SRINAGAR: Passports issued to children below the age of 15 will now remain valid for five years or until they turn 18, whichever is earlier, under amendments notified by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The changes have been introduced through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on September 17, amending the Passports Rules, 1980.
Under the amended Rule 12(1A), an ordinary 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years will have a validity of five years from the date of issue. However, if the child turns 18 before the completion of five years, the passport will cease to be valid on the 18th birthday.
The amendment is aimed at setting out the validity period applicable to passports issued to minors in this age group.
The MEA notification, dated September 15, also revises provisions related to passport application fees. Under the amended Rule 8, the fee payable for different categories of passport applications will be as specified in Schedule IV of the rules.
The amendments have come into effect from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The Passports Rules, 1980 were originally notified on December 11, 1980. The rules were most recently amended on June 20, 2026, before the latest changes were notified.
