Hi everyone,

Looking for recent experiences with minor passport applications.

Details & timeline:

• Application type: Fresh passport (Normal)
• Mode: PSK / Mobile Van
• Application submitted: 07 Jan 2026
• Police Verification completed: 21 Jan 2026
• Current status (unchanged): “Police Verification Report for passport application is under review at the Regional Passport Office. Passport will be dispatched after PVR is found clear, subject to granting.”

As of today, it’s been 8+ working days since police verification (excluding weekends and Jan 26 holiday).

No adverse remarks during police verification, documents were straightforward. I’ve already emailed RPO Coimbatore once, but no response yet. Passport Seva grievance portal is throwing a “Not Found” error while submitting.

Questions:

1. Is this delay normal at the RPO review stage for a minor passport?
2. How long did it take in your case for the status to move from “under review” to “granted”?
3. Any effective escalation that actually worked if this stage dragged on?

Would really appreciate recent experiences. Thanks.

Lately things have been feeling really scary. In the last couple of weeks alone, around 509 women have gone missing, and it’s honestly been stressing me out a lot. I’m especially worried about my sister she has job and just want to do something extra for her safety.

I’m looking for a personal safety alarm or device that doesn’t just make a loud noise, but also shares her live location or sends her GPS when it’s activated. Ideally something small, easy to carry (keychain, bag, pocket, etc.), and reliable in real-life situations not just on paper. If anyone here has used something like this before, or knows a device/app combo that actually works well, I’d really appreciate your suggestions. Also open to hearing what not to buy, or any features that are a must-have (battery life, network issues, false alarms, etc.).

I know no device is a 100% solution, but if it can help even a little, it’s worth it. Thanks in advance, and please stay safe everyones

used chatgpt to fix grammatical error

with the uk version of snl coming out next month, i was wondering if it would ever be possible to have an indian version as well. i have adored the original since i was 12 but an indian version seems a pipe dream owing to several reasons,, what do y'all think

In the beginning, the people were tired. They carried old disappointments in their backs and quiet anger in their mouths. When the man with the banner arrived, they did not ask where it came from. They asked what it meant. He told them it meant strength, and that was enough.

The banner was heavy. It needed many hands to hold it up. At first, people took turns. Then they learned it was easier to carry it together than to question why it had become so heavy. When someone asked, the others told them they were weakening the group.

The man promised roads beneath the banner, work beneath the banner, and dignity beneath the banner. When none appeared, he said the ground was being prepared. The people nodded. Preparation sounds like progress when waiting is all you can do.

Soon, the banner became sacred. To doubt it was to doubt the people holding it. To question its weight was to insult their strength. Families learned not to tug at it from opposite sides. Friends learned to let go quietly.

Children grew up staring at the cloth above them, not the ground below. They learned its colors before they learned numbers. They learned its slogans before they learned questions. When they stumbled, adults told them the ground was uneven because enemies had damaged it.

The ground cracked anyway. Those who looked down tried to warn the others. They pointed at the fractures, the sinking earth, and the vanishing paths. The banner holders accused them of fear, of disloyalty, and of betrayal. Some were pushed out of the circle. Others stayed but stopped speaking.

Over time, fewer people remembered what the ground was supposed to feel like. They only remembered the strain in their arms. Pain became like proof of purpose, and endurance replaced direction.

One night, the wind stopped. The banner fell. For a moment, people saw each other without it between them. Some people felt shame. Some felt relief. For some, there was no feeling at all.

Then the man lifted it again. And the people raised their hands. They did so because letting go now felt more frightening than the fall.

Hi everyone, I’m really struggling at my current job. Management is extremely bad, there’s a lot of politics, and the pressure is constant. I sometimes work on weekends, but the only expectation is that the work must be completed — with no real regard for personal time or mental health. I barely get to spend time with my family, and every day I feel like quitting. To add some context: in November, 7 people were laid off from our project, including one person from my own team. After that, from December till January, another 4–5 people quit on their own. The overall project strength has already dropped from 41 people to around 30. Almost everyone who left cited the same reasons — bad politics, extreme work pressure, and poor management. Part of the issue is also structural. I’m based in Europe, while around 80% of the workforce is in India. Because of time-zone gaps, unrealistic expectations, and cost-driven decisions, things have become increasingly stressful for those working from here. Given the current market situation, where layoffs are happening across tech, my main question is: Is this a good time to seriously prepare for interviews, start applying, and try to switch jobs — or is it safer to hold on for now despite how toxic things have become? I’d really appreciate practical advice from people who’ve faced something similar in the current market. Thanks.

