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New Child Passport Rule: What Every Parent Must Know Before Foreign Travel. (Img: Pinterest)
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has introduced a major update for parents applying for passports for their children. Under the new child passport rule, an ordinary 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years will now remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child reaches the age of 18, whichever happens first.
The change is expected to impact thousands of families across India who apply for passports for their children for international travel, education, medical visits, family trips and other overseas requirements.
The revised rules were notified through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India. The amendment modifies the existing provisions under the Passports Rules, 1980, bringing a new validity framework for minor passports.
Under the updated system, parents will no longer have to consider the earlier age limit of 15 years while checking the validity of a child’s passport. A passport issued to a child below 15 years will now continue for five years. However, if the child turns 18 before completing the five-year period, the passport will automatically expire on the date the child becomes an adult.
For example, if a child receives a passport at the age of 14, the document would normally complete five years at the age of 19. But according to the new rule, the passport will remain valid only until the child turns 18. This means the actual validity period will depend on the child’s age at the time of passport issuance.
The latest amendment aims to simplify the transition between minor and adult passport categories. As children undergo physical changes while growing up, passport authorities generally require updated documents and photographs when individuals move into adulthood.
The revised rule creates a clearer framework for parents by linking child passport validity with both the five-year period and the age of 18. The new system will help families better plan international travel and understand when their child needs to apply for an adult passport.
The updated validity provision applies specifically to ordinary 36-page passports issued to children below 15 years of age. The amendment has been introduced under Rule 12 of the Passports Rules, 1980, which deals with passport validity for minors. The changes have been implemented under the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, after the official government notification.
Along with changes in child passport validity, the government has also updated rules related to passport application fees. The amendment to Rule 8 states that passport charges for different categories of services will follow the revised rates mentioned in Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.
The updated fee structure covers various passport-related services, including fresh passport applications, reissue, Tatkaal services, replacement of lost or damaged passports and other related facilities.
The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier revised passport service charges, with the new rates coming into effect from July 1. For minors, the fee for a fresh or reissued 36-page passport under the normal category increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,750. For Tatkaal applications, the fee for a 36-page child passport increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,250.
Adult passport charges were also revised. The cost of a fresh or reissued 36-page passport increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, while the 60-page passport fee increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500. Tatkaal passport charges were also increased, with the 36-page service now costing Rs 5,000 and the 60-page service costing Rs 6,000.
The government has continued the 10 percent discount on fresh passport applications for children below eight years and senior citizens above 60 years. However, the discount benefit will not be applicable for passport reissue applications. The continuation of the discount provides some financial relief to eligible applicants applying for new passports.
The new child passport rule is particularly important for parents planning overseas travel with children. Families will now need to carefully check passport expiry dates before booking international flights, applying for foreign visas or planning long-term education and travel arrangements.
Parents of children approaching 18 years of age will need to apply for a new adult passport after the minor passport expires. The update also highlights the importance of keeping passport details updated as children grow older.
All new applications for eligible children will now follow the revised validity framework. Parents applying for passports for children below 15 years should carefully check the date of issue and calculate the validity period based on both conditions, five years from issuance or until the child turns 18.
The MEA is expected to continue modernising passport services in India with further updates aimed at improving convenience, security and efficiency for citizens.
