The Central government has announced an important change to the passport application process. Under the amended Passport Rules, individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, will now be required to submit a birth certificate as the only valid proof of date of birth
This update was issued last week and will come into effect once it is published in the official Gazette.
What are the new rules? Here’s what we know
According to the amendment, for those born after October 1, 2023, only birth certificates issued by authorized bodies will be accepted. These authorities include the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporations, or any other body designated under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
To be clear for applicants born before this date, the rule does not apply. These individuals can still submit alternative documents, such as a school leaving certificate, transfer certificate from a recognized institution, or even a Permanent Account Number (PAN) card, as proof of their date of birth.
Other Document Alternatives for Earlier Applicants
For those born before October 1, 2023, the following documents can also be used:
School leaving certificates; Transfer certificates from educational institutions; Matriculation certificates; PAN card issued by the Income Tax Department; Driving license; and An extract from the applicant’s service record.
This flexibility will help streamline the application process for those who do not have a birth certificate available.
More privacy in Passport applications
According to reports, the updated rules also introduce changes to protect applicants’ privacy. One important change is the removal of residential addresses from the last page of the passport. Now, the immigration authorities will access residential details using a barcode scan.
In a move designed to support children from single-parent households or those from estranged families, the names of parents will no longer be printed on the last page of the passport.
While the new rules have been announced, they will be officially implemented once the amendment is published in the official Gazette.
These adjustments are part of a broader effort by the government to modernize and simplify the passport issuance process while enhancing privacy protections for all applicants.