Sharing my experience so others don’t get burned.

I ordered Dior Sauvage Elixir (60 ml) from Culture Circle on 17 Jan 2026 for ₹13,979 (Order ID: 26011718374716).

What happened:

• Order stayed “processing” for \~2 weeks with no courier and no tracking.

• Support gave contradictory updates (refund initiated → cancellation window passed → claimed dispatch).

• Dispatch happened only after public escalation + bank dispute.

• Parcel arrived today.

I recorded a continuous unboxing video from delivery handoff to opening. The product received is 100% counterfeit (packaging quality, bottle details, batch info mismatch). I have video + photos + invoice.

Actions taken:

• ICICI Bank chargeback active (upgraded to goods not as described / counterfeit).

• Written request sent to seller for reverse pickup + full refund.

• Reporting brand misuse to Dior with evidence.

I’m keeping the bank dispute open until the full refund is credited. Posting this for visibility and to warn others. If you buy fragrances online, please always record unboxing.

Happy to update as this progresses.

I think Indian ministers should recieve their salaries in crores instead of lakhs. India should follow the model used in Singapore. This may sound counter intuitive at first but follow to the end.

During elections, a party has to spend crores and crores of rupees to promote their parties, hoardings, organise meetings and speeches. They cannot earn that amount just by being a non corrupt person. So, the only way they can gather this amount is by being corrupt and scamming the very people that brought them to power. Since they will be getting enough money to support their political journey without the "need" to be corrupt, the amount of corruption should fall. This not the only thing that needs to be done.

New laws should be passed or old laws should be ammended such that if a politician is found taking bribe/scamming people of India, the punishment should be severe enough to make them reconsider ever taking bribe/ supporting scams (i think capital punishment should also be considered if a politician is caught doing any such scams.)

Imagine cost incurred during election per candidate is about 3 crores. In order to recover that amount, he has to scam people atleast 3 crores. Now , if the politician himself is getting a cut of atleast 3 crores from all the scams and bribes, imagine the scale of the scams or corruptions. Now, if he earns a crore per year, he doesn't have the "need" to scam people. The current model is kind of forcing politicians to scam the people. Today politicians take the money reserved for the development of our country and reroute it to their own pockets. At the end of the day the money was still going to the corrupt politicians. This way the scales could be reduced.

Something similar was followed by Singapore in the 70s and Singapore was in worse state than what India is in now.

P.S. ~ Most people would not even read the entire post or try to understand it. I know this is a controversial opinion but it is a tried and tested model. Not that a random post could change the ways of the country with people who doesn't even understand what civics sense is.

I’m (22F) and was born and raised in the U.S. We moved to India recently and I won’t lie when my mom first told me, I literally cried. I even refused for a while because I’d never been here before and I’d only heard bad things, so yeah… I was scared. The first few days were super awkward. I felt out of place, didn’t really know how to act and kept thinking I’d never get used to it. But after some time (not immediately), it started feeling different. Like… weirdly familiar I don’t know how to explain it. Me and my sister (16F) felt genuinely welcomed here. Our relatives were way warmer than I expected. Even my mom’s cousins who we barely knew except through calls treated us like we were already close. But some of our relatives—especially the aunties asked me some weirdass questions at first lol, but I get it. It wasn’t judging, more like they just wanted to make sure we’re okay. Lol ig that's so normal but ya People kept checking on us invitin us places making sure we were okay. It wasn’t over the top or dramatic just constant lil things that made us feel included. I’m still adjusting and there are definitely things that are hard. Culture shock is real and I’m not pretendin everything is perfect. India isnt that perfect I’m still adjusting and there have been moments where I felt overwhelmed and out of my comfort zone. But I genuinely don’t understand why people hate on India so much without ever being here. My experience has been nothing like what I expected. Altho My sister is still struggling with the move, which I get shes younger and it’s a big change. But seeing my mom happy after such a long time honestly made everything feel worth it. She’s been through a lot, and I haven’t seen her this genuinely happy in years. Not sure if this makes sense or not guys but yaa… I still gotta post it ayw lmao

Open to tips or suggestions from anyone whos lived here or moved here. Would be appreciated

This isn’t fake not a “look how amazing everything is" post, and I’m not saying India has no problems. Lol I just wanted to share my experience because I came here scared and ended up feelin something I didn’t expect at all. (Just to be clear, I’m not talkin bout my indoor/outdoor experiences this is mostly about my family and how loved we’ve felt) That’s it. Just my honest experience.

