India, Sept. 18 -- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has changed the validity period of ordinary passports issued to children below 15 years of age. Under the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, a 36-page ordinary passport issued to a child will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier.

The amended rules were published in the Gazette of India on September 17, 2026, following a notification dated September 15. The amendment modifies Rule 12(1A) of the Passports Rules, 1980. The new provisions came into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

The amendment has also revised Rule 8 relating to passport application fees. The fee payable for different ca...