The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has amended passport rules for children under 15, limiting validity to 5 years or until the child turns 18 and increasing application fees.
Reader brief
Through the Reader lens: The Ministry of External Affairs has updated passport regulations for minors under 15, extending validity to a maximum of 5 years or until the child reaches 18. Upon turning 18, citizens must apply for a new adult passport, a requirement established to align with international identification standards due to physical changes in growing children. The government has also revised the application fee structure across several passport categories. Parents can complete the application process through the Passport Seva portal or mobile application.
What to watch next
- Implementation of the new fee structure across passport offices
- Transition to biometric chip-based e-passports for minors
- Public uptake of the new application process for adult passports upon turning 18