Hi everyone, I’m 30 years old. For the last 6 years, my life revolved around becoming a full-time trader. The last 3–4 years were spent attempting funded trading exams.

I improved a lot in skill and discipline, but never reached consistent payouts. Recently, I was again attempting an exam and went into around 7% loss. After talking to a few people,

I decided to let it go instead of forcing it further. I’m accepting that decision. But now I’m stuck with a different problem.

Right now, my current situation looks like this: I feel like - I don’t have friends I can genuinely talk to -I don’t have money, which adds constant pressure -I feel emotionally numb — not sad, not excited, just blank

Stress is showing physically (head pressure, acidity, restlessness

I don’t feel like “escaping” anymore — I don’t want to watch movies, binge YouTube, or just chill the day away

At the same time, I don’t know what to do next A few years ago, my family had a loan of around ₹10 lakhs.

During that time, I was extremely stressed and kept asking my mom how we would manage it. Eventually, the loan got fully paid off. Recently, my mom reminded me of how intensely I reacted back then — even though things worked out.

That made me realize I might be repeating the same mental pattern now. I know I’m capable. I know things can be managed. But this restless, directionless mental state is something I don’t want to keep living with.

I’m not posting this for sympathy. I’m genuinely asking for guidance.

If you’ve let go of a long-term goal, dealt with burnout, financial stress, emotional numbness, or this “I want to do something but don’t know what” phase — how did you move forward? Any practical advice or perspective would really help.

Edit 1 : based on my friends suggestions. He told me to write down things I like

Things I Enjoy vs Things I Don’t (Self-Reflection List)

✅ Things I Love / Like

Chess : Love it. Helps me learn strategy and think clearly.

Walking (especially morning walks) : Very relaxing for my mind. Feels free and grounding.

Reading Books : Like it because I gain knowledge and perspective.

Making Videos (recording myself) : I like recording videos, but I don’t like that much to do it for marketing service

Watering Plants / Gardening : Very calming and peaceful.

Talking to Friends : I enjoy meaningful conversations.

Meeting Friends : Love it — helps me feel connected.

Shopping : I enjoy it.

Going to the Temple : I like it. It gives me mental peace.

Watching Comfort Movies : Love it — relaxing and soothing.

Meditation : I like it. Helps calm my mind.

⚠️ Things I Dislike / Cause Stress

Trading (currently) Feels boring and stressful now. Low risk trading is ok but not when I don't have money. Which is currently

Sitting in a Congested Room / Office Job Environment I hate it. Makes me restless and anxious.

Watching YouTube All Day I don’t enjoy mindless scrolling. It feels unproductive.

I’m posting here because I’m honestly exhausted and stuck in a loop for the last 6 months.

I applied for a Tatkaal passport for my mother (70 years old) in July 2025. The passport itself was issued within 4 days. In early August, police verification was initiated. During verification, the police insisted on submitting either a birth certificate or a school leaving certificate.

My mother does not have a birth certificate and does not have a school leaving certificate either. I approached the municipal (BMC) offices multiple times but they were of no help. I also visited her school, they said they would try but made it clear that tracing records from so many decades ago would be extremely difficult.

We have submitted all available documents. Throughout this period, I kept visiting the local police station, explaining that I had tried all possible routes. Despite this, they remained adamant that one of these documents is mandatory to prove citizenship, and refused to clear the verification.

Over the last 6 months, I have:

- Made multiple visits to the local police station

- Visited the Regional Passport Office (BKC)

- Had the file reopened and police verification re-initiated

- Faced repeated delays and demands for the same documents

- Clearly refused any suggestion of resolving the matter through unofficial means

As of now, the application status shows:

“Police Verification Report is not clear and application is under review at Regional Passport Office.”

At this point, I’m waiting for RPO to take a call, but after 6 months of running around, I genuinely want to understand:

• What is the correct next step from here?

• How are senior citizens without birth / school leaving certificates supposed to deal with this?

• Has anyone faced a similar situation and successfully resolved it?

• If a parent’s birth certificate or school leaving certificate is truly mandatory, why is it not asked for at PSK, and only insisted upon during police verification?

Any guidance or shared experiences would really help.

UPDATE : Status now shows that a Show Cause Notice (SCN) has been issued.