On 15 September 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, revising provisions relating to passport fees and the validity of passports issued to children below 15 years of age.
These Rules came into effect on 17 September 2026.
Key Highlights:
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The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026 amend the Passports Rules, 1980.
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The rules have been issued under Section 24 of the Passports Act, 1967.
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Rule 8 has been amended to provide that the fee payable for different categories of passport applications will be governed by the rates specified in Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.
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Rule 12(1A) relating to passports issued to children has been substituted.
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Under the amended provision, an ordinary 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years of age will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever occurs earlier.
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The amendment applies specifically to ordinary passports issued to children below 15 years of age.
[Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, dated 15-9-2026]
