MEA amends Passports Rules; child passports issued under 15 years to be valid for five years or till they turn 18

Ordinary passports issued to children below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier, under new rules notified by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on September 17, amend the Passports Rules, 1980.

Under the amended rule 12(1A), a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child under 15 will remain in force for a period of five years from the date of issue, or until the child attains the age of 18, whichever comes first.


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The notification, dated September 15, 2026, also revised rule 8 governing passport application fees, stating that the fee payable for each category of application will be as specified in Schedule IV of the rules.

The amended rules come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

The notification noted that the Passports Rules, 1980 were originally published via notification G.S.R. 691(E) dated December 11, 1980, and were last amended via notification G.S.R. 156(E) dated June 20, 2026.