Child Passports Now Valid for Five Years.. Centre Announces Key Change

The Ministry of External Affairs has introduced a key change in the validity rules for passports issued to children. Under the amended rules, an ordinary 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years of age will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier. The change has been introduced through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

The amendment, made under the Passports Act, 1967, modifies Rule 12 of the Passports Rules, 1980, which deals with the validity of passports issued to minors. The notification was issued on September 15 and the amended provisions came into force upon their publication in the Official Gazette. The revised rules also modify Rule 8 relating to passport application fees, specifying that fees for different categories will be charged according to the rates prescribed in Schedule IV.