtaining an OCI or not. You can visit this link to get more details on the categories.
- Step 2: Start filling the OCI application form. There are different application forms for different categories of OCI. Please be careful in choosing which category you belong to.
- Step 3: Complete your registration process and pay your application fees: Once you have completed filling in the online application form, you have to make all the necessary documents ready and send them by post to the VFS Indian Consular Application Centre.Please make sure to choose the correct VFS Indian Consular Application Centre before you send the documents.
- Please note that your online application is valid only for 180 days, therefore you need to send all the necessary documents before this period of time.
- Due to the covid 19 outbreak, VFS is not considering any physical applications. All the documents and applications have to be sent by post only
- Step 4: Create an online profile and register yourself to submit your online application. Once you click on this link, you will be directed to the page as shown below:
- Click on the first option, ‘Overseas Citizenship of India’.
- Fill up the required fields with correct information and follow the next steps to complete the registration process.
- If you already have an account simply click here. You will be directed to the login page where you need to enter your email id and password and sign in.
- Don’t forget to choose the Mode of Submission as ‘postal’.
- Step 5: Send your application hardcopy and other related documents package through the shipping method that you have opted for in the VFS system.
- Step 6: Once VFS has received your application package, they will send a notification to you through email after which they will review your documents to verify them.
Step 7: You can track your application by clicking on this link. You will also receive notifications on various status updates through texts or SMS if you have opted for the same.
Travelling Abroad and VISA’s
Now, when you are traveling abroad, one of the most crucial travel documents that you need is your visa. Therefore, it is very important to fill out the visa application form taking all the precautionary measures to facilitate a smooth visa approval process. Let’s get a quick overview of the importance of visas and the general guidelines to fill out a visa application process.
What does the word VISA mean? What are the various sections of the visa application form?
Well, the full form of VISA is really ambiguous. It can either be defined as ‘Verified International Stay Approval’ or ‘Virtual Important Stamp Authorization’. In any scenario, it is the authorization document issued to a traveler to travel in and out of a country.
There are few general guidelines to follow when filing a visa application form:
- Firstly, make sure to fill all the fields with something and do not leave any field blank. If there is something that is not applicable to you, just mention ‘not applicable’ or ‘NA’.
Make sure to write your details legibly for the authorities to understand.
- The signature must be original and must match your passport and other official documents.
- If there is a criminal record that you are required to mention in the application form please include it with honesty.
- Make sure to provide all the information with utmost honesty and truthfulness.
So to conclude, when it comes to providing information in an application form about your passport, the issuing authority, or any other sections within a passport, it can sometimes be really confusing. Hope this article helped you make the process a little easier.
Is ‘place of issue’ different from ‘issuing authority’ in a passport?
The place of issue and the issuing authority is one and the same. Please refer to the first section of this article which will give you more information about the different scenarios where it is called the place of issue or the issuing authority.
Are there different rules in different countries for locating the ‘passport place of issue’?
Well, it is pretty much the same for most of the countries. It appears on the biodata page of the passport.
What are the fees involved in an OCI card?
The fee for a new OCI card is around $295 USD. reissue of the OCI in case of loss or damage will cost around $120 USD.
FAQs
What does it mean by place of issue on passport? ›
Passport – Place of issue: The City where the issuing authority is located. For US passports, this is listed under “Authority” on the photo page. For example, “Chicago” or “New Orleans.”
What is the difference between country of issue and place of issue? ›Place of issue is different from Country of issue. If it is a UK passport then the issuing country is the UK. Place of issue refers to the place of issue shown on your passport. As an example, my passport's Country of issue, or Issuing authority is Canada.
Is Issuing authority the same as place of issue? ›Place of issue usually refers to where the passport was issued (country, city). Issuer refers to the authority who issues the passport. In the case of the US that would be the US State Department.
How do I know where my UK passport was issued? ›The short answer is that the line with 'UKPA, UKPS, IPS or HMPO' is usually the correct one for most British born UK Citizens. To confirm this, look on the photo page of your passport in the right bottom area to find the passport issuing authority.
What do I put for country of issue? ›Your "Country of Issue" is the same as your "Country of Citizenship". For instance, if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, but are getting your passport from the UK Consulate in Hong Kong, the UK is your country of issue.
How do I find my passport issuing authority? ›They could also consult the www.mea.gov.in and the Ministry of External Affairs, online, at www.mealib.nic.in Apart from this, citizens are provided passport issuance information through Enquiry Counters and also by telephone.
Who is the issuer of a passport? ›The Department of State issues U.S. passports to traveling U.S. citizens. We protect the integrity of the U.S. passport as proof of U.S. citizenship at home and around the world.
What does country of issue mean when it is used in application forms? ›The country that produced and is using the document for some sort of activity, such as applying for something, is the “country of issue.” “Issue” can also mean “birth,” I suppose, but it would depend upon the context of the term within the application.
What does HMPO mean on passport? ›HM Passport Office is the sole issuer of UK passports and responsible for civil registration services through the General Register Office. HM Passport Office is part of the Home Office.
What does it mean by issuing authority? ›Issuing Authority definition
Issuing authority refers to any government agency or office that has the power to issue a specific official document. For example, in the United States, birth certificates are issued by the office of vital records from the state in which the individual was born.
