The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has changed the passport related rules and fees. The new rules specifically change the validity of passports for children under 15 years of age, while fees for ordinary and ‘immediate’ passports have been increased. These changes have direct implications for people applying for passports. For the applicants who are preparing to apply as per the old fee, it is now important to know the new fee. According to official passport fee documents available, earlier the fee for a normal 36-page adult passport was ₹1,500 and 2,000 for a 60-page passport, while ₹3,500 and ₹4,000 were to be paid for Tatkal Seva respectively.
Changed passport rules for children below 15 years of age
Of particular importance in the new changes is the rule on the validity of children’s passports. A normal 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier. That is, while making a passport for a small child, both his age and the validity of the passport have to be considered. Earlier too there were provisions regarding the validity of minors up to the age of five or 18 years, but the new amendment has laid down these rules more clearly. Parents should check the current rules and required documents before applying while making a new passport for their child. The remaining validity of the passport should also be considered, especially if a foreign trip is planned.
How much is the new passport fee for adults?
Following the change in fees, the fee for a 36-page normal passport for adult applicants has increased from Rs 1500 to Rs 2500. While for a normal passport of 60 pages, now 3500 will have to be paid, which was earlier 2000. Costs have also increased for applicants opting for Tatkal service. The fee for a 36-page Tatkal passport has been increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000, while a 60-page Tatkal passport will now cost Rs 6,000. This change means that applicants will have to budget more than before for both normal and expedited passport services. The earlier official fee list showed 1500 for a 36-page normal passport and 2000 for a 60-page normal passport. While the Tatkal fee was 3500 and 4000 respectively.
Increase in fees for minors and urgent service as well
Even for minors, passport application has become more expensive than earlier. The fee for a 36-page normal passport has been increased from Rs 1000 to Rs 1750. 3000 will have to be paid now for a 36-page Tatkal passport. Besides, the fee for replacement of lost or damaged 60-page passport under Tatkal Seva has been increased from 5500 to 8500. Hence, when a passport is lost or damaged, the applicant may incur significant additional costs for an immediate new document. It has been informed that the fee structure has also been changed in other passport related services. So not only people making new passports, but also applicants seeking renewal, replacement or immediate service need to know the new fees.
10 percent discount to children and senior citizens
Fee relaxation is also available to certain categories of applicants while applying for a new passport. Children below 8 years of age and senior citizens above 60 years of age are eligible for 10 percent discount on the fee for new passport. However, this exemption is not applicable for re-issuance i.e. renewal of passport. Eligible applicants applying for a new passport should therefore check whether the relaxation provision can be availed at the time of application. Before applying for a passport it would be better to check the current fees, documents, validation and instant service conditions on the official passport service portal. The Ministry of External Affairs’ Citizen’s Charter also provides information on official fees and procedures for passport services.