How to File RTI for Passport Delay in India from USA (2025 Complete Guide)

As an NRI living in the USA, dealing with passport delays back home can be a nightmare—whether it’s a renewal, reissue, or police verification that’s dragging on for months.

The good news? The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, empowers you to demand answers from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) or Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) without stepping foot in India. In 2025, with digital tools like e-IPO, filing from the US has never been easier.

At RTI Lawyer (rtilawyers.com), part of Legal Light Consulting LLC, we’ve helped hundreds of NRIs like you resolve passport delays through targeted RTIs. This guide covers how to file RTI for passport delay in India from USA, plus answers to top related searches like “RTI format for passport police verification pending NRI” and “sample RTI for passport reissue not received after 6 months.” Let’s get your passport unstuck—step by step.

Why File an RTI for Passport Delay? (And When to Do It)

Passport processing in India typically takes 30-45 days, but delays beyond 60 days (e.g., due to police verification, document mismatches, or backlog) qualify for RTI intervention. Under RTI Section 7, the authority must respond within 30 days—or face penalties up to ₹25,000.

Pro Tip for NRIs: If your application is at a Regional Passport Office (RPO) like Mumbai or Delhi, target the Passport Seva Project (PSP) Division. For US-based applications, RTI the Indian Embassy/Consulate in the USA first.

Common Delays NRIs Face in 2025:

• Police Verification (PV) pending for 3+ months.
• Renewal/reissue stuck after 6 months.
• Surrender certificate delays post-renunciation.

Searches like “passport 3 mahine se pending hai, RTI daal do” spike in NRI WhatsApp groups—don’t wait; file now!

Step-by-Step: How to File RTI for Passport Delay from USA

Step 1: Identify the Right CPIO (Central Public Information Officer)

For passport issuance/renewal delays in India, address your RTI to the PSP Division’s CPIO. As of November 2025, the details remain:

• CPIO: Ms. Somica Srivastava Under Secretary (PSP-I) Room No. 29, Patiala House Annexe, Passport Seva Project (PSP) Division, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001 Phone: 011-23388648 | 011-23071370 Email: uspsp1@mea.gov.in

For general MEA passport queries (e.g., policy delays), use:

• CPIO: Shri Guru Prakash Under Secretary (RTI) Room No. 1024, Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, 23-D, Janpath, New Delhi – 110001 Phone: 011-23085300 | 011-23085227 Email: usrti@mea.gov.in | sorti@mea.gov.in

Latest Update (2025): Shri Guru Prakash continues as Nodal CPIO for RTI Cell. For RPO-specific (e.g., “RTI to RPO Mumbai from abroad”), check the local RPO’s RTI page on passportindia.gov.in, but route through PSP if unclear.

For BLS International (Outsourced Services): BLS handles some PSK operations, but post their 2025 MEA tender ban, direct RTIs to MEA’s PSP CPIO—no separate BLS RTI channel. Search: “Which CPIO for BLS International passport RTI” → Always MEA.

Step 2: Draft Your RTI Application

Keep it concise (1-2 pages). Use this sample RTI format for passport delay (adapt for your case):

To, The Central Public Information Officer, Under Secretary (PSP-I), Passport Seva Project Division, Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg, New Delhi – 110001.

Subject: Application under Section 6 of the RTI Act, 2005 seeking information on delay in processing of Passport Application No. [Your File No.], dated [Application Date].

Dear Sir/Madam,

1. I, [Your Full Name], S/o/D/o [Father’s Name], holding US Passport No. [Your US PP No.], and Indian Passport No. [Old Indian PP No. if applicable], residing at [Your US Address], filed an application for [Renewal/Reissue/New] of Indian Passport on [Date] at [RPO/PSK Location, e.g., Mumbai] with File No. [File No.]. The status shows “Police Verification Pending” / “Under Process” since [Delay Start Date], exceeding 60 days.
2. Under RTI Act, 2005, kindly provide the following certified information: a. Reasons for delay in processing my application, including stage-wise status from [Application Date] to present. b. Copy of police verification report (if completed) or reasons for delay in PV. c. Timeline for issuance and actions taken to expedite. d. Name, designation, and contact of officer handling my file.
3. I am enclosing the RTI fee of ₹10/- via e-IPO [e-IPO No. and Date].

Declaration: I am a citizen of India.

Date: [Today’s Date] Place: [US City, e.g., New York] Signature: [Your Name] Contact: [US Phone/Email]

Custom Samples from Top Searches:

• RTI Format for Passport Police Verification Pending NRI: Add Point 2(b): “Details of communication with local police station for PV, including dates and responses.”
• Sample RTI for Passport Reissue Not Received After 6 Months: Subject: “Delay in Dispatch of Reissued Passport Post-Printing.” Point 2(c): “Courier tracking details and dispatch date.”
• RTI First Appeal Passport Not Issued After PV Clear: If no response in 30 days, appeal to FAA: Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Joint Secretary (PSP) & Chief Passport Officer, Room No. 8, Patiala House Annexe. Phone: 011-23387013 | Email: jscpo@mea.gov.in. Sample: “Appeal under Section 19(1) against non-response to RTI dated [Date].”

