The Indian government has announced significant changes to the validity period for ordinary passports issued to children under 15 years of age. Under the new Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, these passports will now be valid for a maximum of five years or until the child reaches 18 years, whichever occurs earlier.
These revised provisions, which specifically apply to 36-page ordinary passports, came into force following their publication in the Official Gazette on September 17, 2026. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the amendment aims to streamline the process for minors' travel documents.
Previously, passports for minors often had different validity periods. The updated Rule 12(1A) of the Passports Rules, 1980, now clearly stipulates that a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child below 15 will cease to be valid either after five years from its issue date or on the child's 18th birthday, depending on which milestone is reached first.
This means parents and guardians applying for their children's passports must consider this revised validity when planning international travel or future renewals. For instance, if a child receives a passport at age 14, it will be valid for only one year until they turn 15, not the full five years.
In addition to the validity changes, the notification also includes revisions to Rule 8, which governs passport application fees. It states that fees for each category of application will be charged according to the rates specified in Schedule IV of the rules.
The Passports Rules, 1980, were originally established under the Passports Act, 1967, and have undergone several amendments, with the latest one enacted to ensure clarity and efficiency in passport issuance for young applicants.