Passport demand surges in West Champaran with 23% rise in 2 years

Patna: Passport service demand in West Champaran, the remotest district of Bihar, has shown a significant upward trend over the past two years.In 2024, a total of 21,701 applications, including 1,382 from female, were received. In 2025, the total number of applications increased to 26,730, reflecting an overall growth of approximately 23.2%. This included 1,610 female applicants.The female applicants registered a growth of about 16.5%, while male applicants saw a sharper increase of approximately 23.6%, as per the data provided by the regional passport office (RPO), Patna. Moreover, three transgender applicants were also issued passports in West Champaran in recent years. This reflects inclusive service delivery by the passport office.Asked about the reasons behind the sharp increase in demand for passports, the regional passport officer, Swadha Rizvi, said, “The per capita income of Bihar has increased in recent years, so have the people’s aspirations. Though we have not done any specific survey on the reasons, probably, most people seek passports to get lucrative jobs in foreign countries. Other major passport seekers are the Haj pilgrims and those who go abroad for study. Some people seek passports for going abroad as tourists. Another reason is that some big companies within India also demand passports from new appointees.”“The steady rise in applications also indicates increasing awareness, improved outreach efforts by RPO Patna, and growing mobility aspirations among residents of the district. In the past two years, West Champaran has consistently ranked among the top 10 districts in Bihar in terms of both passport applications received and passports issued, highlighting its growing importance in statewide passport service demand,” Rizvi, an officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), told TOI over phone on Monday.She also pointed out that the demand for passports has increased in many districts of Bihar. West Champaran is one of them.In view of the upward trend, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has now decided to open a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at Ram Nagar in West Champaran district. The proposed POPSK, which will function under the Regional Passport Office, Patna, will be inaugurated on April 13 by the MP, Valmiki Nagar.“The POPSK at Ram Nagar, the 454th in India and 38th in Bihar, which will be located in the Sub Post Office premises, will provide passport facilities to citizens, enabling convenient, transparent, and efficient access to services closer to their residence. The centre will facilitate fresh passport applications, renewals, and issuance of Police Clearance Certificates (PCC),” the RPO, Patna, said in a statement.“A total of 50 appointment slots (45 passport and five PCC) will be offered per day at the Ram Nagar POPSK. Applicants will have to only come to the POPSK once with their original documents for verification and their biometric capture. After this, they can expect their passport by Speed Post in around five days upon receipt of a clear police report and if no other discrepancies are found in their application,” Rizvi said.“With Ram Nagar, the passport offices will be operational in all 40 Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to universal access and last-mile service delivery,” the RPO said.