MEA Amends Passports Rules; Child Passports Issued Under 15 Years to Be Valid for Five Years or Till They Turn 18
The new rules extend child passport validity to 5 years and raise several application fees, including higher Tatkaal charges, the ministry said.
- On September 17, the Ministry of External Affairs published the Passports Rules, 2026, in the Official Gazette, introducing validity updates for children's passports and revising fee structures across application categories.
- Under the newly substituted Sub-Rule of Rule 12, a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child under 15 will remain valid for five years from issuance or until the child turns 18, whichever comes first.
- The Ministry also revised fees for minor passports, with a 36-page normal category booklet now costing Rs 1,750, while For Tatkaal service for the same category is Rs 3,000.
- Adult For Tatkaal passport fees rose to Rs 5,000, while the Ministry maintained a 10% discount for fresh applications by children below 8 years and senior citizens above 60 years.
- Signed by Joint Secretary and Chief Passport Officer BS Mubarak, these regulations came into force immediately upon publication, amending the foundational Passports Rules, 1980, last updated in June 2026.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Passports for children below 15 years valid for 5 years or till they turn 18: MEA amends rules
Children's passports under 15 are valid for 5 years or until age 18, per new rules of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, amending the Passports Rules, 1980.
Passport Rules Changed: Children Under 15 To Get 5-Year Validity Or Until Age 18
<p>The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has changed passport rules for children under 15, with ordinary passports issued to them now valid for five years or until they turn 18, whichever comes earlier.</p> <p>The change was notified through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on September 17. The amended rules modify the Passports Rules, 1980.</p> <p>Under the revised Rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passpor…
Child passport issued under 15 years to be valid for 5 years or till they turn 18
New Delhi, Sep 17: In a latest development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has notified new rules under which the ordinary 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. The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on September 17, amend the Passports Rules, 1980. Under the amended rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passport i…
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaMEA amends Passports Rules; child passports issued under 15 years to be valid for five years or till they turn 18
New regulations allow children under the age of fifteen to obtain passports that will be valid for a period of five years, expiring on their eighteenth birthday. The Ministry of External Affairs has announced these updates, along with revised application fees for passports. These changes are effective from the announcement date in the official gazette.
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