Passport rules 2026: Children under 15 get new validity terms; Check revised fresh, renewal and tatkaal fees

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has updated the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, which came into effect on September 15 following publication in the Official Gazette. These changes aim to simplify passport validity terms for children under 15 and align fee structures with revised rates.

For 36-page ordinary passports issued to children below 15, validity will be five years from issuance or until the child turns 18, whichever occurs first. This replaces the previous Rule 12(1A). For instance, a passport issued to a 10-year-old remains valid for five years, while a passport issued to a 14-year-old expires when the child reaches 18, despite the five-year period not having elapsed. This amendment specifically pertains to 36-page ordinary passports for children under 15.

The fee provisions for various passport applications now align with the new Schedule IV rates in the Passports Rules, 1980, following the MEA's July 1 fee revisions. A fresh or renewal application for a 36-page ordinary passport for an adult now costs ₹2,500, up from ₹1,500. A 60-page passport incurs a fee of ₹3,500, compared to the previous ₹2,000.

Tatkaal applicants for a 36-page adult passport pay ₹5,000, up from ₹3,500, and ₹6,000 for a 60-page passport. Replacement of a 60-page passport through Tatkaal service now costs ₹8,500, compared to ₹5,500.

For minors, a fresh or reissue 36-page passport remains at ₹1,750, up from ₹1,000. Tatkaal applications for minors now cost ₹3,000. The MEA retains a 10% discount for children below eight years and senior citizens over 60 years on fresh passport applications, but this concession does not apply to reissue applications.