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New Delhi, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Ordinary Indian passports issued to children below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier, under new rules notified by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026published in the Gazette of India on September 17, amend the Passports Rules, 1980.
Under amended Rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child below 15 years will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child attains 18 years of age, whichever occurs first.
The notification, dated September 15, also amends Rule 8 concerning passport application fees. It states that the fee payable for each category of passport application will be as specified in Schedule IV of the rules.
The amended provisions have come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The latest change comes after the MEA revised charges for various passport-related services with effect from July 1.
The revised fee structure covers fresh passport applications, renewals, Tatkaal services, replacement of lost or damaged passports, Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) and other passport-linked services.
A 10 per cent discount on fresh passport applications continues to be available to children below eight years of age and senior citizens above 60. The discount, however, does not apply to passport reissue applications.
For adults, the fee for a normal fresh or renewal application for a 36-page passport has increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500. The fee for a 60-page adult passport under the normal category has risen from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500.
For a 36-page adult passport under the Tatkaal scheme, the fee has increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000while the fee for a 60-page Tatkaal passport has risen from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000.
The fee for replacement of a 60-page adult passport under the Tatkaal category has also increased, from Rs 5,500 to Rs 8,500.
Passport services for minors have likewise become more expensive. The fee for a 36-page fresh or reissue passport for minors under the normal category has increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,750.
For a 36-page fresh or reissue passport for minors under the Tatkaal category, the fee has risen from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,250.