Government Announces New Passport Fee Structure, Tatkal Charges Also Increased
The Central Government has announced a revised fee structure for passports and travel document services, with the new rates set to come into effect from July 1, 2026. Under the updated schedule, the fee for a fresh or reissued 36-page ordinary passport for applicants aged 18 years and above has been increased from ₹1,500 to ₹2,500, while the corresponding Tatkal fee has been revised to ₹5,000, inclusive of the normal application fee.
The revised rates were notified by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026. The changes apply to various passport related services, including fresh applications, passport renewals, replacements for lost or damaged passports, and other travel documents.
The revision marks the first major update to passport fees in recent years and affects both adult and minor applicants.
What Are the New Passport Fees?
According to the revised notification, an ordinary 60-page passport for adults will now cost ₹3,500, compared to the earlier fee of ₹2,000. Applicants choosing the Tatkal service for a 60-page passport will now have to pay ₹6,000.
For applicants below 18 years of age, the fee for a fresh or reissued 36-page passport has increased from ₹1,000 to ₹1,750. The Tatkal fee for minors has been fixed at ₹4,250.
The government has also revised charges for replacing lost or damaged passports.
A replacement 36-page passport for adults will now cost ₹5,000 under the normal application process, while the Tatkal fee has been increased to ₹7,500.
Similarly, replacing a lost or damaged 60-page passport will cost ₹6,000 under the normal category and ₹8,500 under Tatkal.
For minors, replacing a lost or damaged 36-page passport will now cost ₹4,250, with the Tatkal fee revised to ₹6,750.
What Other Passport Services Have Changed?
Apart from passport issuance and renewal, the Ministry has revised fees for several related services.
The fee for obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), Surrender Certificate, Global Entry Program verification, and other miscellaneous passport-related certificates has been increased to ₹750.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Certificate issued within India will continue to be provided without any normal application fee, while the fee for issuing a Certificate of Identity has been fixed at ₹1,000.
These revisions aim to standardize charges across multiple passport services while reflecting the administrative costs associated with processing travel documents.
What About Passport Validity and Fee Discounts?
The latest notification does not alter the validity period of Indian passports.
Adult passports will continue to remain valid for 10 years from the date of issue.
For applicants below the age of 18, passports will remain valid for five years or until the applicant turns 18 years old, whichever occurs earlier.
The government has also retained the 10% concession on passport fees for children up to eight years of age and senior citizens aged above 60 years applying for fresh passports.
Under the earlier fee structure, this concession reduced the cost of a fresh 36-page passport from ₹1,500 to ₹1,350 for eligible applicants. The discount will continue under the revised pricing framework, helping ease the financial burden for eligible citizens.
Why Has the Government Revised Passport Fees?
While the Ministry of External Affairs has not provided a detailed explanation for the revision, the updated fee structure is expected to align passport service charges with rising administrative, operational, and processing costs.
The revised fees have been introduced through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, replacing the previous pricing structure that had remained unchanged for several years.
The notification also comes a few months after the Indian Embassy in Bahrain dismissed reports suggesting a steep increase in passport and visa charges for overseas applicants, calling those claims speculative.
With the new rates becoming effective from July 1, 2026, individuals planning to apply for a fresh passport, renew an existing one, or replace a lost or damaged passport should review the updated fee schedule before submitting their applications.
The revised structure ensures continued access to passport services while maintaining concessions for children and senior citizens and standardizing charges across multiple travel document categories.
