The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing changes to passport validity for children and bringing fee provisions in line with revised rates. The rules came into effect immediately after being published in the Official Gazette on September 15.
The amendments come after the MEA revised passport service fees from July 1.
Here is what applicants need to know.
Under the amended rules, a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child below 15 years of age will be valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever comes first.
This provision replaces the earlier Rule 12(1A).
For example, if a passport is issued to a 10-year-old child, it will be valid for five years. However, if it is issued when the child is 14, it will remain valid only until the child turns 18, even though five years have not elapsed.
The change specifically applies to 36-page ordinary passports for children below 15.
The amendment to Rule 8(1) states that fees for different passport applications must follow the rates specified in the updated Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.
The change provides regulatory clarity following the MEA’s revision of passport-related charges, which took effect from July 1.
The revised fees cover several services, including fresh passports, reissue, Tatkaal applications, replacement of lost or damaged passports and Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs).
Under the revised fee structure, a fresh or renewal application for a 36-page ordinary passport for an adult costs ₹2,500, compared with ₹1,500 earlier.
For a 60-page passport, the fee has increased to ₹3,500 from ₹2,000.
Tatkaal applicants also face higher charges. A 36-page adult passport under Tatkaal costs ₹5,000, compared with ₹3,500 earlier. A 60-page Tatkaal passport costs ₹6,000, up from ₹4,000.
For replacement of a 60-page passport under Tatkaal, the fee is now ₹8,500, compared with ₹5,500 previously.
For minors, a 36-page fresh or reissue passport under the normal category costs ₹1,750, up from ₹1,000.
A 36-page Tatkaal passport for a minor costs ₹3,000.
The MEA has also retained a 10% discount on fresh passport applications for children below eight years and senior citizens above 60 years. However, the concession does not apply to reissue applications.
