The Central government has announced an increase in passport fees for the first time in almost 14 years. Effective July 1, the cost of obtaining a new passport under the normal scheme will rise to Rs 2,500, while applications under the Tatkaal scheme will cost Rs 5,000. The announcement comes a day after the government reiterated that a passport serves primarily as a travel document and not as proof of Indian citizenship.
Under the revised fee structure, adults applying for a fresh 36-page passport or its reissue will pay Rs 2,500 under the normal category, compared to the current Rs 1,500. The Tatkaal fee has been increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000.
For a 60-page passport, the fee has been raised from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500 under the normal scheme and from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 under the Tatkaal category.
The new charges were notified by the Ministry of External Affairs through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026. This is the first significant revision since 2012, when passport fees were last updated.
Applicants seeking replacement of lost or damaged passports will also face higher charges. A replacement 36-page passport will now cost Rs 5,000 under the normal scheme and Rs 7,500 under Tatkaal. For a 60-page passport, the revised fees are Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,500 respectively.
For minors below 18 years of age, a fresh or reissued 36-page passport will cost Rs 1,750 under the normal scheme and Rs 4,250 under Tatkaal. Replacing a lost or damaged passport for minors will cost Rs 4,250 under the normal category and Rs 6,750 under Tatkaal.
The Ministry stated that the updated fee structure will apply to all passport applications submitted from July 1 onwards. The notification, issued on June 20 under the Passports Act, 1967, also revises fees for various travel documents and related services.
Emergency Certificates will continue to be issued free of charge within India, while applicants abroad will be required to pay USD 15. A Certificate of Identity will cost Rs 1,000 in India and USD 50 overseas.
Charges for Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), Surrender Certificates, Global Entry Program verification, and similar passport-related services have been set at Rs 750 within India and USD 40 abroad.
The previous fee revision took place in 2012, when the cost of a standard 36-page passport was increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, while the Tatkaal fee was raised from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,500.
