India’s new passport rules 2026 explained: From fees hike to child validity, all changes that you need to know

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has revised the prescribed rules governing Indian passports, with a crucial amendment concerning the validity of passports issued to children below 15 years of age. The recent amendment was notified on September 15, and was enforced when it was published in the Official Gazette on September 17. The government has also changed passport fees from July 1.

What has changed for children?

Under the amended Rule 12(1A) of the Passports Rules, 1980, an ordinary 36-page passport granted to a child below 15 years will now stay valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier.

Earlier, the rule mandated for a five-year validity period or validity until the child reached 15 years, whichever came first. The amendment therefore expands the age-based validity limit from 15 to 18 years.

Like, if a passport is issued to a 14-year-old child, it can remain valid for five years, but it will expire when the child turns 18 if that occurs before.

What are the new passport fees?

The government amended passport application fees  from July 1. The revised fee schedule applies to fresh passports, reissue applications and Tatkaal services. 

For adults and minors aged 15 to 18 who apply under the adult category, a 36-page ordinary passport costs Rs 2,500, while a 60-page passport costs Rs 3,500. The corresponding Tatkaal fees are Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000. 

For minors, a 36-page new or reissued passport costs Rs 1,750 under the normal category. The Tatkaal fee is Rs 4,250 under the revised schedule. A lost or damaged 36-page minor passport costs Rs 4,250 under the normal category and Rs 6,750 under Tatkaal. 

Discount for young children

The changed fee structure retains a 10% discount on fresh passport applications for minors up to eight years of age. The concession is implemented for new applications and not to reissue applications. A similar 10% concession is applicable to new applications by senior citizens above 60 years. 

What applicants must know

The recent revisions also highlight that fees payable for passport applications are those mentioned in Schedule IV of the Passports Rules. Passport Seva has asked applicants to check the applicable revised fee before paying.

For applications and payments, applicants should use the official Passport Seva portal rather than private websites or mediators. The MEA has specifically cautioned about fraudulent websites gathering and using personal information and levying extra charges.