# MEA hikes passport fees, limits under-15 validity to age 18

2026-09-18T02:59:08+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has amended the Passports Rules, 1980, to limit the validity of ordinary passports issued to children under 15 to five years or until they turn 18, whichever is earlier. The change, notified through the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, took effect from September 17. Children will receive a standard 36-page passport. The MEA also revised passport application fees from July 1. A 36-page adult passport now costs Rs 2,500, up from Rs 1,500, a 60-page passport costs Rs 3,500, up from Rs 2,000. Tatkaal fees have increased across categories. For children, a 36-page passport costs Rs 1,750, up from Rs 1,000. A 10% discount continues for children under 8 and senior citizens over 60 on fresh applications only.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three sources report the same factual changes: the MEA amended passport rules to limit under-15 passports to five years or age 18, and raised fees across categories. Times Now and NDTV lead with the fee hike and the specific new amounts, Rs 2,500 for a 36-page adult passport, while ABP Live leads with the child validity rule and includes a worked example. The framing difference is subtle but consistent: Times Now and NDTV foreground the cost increase, treating it as the headline economic change, whereas ABP Live foregrounds the administrative rule for children, treating the fee revision as secondary. Neither source criticises the hike or questions the rationale. The balanced reading is that the government has simultaneously tightened child passport validity and raised fees. The next check is whether applications drop at the higher rates after they took effect on July 1.

## Coverage

- timesnownews.com (neutral report) <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/mea-amends-passport-rules-under-15-age-group-get-5-year-validity-or-till-turned-18-article-156178418>
  Leads with detailed fee hike amounts, child rule as secondary
- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/from-childrens-validity-to-fee-hikes-whats-in-centres-new-passport-rules-12062382>
  Short wire-style report, no comment or analysis added
- news.abplive.com (neutral report) <https://news.abplive.com/news/india/passport-rules-changed-for-children-under-15-years-to-get-5-year-validity-or-until-age-18-1867177>
  Leads with child validity rule and example, fee revision secondary

Tags: MEA, Passport Rules 1980, Tatkaal
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