Passport Rules Changed! Only These Documents Will Be Valid for Date of Birth

The Ministry of External Affairs has made significant changes to passport rules, specifically regarding the acceptable documents for proof of date of birth. Different rules now apply to children and adults.

New Passport Rules for Date of Birth Proof

The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a notification outlining the valid documents that will be accepted as proof of date of birth when applying for a passport. Applications submitted with any other documents will no longer be accepted.

For Children Born on or After October 1, 2023

For children born on or after this date, only one document will be accepted:

• Birth Certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporation, or any other authority authorized under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969.

For Individuals Born Before October 1, 2023

Applicants born before this date can submit any one of the following documents as proof of date of birth:

1. Birth Certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporation, or any authorized authority under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969.
2. Transfer Certificate or School Leaving Certificate issued by a recognized school, or Matriculation Certificate issued by a recognized educational board that mentions the applicant's date of birth.
3. PAN Card issued by the Income Tax Department containing the applicant’s date of birth.
4. Service Record or Pay Pension Order (applicable only for government employees), verified or certified by the officer in charge of administration in the relevant ministry or department.
5. Driving License issued by the Transport Department of the respective State Government with the applicant’s date of birth.
6. Election Photo Identity Card (Voter ID) issued by the Election Commission of India with the applicant’s date of birth.
7. Policy Bond issued by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India or any public insurance company that includes the date of birth of the policyholder.

One Official Process for Passport Application

The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that there is only one official way to apply for a passport, whether it is for a new passport or the renewal of an existing one. The application must be submitted through the official website. At present, no changes have been made to other passport-related rules apart from the new birth certificate requirements.

These new rules ensure that only officially recognized documents are used to verify date of birth, making the passport application process more streamlined and secure.