A Passport application reference number is a 12-character ID you get after submitting the passport form online. It is also called Application Reference Number (ARN) or Passport Application Number (PRN).
This number is your passport file’s tracking ID. It is needed to check status on the Indian passport portal, confirm PSK appointment, and view police verification update.
Each passport form gets a different application reference number (ARN). This number stays fixed from start to end. It links to your biometric data, address check, and file movement at RPO.
You need this number for steps like printing the application form, checking PVR report, and seeing if the passport is dispatched. Without it, you cannot track progress.
If you apply under Tatkaal scheme, your Passport application reference number (ARN) will still be used for police clearance and delivery status. Always note it down after submitting the form.
It is not sent by SMS. You see it on the screen and email. Keep it safe. If you lose it, you will not be able to track your passport.
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Origin and Naming of Passport Application Reference Number
The term Application Reference Number was created by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to help track each passport entry in India. It is often shortened as ARN or called the Passport Reference Number (PRN) in public-facing documents and the 12-character passport file number on PSK printouts.
The word reference means a unique trace or pointer. In this case, it ties directly to the passport form you submit. The use of the word application makes it clear this number is assigned right after the passport form is filled online or through assisted service.
In government portals, ARN is also used as a login token on the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) site to check file movement, police verification flow, or RPO-level approval. The naming is kept simple so even first-time users can remember it. While some still confuse it with the passport number, the ARN comes before passport printing and only helps track the pre-issue stage.
How the Passport Reference Number System Evolved
The use of a passport reference number in India began after digitization of the Passport Seva system under the Ministry of External Affairs. Before 2010, passport tracking was manual. Applications were submitted physically at Regional Passport Offices, and reference slips were paper-based. Lost receipts often meant lost tracking access. There was no consistent way for applicants to monitor progress.
This changed when the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) model launched with Tata Consultancy Services under a public-private partnership. Each form submission began generating a 12-character Application Reference Number (ARN) that worked across the digital database. The number served as a direct input for online tracking, status updates, and internal file movement between PSK, police, and Regional Passport Office (RPO).
Over time, this ARN system also integrated with other codes like the File Number and Police Verification Reference, used during Post Police Verification (PVR) and dispatch stages. The structure of the code now links with application center, date, and file sequence. This helped eliminate identity mismatches and improved transparency.
As mobile apps and SMS alerts became active, the Passport ARN became the single point of reference for applicants, support staff, and backend officers. It now acts as a cross-verification tag for every touchpoint — from document scan to police report — inside the MEA passport workflow.
What the Passport ARN Really Means in Application Flow
The Application Reference Number (ARN) is not just a tracking code. It is a system-generated identity that connects every stage of your passport file from submission to dispatch. It appears right after a user fills and submits their passport form on the Passport Seva Portal, either for fresh issue or renewal.
This 12-character code is alphanumeric. It contains internal markers for application date, PSK or POPSK code, and the serial number of that day’s form submission. While the number may look random, it tells the backend system where the form was received and when. The number is printed on the ARN receipt, which can be downloaded or received by email.
Internally, this reference links your biometrics, police verification file, and MEA status dashboard. If there is a file hold, rejection, or verification delay, this code is used to identify the file and troubleshoot. It is also linked with SMS tracking, police portal dispatch, and passport dispatch tracking by India Post.
The ARN is different from the Passport File Number, which comes later during backend processing. However, both remain connected inside the same application thread.
This number also plays a role in data verification at the time of PSK visit, making it one of the most critical passport application details to keep safe and accurate.
Where You Can Find Your Passport ARN or PRN
The Passport Reference Number shows up only after you complete the online passport form. You can find it in three places:
- On the final application submission page of the Passport Seva portal
- In the email sent to your registered ID after submission
- Inside the downloaded PDF copy of your filled application
It will not be printed on any physical document unless you download the form or receipt. The ARN also appears when you login to the portal and go to “View Saved/Submitted Applications.”
If you booked an appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), the ARN is linked to your booking. You must carry it along with your ARN slip and documents.
The number looks like this: 20-0004992531. It always starts with the year. Do not confuse it with the file number, which is created only after biometric is done.
If your session closed or browser crashed after submission, login again and check under “Submitted Applications” to retrieve your ARN. If your email did not arrive, check spam.
How Passport Reference Number Is Used in Real Life
Once you fill your passport form on the Seva portal, the system gives a special code. This code is not just for show. It is how your file is tracked at every stage.
At Passport Seva Kendra, they match this number with your name and ID. The same number is printed on the file handed to the police. When a police officer visits your home, that number is on the sheet they carry. If it does not match, they cannot move forward.
If your file goes on hold or is delayed, this number is needed to reopen it at the Regional Passport Office. It also helps you check status online, without going to PSK.
Once your passport is printed, India Post links the delivery slip with this number. If the delivery fails or gets returned, you will need it to claim the passport again.
Even if you reapply, the new code is different. But your old record stays linked inside the Ministry of External Affairs system through this number.
This number is your passport file identity. Nothing moves forward without it.
Internal Labels and Format Variants of Passport Reference Numbers
The passport reference number format in India is not random. It follows a fixed internal pattern. Each part has meaning.
It usually starts with four capital letters. That part points to the passport office where your form went in. For example, DLHI means Delhi.
Next come four digits. These show the year when you filled your form. Last part is a mix of numbers and letters, unique only to your file.
This format is not always the same for everyone. If you go through a Post Office PSK, the starting letters may change. Tatkal forms, minor passports, or reissues all follow the same style, but the internal tag changes at the backend. You never see that tag, but the system does.
