India’s passport rules have been amended, introducing a key change regarding proof of date of birth for applicants.
According to government officials, the amendment has been made to the Passport Rules of 1980 and will take effect once published in the official Gazette.
The most significant update concerns birth certificates. For individuals born on or after 1 October 2023, a birth certificate issued by authorised bodies such as the Registrar of Births and Deaths, the Municipal Corporation, or any authority empowered under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be the only acceptable proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.
However, those born before 1 October 2023 will still have the option to use other documents to verify their date of birth. These include a birth certificate, a school leaving or matriculation certificate from a recognised institution, a Permanent Account Number (PAN) card, a driving licence, or an extract from service records if applicable.
In recent years, several other changes have been introduced to India’s passport system. One notable change is that residential addresses are no longer printed on the last page of the passport. Instead, immigration officials can access this information digitally by scanning a barcode.
Additionally, passports are now colour-coded according to the holder’s status. Diplomatic passport holders receive a red passport, government officials are issued white passports, while regular citizens continue to receive blue ones.
Another change concerns with the parents’ names. Unlike before, the names of parents will no longer be printed on the last page of passports. This adjustment is aimed at accommodating individuals from single-parent households or estranged families.
These updates are expected to streamline the passport application process and align it with modern digital verification systems. The changes will come into effect once the amendment is officially published in the Gazette.
