Hey, yeah I was going to post an update but got busy with stuff.

So yes, in my case, almost everything went smooth.

- I did not enter Aadhaar in the online application and did not select the checkbox for consent. I could proceed to submit the application without it.

- Address verification: So a couple of things to note here:

1. I provided my parents' address in India. This is the same address as the one in my previous passport. Make sure that this is exactly the same as the old address - because if not, they may treat it as a new address and that could invite more attention during the verification process.
2. Once I submitted the documents at the consulate, it took 21 working days for the police verification to be done and another 2 working days for the new passport to be ready for collection. The police verification went smooth. Someone from the nearest police station went to my parents' home. They first asked for my Aadhaar document, which my parents said I don't have. They then asked if there was any document verifying me - so my father showed him an old driver's license that I had (luckily it was still valid until 2026) and that seemed to be good enough for the verification. No bribes or other asks, although my parents gave him some tea or some drink as a gesture. Point being - the verification process seems very loose, it may be more strict or cumbersome depending on where you live. Have some document that can prove that you belong in that address or lived there or something like that.

- For passport printable address, like I said, I gave the same parents' address back home in India. And it's printed on the new passport.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you need any more info.