The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has announced that the Passport Seva Portal will be temporarily down for maintenance from 4:30 PM on October 19, 2024, to 3:30 AM on October 21, 2024 (Saudi time). During this period, important services such as Emergency Certificates (EC), Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), and Tatkal passport services will be unavailable.
Indian Embassy in Riyadh has announced that the Passport Seva Portal will be temporarily down for scheduled maintenance from 4:30 PM on October 19, 2024, to 3:30 AM on October 21, 2024 (Saudi time).
During this time, important services like Emergency Certificates (EC), Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), and Tatkal passport services will not be available on October 20, 2024. This maintenance is essential to improve the system’s efficiency and reliability.
Key Points from the India Embassy in Riyadh Temporary Shutdown of Passport Seva Portal Announcement
Scheduled Downtime: The Passport Seva Portal will be down from 4:30 PM on October 19, 2024, to 3:30 AM on October 21, 2024.
Unavailable Services: Services like Emergency Certificate (EC), Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), and Tatkal passport services won’t be available on October 20, 2024.
VFS Center Operations: Applicants with passport renewal appointments can still submit their applications at VFS Global centers, except on holidays during this period.
Consular Services: Essential consular services will continue to be available at the VFS center in Um Al Hammam, Riyadh, on Sunday.
Impact on Indian Citizens in Saudi Arabia
For Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia, especially those needing urgent passport services, this downtime may cause some inconvenience. However, the Embassy has stressed that this maintenance is necessary to improve the system’s efficiency.
Citizens are advised to complete their applications before the scheduled maintenance to avoid any disruptions to their travel plans or other needs.
Similar Maintenance Shutdowns in India and UAE
This temporary maintenance in Saudi Arabia is similar to recent events in India and the UAE, where the Passport Seva Portal was also briefly suspended:
- India: In September 2024, the portal in India was down for four days for scheduled maintenance. The update focused on improving the user interface and security features.
- UAE: In September 2024, Indian citizens in the UAE faced a similar downtime from September 20 to 24 due to system upgrades to meet the growing demand for passport services.
How to Prepare for the Downtime
Here are some practical steps to avoid disruptions during the scheduled downtime:
Submit Applications in Advance: Make sure to complete your passport renewal or other applications before the downtime starts.
Visit VFS Centers: If you have a passport appointment, you can still visit VFS centers to submit your application, except on holidays.
Stay Updated: Keep an eye on updates from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for any changes to the schedule.
Although the temporary shutdown of the Passport Seva Portal may cause some inconvenience for Indian citizens in Saudi Arabia, it is necessary to upgrade the system and ensure long-term reliability.
Similar maintenance in India and the UAE highlights efforts to improve the user experience. Be sure to stay informed about the downtime and plan ahead to avoid any disruption to your travel plans or passport needs.
Shally Watson is a seasoned News Writer with over 12 years of experience in the dynamic world of journalism. Her impressive career has seen her work with some of the top news agencies in the industry, where she has consistently demonstrated her exceptional talent for crafting compelling news stories that captivate readers worldwide.