India Today ·
Now passports for those aged under 15 to be valid for five years
The change has been notified through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026 and has come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
The Ministry of External Affairs has amended the passport rules to specify a five-year validity period for ordinary 36-page passports issued to children below 15 years of age, or until they turn 18, whichever comes first.
The amendment was made on September 15, 2026, under the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967. It modifies Rule 12 of the Passports Rules, 1980, which deals with the validity of passports issued to minors.
