Ration card is no longer ID proof for passport

Visakhapatnam: Ration cards will no longer be accepted as a proof of identify and address of a passport applicant.  The Union government has issued a notice to this effect, which the regional passport offices said would come into effect from April 1.

Passport officer, Visakhapatnam, N.L.P. Choudary said that the External Affairs Ministry has directed them to comply with the orders.  Earlier, the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution had discontinued accepting ration card as proof of identify and residence as it had come across cases where the details on the card has been tampered with. Besides the ration card, the other valid proof of address is Aadhaar card.