India Revises Passport Validity for Children
India has amended its passport rules for children, changing the validity period of ordinary passports issued to applicants below the age of 15. Under the revised framework, such passports will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever occurs earlier.
New Passport Validity Rules for Children
The Ministry of External Affairs notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, modifying the Passports Rules, 1980.
Under the amended Rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child below 15 years of age will remain valid for five years from its date of issue or until the passport holder reaches the age of 18.
The change provides a clear validity framework for passports issued to younger applicants and applies from the date the amended rules were published in the Official Gazette.
Passport Rules Take Effect From September 17
The amended rules were published in the Gazette of India on September 17, 2026, and came into force immediately.
The notification itself was dated September 15. The amendment follows earlier changes made to India’s passport regulations during 2026 as the government continues updating administrative procedures governing passport issuance.
Parents applying for passports for children below 15 will therefore need to consider both the five-year validity period and the child’s 18th birthday when calculating when renewal will be required.
Passport Application Fee Rules Also Revised
The government has also amended the provision governing passport application fees.
Under the revised Rule 8, fees payable for different categories of passport applications will be determined according to Schedule IV of the Passports Rules.
Applicants should therefore check the applicable fee category when submitting a new passport or renewal application under the updated framework.
