New Passport Rules: Getting a passport has become costlier; rules regarding children have also changed..

The Ministry of External Affairs has recently introduced a significant change regarding children's passports—information that is crucial for every parent to know. Additionally, passport issuance fees have been hiked. Therefore, if you are planning to get a passport made, it is essential to familiarize yourself with these new rules first.

What is the new rule?

The Ministry issued a notification regarding this rule. Now, if a child aged 15 or younger obtains a 36-page passport, it will remain valid for only 5 years or until the child turns 18—whichever comes first. Previously, a passport issued to a 15-year-old was valid for 5 years or until they reached the age of 15 (effectively making the validity period shorter). That is no longer the case; once the 5-year term expires or the child turns 18, a new passport must be obtained.

Changes in passport fees too!

It is worth noting that changes have been made to passport fees alongside the validity rules. These changes apply to both children's and adults' passports. Under the new regulations, the fee for a child's 36-page passport has been raised to ₹1,750, up from the previous ₹1,000. Similarly, the fee for a 36-page 'Tatkaal' (expedited) passport for a child has increased from ₹3,000 to ₹4,250.

Regarding adult passports, the fee for a 36-page passport has been raised from ₹1,500 to ₹2,500. Meanwhile, the cost for an adult's 'Tatkaal' passport is now ₹5,000, up from the previous ₹3,500.

What will be the fee for a 60-page passport?

If an individual over the age of 18 applies for a 60-page passport, the fee will be ₹3,500, whereas it was previously ₹2,000. Meanwhile, the new fee for a 60-page Tatkaal passport will be ₹6,000, up from the previous ₹4,000. Additionally, the fee for obtaining a duplicate passport has also been increased; it has been raised from ₹5,500 to ₹8,500.

So, if you are planning to get a passport made for yourself or your child in the near future, do keep these details in mind.

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