Download free editable PDFs of these formats at rtilawyers.com/rti-templates.

Step 3: Pay the ₹10 RTI Fee from USA (e-IPO Guide)

No cash or checks—use e-IPO for seamless payment from abroad. Searches like “e-IPO kaise banate hai abroad se? Step by step Hindi mein” are huge; here’s the English version:

1. Visit https://www.indiapost.gov.in → VAS → e-IPO.
2. Register/Login with Indian mobile/email (use Google Voice if needed).
3. Select “Central Government” → Enter “Ministry of External Affairs” as payee.
4. Pay ₹10 via credit/debit card (US cards work; no forex issues).
5. Download e-IPO PDF (valid 1 year) and attach to your RTI email/post.

2025 Tip: e-IPO now integrates with RTI portals for instant verification. For “NRI hu, India mein RTI postal order kaise bheju from Canada?”—same e-IPO process applies.

Step 4: Submit Your RTI

• From USA: Email to uspsp1@mea.gov.in (attach signed PDF + e-IPO). Or post via USPS to the Delhi address (use tracked mail).
• Timeline: Response in 30 days. Track via RTI Online Portal (rtionline.gov.in) if filed digitally.
• For RPO Mumbai: Email rpo.mumbai@mea.gov.in, but copy PSP CPIO.

Pro Tip: “CPIO name for passport renewal delay RTI 2025” → Ms. Somica Srivastava (confirmed current).

Related NRI RTI Queries: Quick Answers

Embassy/Consulate Delays

• How to File RTI to Indian Embassy Dubai from UAE: Direct to Embassy CPIO (e.g., cons1.dubai@mea.gov.in). Use e-IPO. “Kisi ko pata hai Dubai Embassy ka RTI wala email ID kya hai ab?” → Check mea.gov.in/mab.
• Indian High Commission London RTI Email ID 2025:hc.london@mea.gov.in.
• RTI to VFS Global Visa Delay from Canada: VFS isn’t public authority; RTI MEA’s CPV Division instead.
• RTI Format for Consular Service Delay Indian Embassy USA: Similar to above sample; CPIO: Embassy’s Consular Wing (cons1.washington@mea.gov.in). “Indian Embassy USA RTI email for passport delay 2025” → Same.
• How to Pay e-IPO from Australia for RTI to Indian Mission: As above; works globally.
• RTI to HCI Singapore for Birth Registration Delay: CPIO: cons1.singapore@mea.gov.in.

CPV Division (Patiala House): For visa status, “RTI to CPV Division Patiala House for visa status” → CPIO: Shri SRH Fahmi, Director (CPV), Room No. 06, Patiala House. Phone: 011-23386760 | Email: dircpv1@mea.gov.in. “Patiala House CPV Division ka latest CPIO kaun hai 2025 mein?” → Still Fahmi. FAA: Dr. Binoy George, JS (CPV). Sample first appeal: “Dr Binoy George JS CPV RTI first appeal sample” available on our site.

MEA General: “MEA RTI postal address for NRI from UK” → Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan (above). “How NRI can file online RTI to Ministry of External Affairs” → rtionline.gov.in (select MEA).

Other Hot Topics

• How to File RTI to FRRO for OCI Card Delay: CPIO at local FRRO (e.g., Delhi: frro-del@nic.in). Sample: Reasons for 3-month delay in OCI registration.
• RTI for Surrender Certificate Not Received After 1 Year: To Embassy/Consulate CPIO; attach renunciation proof.
• RTI to Income Tax for NRI TDS Refund Delay: CPIO: Your jurisdictional ITO (e.g., ito.nri@income-tax.gov.in).
• RTI to Sub-Registrar for Property Document from Abroad: State-specific; use e-IPO.
• RTI to Bank for NRI Account Frozen India: Bank’s CPIO via email.
• RTI to Police Station for FIR Copy from USA: State police RTI portal; e-IPO.
• RTI to Municipality for Property Tax Mutation Pending NRI: Local municipal CPIO.

What If No Response? Escalate with RTI Lawyer

• First Appeal: To FAA (e.g., Dr. K. J. Srinivasa for PSP) within 30 days of delay.
• Second Appeal: To Central Information Commission (cic.gov.in).
• Penalties: Demand compensation for harassment.

Stuck? Our experts at RTI Lawyer draft, file, and follow up your RTI for just ₹999 (US payments via PayPal). Over 95% success rate for NRI passport cases. Contact: rtilawyers@gmail.com

Last Updated: November 13, 2025 | This is not legal advice; verify on mea.gov.in. Sources: Official MEA RTI pages.

Empower your rights—file today!

This guide is published for educational and informational purposes only to help applicants understand the RTI process related to passport and consular delays. It does not constitute legal advice.

If you need assistance in drafting, filing, or appealing RTI applications, you can contact the RTI Lawyers Team at Legal Light Consulting.