Is HMPO place of issue? ›
All British passports issued to British citizens with the right of abode in the United Kingdom will have the letters 'HMPO' short for 'Her Majesty's Passport Office' under 'Authority'.
Where are US passports issued? ›These facilities include United States courts, state courts, post offices, public libraries, county offices, and city offices. In fiscal year 2020, the Department of State issued 11,711,945 passports (including 1,741,527 passport cards) and there were 143,116,633 valid U.S. passports in circulation.
What do the numbers on the bottom of my passport mean? ›Passports issued in the United States of America are all computer generated. Your passport number is a nine digit number that identifies the issuing passport office as well as your unique series of numbers that connect to your passport application.
What is passport issuing authority IPS? ›British Citizen passports are issued by the United Kingdom Identity & Passport Service (IPS). UK passports come in two sizes to accommodate frequent travellers, jumbo and regular. Jumbo-sized passports contain 48 pages while regular-sized passports contain 32 pages.
What is place of issue for Australian passport? ›The Australian Passport Office, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, issues Australian passports. You can complete your application online and lodge it at a participating Australia Post outlet, or at an Australian embassy or consulate overseas.
What is the issuing country? ›The Passport Issuing Country is the name of the country that issued a student's passport. This will almost always be the same as the student's country of citizenship. Passport Expiration Date.
Is country of issue same as nationality passport? ›You can't get a passport unless you're a citizen of a country, so your country of issue will always be the same. Unless you specifically are a dual citizen, but even then the country of issue would be the same as the nationality of the passport.
What does country region of issuance mean? ›Related Definitions
Country of Issuance means the country where the first inbound flight will arrive within the geographical areas.
Regular passport (of maroon color) Special passport (green) Diplomatic passport (black) Service passport (grey)
What is place of issue on Canadian passport? ›All Canadian passports are issued through the Passport Program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Prior to 1 July 2013, Canadian passports were issued through Passport Canada, an independent operating agency of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
When was the first passport issued? ›
The Privy Council granted passports from at least 1540, and one of the earliest still in existence was issued on 18 June 1641 and signed by Charles I. Since 1794, they have always been granted by the Secretary of State, and a record exists of all passports issued since that date.
What is place of issue for Australian passport? ›The Australian Passport Office, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, issues Australian passports. You can complete your application online and lodge it at a participating Australia Post outlet, or at an Australian embassy or consulate overseas.
Where are NZ passports issued? ›The Department of Internal Affairs is responsible for issuing New Zealand passports. The Department of Internal Affairs issues passports from its offices in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington in New Zealand, as well as overseas offices in Sydney and London.
What is place of issue on Canadian passport? ›All Canadian passports are issued through the Passport Program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Prior to 1 July 2013, Canadian passports were issued through Passport Canada, an independent operating agency of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
WHO issues passports in Egypt? ›All Egyptian passports are issued from the Ministry of Interior's Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA) bureaus or from an Egyptian Consulate abroad.
Who is the issuer of a passport? ›The Department of State issues U.S. passports to traveling U.S. citizens. We protect the integrity of the U.S. passport as proof of U.S. citizenship at home and around the world.
What should I write in issuing authority? ›Issuing Authority
Voter's Registration Card County or territory from which the voter registration card was issued (Ex: Puerto Rico) U.S. Military Card or Draft Record Military Branch from which the Military Card or Draft Record was issued (Ex: Navy, Marines, Army, etc.)
The name of the country that issued an exchange visitor's or spouse/dependent's passport. This will almost always be the same as the person's country of citizenship. See also. Passport Expiration Date.
What does Dia Syd mean on a passport? ›DIA Sydney means Australia Department of Immigration Australia.
What does P mean in my passport? ›Passport Requirements
After obtaining a passport, check to make sure that the letter “P” is indicated under “Type” on the identification page. This “P” stands for “passport.” It shows that the document is an official passport.
Does having a NZ passport mean you are a citizen? ›
There are 3 main types of New Zealand citizenship: by birth, by descent and by grant. To get a New Zealand passport, you need to be a citizen. The type of citizenship you can get depends on your situation.
What does it mean by issuing authority? ›Issuing Authority definition
Issuing authority refers to any government agency or office that has the power to issue a specific official document. For example, in the United States, birth certificates are issued by the office of vital records from the state in which the individual was born.
Your Irish passport is issued by the Irish Government through the Passport Service of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland. Irish passports are also issued through Irish embassies and consulates throughout the world. You apply to the relevant embassy or consulate if you are living abroad.
Where are Canadian passports made? ›The federal government doesn't actually make those blue passport books; that work is outsourced to the Canadian Bank Note Company, which also prints Canada's banknotes. (Canadian Bank Note did not respond to requests for comment.) The Ottawa-based company produces blank passports at an undisclosed location.
How strong is the Egyptian passport 2022? ›The Egyptian passport is currently ranked 92nd among global passports, according to the Guide Passport Ranking Index.
What passport do I need for Egypt? ›What type of passport is needed to travel to Egypt? Egyptian immigration authorities accept both biometric (ePassport) and traditional passports.
Can I renew my passport before it expires in Egypt? ›For renewals, we urge you to plan ahead and to apply at least six months prior to your passport's expiration. Many countries require a minimum of six months of validity to receive a visitor visa. Airlines will not let you board a flight to these countries without six months of validity on your passport.