Passport woes

BANGALORE: While a passport gives you a very valid identity, the loss of it can be a nightmare. And if you have already booked tickets to travel, then your plans may come to a naught as there are no quick-fix solutions to get a duplicate. It may take days, sometimes even weeks, to get it.
Charlotte Rodrigues and her daughter Alice who were flying from Dubai to Bangalore, lost their passport near the immigration counter at the Bangalore International Airport on February 8 at about 4 am.With the passport were the return air tickets from Bangalore to Dubai for February 18.
The airport authorities asked her to check with the airport terminal manager, office of the customs and immigration to look for her lost passport, but it was no help.
They went to the police and lodged a first information report at Cubbon Park police station where they wanted the complaint notarised. The mother and daughter then went to get the complaint papers notarised, an ordeal because they were asked to pay more since the officials said it was late.
They spent almost an entire day at the Cubbon Park police station." But AdCP (law and order) Bipin Gopalkrishna said: "We insist on getting it notarised because this way we avoid persons giving false complaints." About the delays in getting passports, regional passport officer P Kumaran said: "It is not all that difficult. The person who has lost the passport can apply through tatkal and we will make it available immediately." But Dr Reena Sunil, a paediatrician, disagreed:
"When my daughter Nidhi Sunil's passport was lost, we tried to get a new passport in April 2006. We slogged for five days getting a police FIR registered, then going to the passport office standing in queues from 6 am to 1 pm for four days and getting a letter from a top police officer which is mandatory. Finally, we applied through tatkal and got it in two days but the entire procedure took a whole week. At the highest level there are no delays."
Just a month ago, another Bangalorean, who was slated to visit London for 20 days, lost his passport and tickets just one day before his travel. Nothing could be done as it was a Saturday. He was scheduled to fly early Sunday morning. He went to the police where he filed a complaint. Since the passport had a valid visa to visit the UK, he also had to write to the UK consulate to cancel the visa. Needless to say, he lost the opportunity to travel.