New Delhi: In a move that will significantly impact international outbound travelers, the Union government has announced a substantial hike in passport application fees across various categories. Issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the revised fee structure under the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, will come into effect starting July 1, 2026, marking the first upward revision in passport charges in nearly 14 years.
According to a gazette notification issued under Section 24 of the Passports Act, 1967, an ordinary fresh or reissued 36-page passport under the normal category will now cost ₹2,500, up from the long-standing fee of ₹1,500. For individuals opting for the high-capacity 60-page booklet, the application fee has been raised to ₹3,500 from the current rate of ₹2,000.
Emergency travelers utilizing the expedited Tatkaal scheme will face a steeper financial burden. The cost for a 36-page Tatkaal passport has been escalated from ₹3,500 to ₹5,000, while the 60-page variant has climbed to ₹6,000 against the earlier ₹4,000 requirement. Government officials stated that the last major restructuring of the passport pricing layout was executed back in 2012.
The revised schedule—which completely replaces Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980—also incorporates stringent pricing adjustments for miscellaneous services and document replacements. Replacing a lost or damaged 36-page passport will now set a citizen back by ₹5,000 under normal application channels and ₹7,500 under Tatkaal. For minor applicants below the age of 18, a standard 36-page passport will attract a revised base fee of ₹1,750 instead of the previous ₹1,000.
Furthermore, procedural certifications heavily utilized by non-resident Indians and professionals have also been marked up. The processing fee for critical documentation—including the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), Surrender Certificates, and Global Entry Program (GEP) verifications—has been scaled up to ₹750 for internal applicants. The government, however, has retained a 10 percent concession policy on fresh booklet applications for young children up to eight years of age and senior citizens over 60 years.
The MEA confirmed that the online application pipeline through the official Passport Seva portal remains unchanged. Applicants must continue to log onto the centralized platform, fill out the designated forms, pay the freshly adjusted electronic fees via internet banking or debit/credit facilities, and book physical verification slots at respective regional Passport Seva Kendras (PSK). Regional passport officials clarified that all applications logged into the national database on or after the July 1 deadline will be strictly subject to the new premium tariffs.