India’s External Affairs Ministry has revised rules for passports issued to children below 15 years, along with a hike in fees.
Under the updated norm, a standard 36-page passport for a minor will be valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever comes earlier.
For instance, if a child applies at age 10, the passport will remain valid for the next five years—up to age 15. If the passport is issued when the child is 14, it will not run for a full five years; it will expire when the child turns 18.
Earlier, the validity was five years or up to the child turning 15. The ministry said the new system reduces the need for parents to renew children’s passports frequently.
The fee for a standard 36-page minor passport has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,775. The Tatkal passport fee has been fixed at Rs 3,000.
