New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing changes to passport fees and validity provisions, particularly for children.
The amended rules, signed by Joint Secretary and Chief Passport Officer B.S. Mubarak, came into effect on September 15 following their publication in the Official Gazette.
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New validity rule for children
Under the substituted Sub-Rule (1A) of Rule 12, an ordinary 36-page 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 occurs earlier.
The amendment provides a revised framework for determining the validity of passports issued to young applicants.
The changes also amend Rule 8(1), requiring passport application fees across different categories to conform to the revised rates specified in Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.
Revised passport fees
The latest amendments follow the revision of passport-related service charges announced by the MEA, with the new fee structure taking effect from July 1.
The revised fees cover various services, including fresh passport applications, renewals, Tatkaal processing, replacement of lost or damaged passports and Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs).
For adults, the fee for a 36-page passport under the normal category has increased to Rs 2,500 from Rs 1,500, while a 60-page passport now costs Rs 3,500 compared with Rs 2,000 earlier.
Tatkaal services have also become more expensive. A 36-page adult passport under Tatkaal now costs Rs 5,000, up from Rs 3,500, while the fee for a 60-page Tatkaal passport has risen to Rs 6,000 from Rs 4,000.
The cost of replacing a 60-page passport under Tatkaal has increased to Rs 8,500 from Rs 5,500.
For minors, the fee for a 36-page fresh or reissued passport under the normal category is now Rs 1,750, compared with Rs 1,000 earlier. The Tatkaal fee for the same category has increased to Rs 3,000.
Discount for children and senior citizens
The MEA has also retained a 10% concession on fresh passport applications for children below eight years of age and senior citizens above 60.
However, the concession does not apply to passport reissue applications.
The amendments update the Passports Rules, 1980, which were themselves last revised in June 2026, providing an updated regulatory framework for passport issuance and related services across the country.
