Passport fees jump from 1 July amid ‘citizenship document’ row

As the debate over whether a passport is proof of Indian citizenship continues to dominate public discourse, obtaining the country's most sought-after travel document has become significantly more expensive.

From 1 July, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has implemented a revised fee structure for passport-related services, raising charges across nearly every category — from fresh applications and renewals to Tatkaal services, replacement of lost or damaged passports, Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs) and other passport-linked documentation. The revised rates apply to applications filed both in India and through Indian missions and consulates abroad.

The fee hike comes against the backdrop of a recent controversy over passport issuance and citizenship, prompting the MEA to issue a categorical clarification on 24 June that a passport is merely a travel document and not proof of Indian citizenship.

In its statement, the ministry said: "A passport is a travel document. Its issuance does not confer citizenship on an individual. The Passport Act and the Citizenship Act operate independently, and passport authorities are empowered to issue, refuse or revoke passports in accordance with the provisions of the Passport Act."

For adult applicants, the fee for a 36-page passport under the normal category has increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, while the cost of a 60-page passport has risen from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500.

The steepest revisions have been made under the Tatkaal scheme. A 36-page passport will now cost Rs 5,000, up from Rs 3,500, while a 60-page Tatkaal passport will cost Rs 6,000, compared with Rs 4,000 earlier.

Replacing a lost or damaged passport has also become substantially more expensive. The fee for a replacement 36-page passport has increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000, while a 60-page replacement passport now costs Rs 6,000, up from Rs 3,500. Under the Tatkaal category, replacing a lost or damaged 60-page passport will now cost Rs 8,500, compared with Rs 5,500 earlier.

Children, too, will be affected by the revised rates. For applicants below 18 years, the fee for a fresh or reissued 36-page passport under the normal category has been raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,750, while the Tatkaal fee has increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,250. Replacing a lost or damaged passport for a minor will now cost Rs 4,250 under the normal category and Rs 6,750 under Tatkaal.

The MEA has also revised charges for ancillary services. The fee for obtaining a police clearance certificate and other passport-related certificates has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 750, while charges for surrender certificates and other documentation have also been revised upward.

For Indians applying through embassies and consulates overseas, a separate fee schedule will apply. A fresh 36-page passport application abroad will now cost $125 under the normal category and $250 under Tatkaal.

The government has, however, retained a 10 per cent concession on fresh passport applications for children below eight years and senior citizens above 60 years. The discount will continue to apply only to fresh applications and not passport reissues.

The revised fee structure comes at a time when the passport has found itself at the centre of a larger conversation on citizenship. While the government has increased the cost of securing the document, it has simultaneously underscored that a passport facilitates international travel but does not, by itself, establish or confer Indian citizenship, reiterating that questions of citizenship are governed exclusively by the provisions of the Citizenship Act.

With IANS inputs