India


Centre amends passport rules for children below 15: five-year validity or till age 18

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Centre has amended the Passport Rules to provide that an ordinary 36-page passport for a child below 15 years will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier.
The Ministry of External Affairs notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026 on September 15, exercising powers under Section 24 of the Passports Act, 1967.
The rules come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The amendment substitutes Rule 12(1A) of the Passports Rules, 1980 with the provision specifying the validity of an ordinary passport issued to a child below 15.
The Centre has also amended Rule 8, which deals with fees.
The substituted provision says the fee payable for every type of application specified in Schedule IV will be at the rate specified against the corresponding entry in that Schedule.
Importantly, the September 15 notification does not itself specify revised fee amounts.
It changes the wording of the rule governing how the applicable fee is determined.
The notification, G.S.R. 820(E), states that the amendments take effect from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
It has been signed by B.S. Mubarak, Joint Secretary and Chief Passport Officer, Ministry of External Affairs.
UNI KK RN
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