# New rules: Child passports valid till 18, fees revised

2026-09-17T20:44:19+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

The Ministry of External Affairs has notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, effective from September 15, which change passport validity for children and update fee structures. Ordinary passports issued to children below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier, replacing the earlier rule. The amendment also revises passport application fees, bringing them in line with rates that took effect from July 1. For a 36-page fresh or reissue passport for a minor under the normal category, the fee has been raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,750. A 36-page Tatkaal passport for a minor now costs Rs 3,000, according to Livemint. Siasat reports the Tatkaal fee for minors at Rs 4,250, while Economic Times does not list minor fees. A 10% discount on fresh passport applications continues for children below eight and senior citizens above 60, but not for reissues.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The coverage is uniform straight reporting with no discernible editorial slant across all three outlets. All sources lead with the same core fact of five-year validity for child passports and note the fee revision. The only discrepancy is in the Tatkaal fee for minors, where Livemint and Siasat differ by Rs 1,250, suggesting a possible error in one report. The Economic Times omits minor fees entirely. Readers should verify the exact fee schedule from the official gazette notification.

## Coverage

- economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/mea-amends-passports-rules-child-passports-issued-under-15-years-to-be-valid-for-five-years-or-till-they-turn-18/articleshow/134315151.cms>
  Straight news agency style, no editorial framing.
- livemint.com (neutral report) <https://www.livemint.com/news/india/passport-rules-2026-children-under-15-get-new-validity-terms-check-revised-fresh-renewal-and-tatkaal-fees-11789668853494.html>
  Straight reporting with detailed fee table, no slant.
- siasat.com (neutral report) <https://www.siasat.com/passports-for-minors-valid-for-5-years-meas-new-rules-kick-in-3543949/>
  Straight news reporting with fee details, no editorial comment.

Tags: Gazette of India, MEA, Passports Rules 1980
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