Government officers using CPV or diplomatic routes get different prefixes. But still, the same rules apply — letter code, year, and file code.
There is no public guide for this, but most passport files follow this pattern: Office-Year-Code. You can read it like a mini sentence if you know what to look for.
How Passport Reference Numbers Are Used by Government and Police
The passport reference number is not just for applicants. It is an internal key shared by multiple authorities during the passport flow. After your form is submitted on the Passport Seva portal, this number becomes the tag that connects your file across PSK, RPO, MEA, and local police records.
At Passport Seva Kendra, it links your biometric entry and scanned documents. When the file moves to the Regional Passport Office, the same number gets mapped to your address check and verification queue. Local police teams receive this code when visiting your house. They use it to record field remarks and match ID proofs.
For Tatkal passports, this number is routed faster. It cuts the wait before dispatch. In case of a minor passport or a reissue, the new reference number is checked against the old file linked in the system.
When the passport is printed, the dispatch label carries the same code. Speed post tracking is mapped through this file number. If a delivery gets delayed, support teams use this to track your case.
Corrections, rejections, or delays are all recorded under one reference. No other code holds this full map inside the Ministry of External Affairs system.
How the ARN Works in Police, Courier, and Embassy
Once the passport ARN is created, it becomes the only tracking handle across all stages. Every new step—biometrics, printing, police check—is tagged under this reference.
Local police stations get a copy of this number through their PVR systems. They use it while conducting the home visit. The same code is used to file remarks, confirm identity, or return a pending report.
If you selected Tatkal mode, the ARN moves faster. It skips early police verification and directly reaches RPO for printing. In these cases, the file is marked under post-verification using the same ARN.
For dispatch, Speed Post uses your ARN as the base to link the passport file with the airway bill number. This makes it easy to trace delivery. If your passport is stuck, delayed, or returned, back-end support teams open the ARN map to view each checkpoint.
Embassy passport services also use this code in diplomatic cases. If you apply from abroad, the ARN links with Indian embassy servers to coordinate police check, address confirmation, and RPO clearance.
How To Track Your Passport with the ARN
Your ARN is not just a receipt ID. It connects all your passport steps into one chain. You can track the file using this code from the time you submit your form until the passport is printed and delivered.
To check progress, go to the Passport Seva portal. Enter your 12-digit ARN number on the “Track Application Status” page. You will see real-time file location: under review, police check, printing, or dispatch.
The Regional Passport Office (RPO) updates each step inside your ARN log. If the file is on hold or delayed, the portal shows remarks. You do not need any extra code. All movement—biometric scan, PVR submission, passport printing—is locked under this single number.
If you visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), you can give your ARN at the help desk to know your counter or reason for delay. If it is a Tatkal file, the same ARN will show post-verification status.
Once your passport is dispatched, the Speed Post tracking number gets linked to this ARN on the portal. You can check both updates in the same place.
File Tracking Errors with Passport Reference Number in India
Even though the ARN helps track passport files, many people still face unexpected blocks. The system does not always work cleanly.
A big gap happens when the police station delays the status update. The PSK may have forwarded your file, but your local thana takes days to send back the report. This leaves your ARN stuck in the portal.
Another common barrier is wrong mobile number in the passport form. If your number or email is typed wrong, you will miss file movement alerts. The ARN page does not show real-time shifts unless those fields are correct.
Some files stay frozen under Pending at RPO. This usually happens when the backend system crashes or skips internal updates. Many users get no reason. They either visit the RPO or write a follow-up with the ARN.
There are also hidden errors. If the biometric scanner at PSK fails during capture, your ARN stops moving. No message shows. But your file never reaches police. You only find out later.
If the police mark your file as “adverse”, the ARN page will not say why. It simply shows “On Hold at RPO”, leaving users confused. Only after contacting the passport office do people find that their PVR was rejected or incomplete.
Long-Term Use of Passport Reference Number in India
The Passport Application Reference Number plays a central role even after the passport is printed.
This number becomes part of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) digital records. If the passport is lost or stolen, the ARN helps staff trace your original file in seconds. It also links to police reports, scanned IDs, and the biometric record.
During renewal or reissue, your past ARN is checked to match old entries with your new form. This avoids duplication and supports passport data integrity.
In legal checks, the ARN connects to the passport’s movement history. Courts, embassies, or police may refer to it to verify identity, address, or travel records.
If a child passport is later upgraded to an adult one, the ARN trail helps the system carry over key records like past addresses and PVR results.
At the MEA level, bulk data systems use ARN to track monthly passport traffic, Tatkal case flow, and file rejection rates. The reference number leaves a footprint across every backend tool used by Passport Seva Kendra and Regional Passport Office.
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How Passport Reference Number Stays in India’s Digital Records
Once your passport form is submitted, the reference number becomes your digital trace across all passport systems. It links every step from form upload to passport dispatch.
This number stays saved in backend records at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Regional Passport Office (RPO), and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). It is not deleted, even after your passport expires.
If you report a lost passport or apply again with a name change, the old reference number helps officers pull your earlier file. The MEA uses this ID to spot old errors, find stuck files, or check where delays happened.
During audits, the system uses this number to detect file tampering, fake identities, or misused passport reissues. It keeps your case connected to police remarks, biometric logs, and address checks.
When you raise a complaint, the Public Grievance Cell also uses this number to track the history. It shows who handled the file, when it moved, and where it stopped.