Central Government Introduces Stricter Passport Application Rules

NEW DELHI: The government has introduced significant reforms to passport application rules, implementing stricter document requirements and processes in a bid to improve security as well as efficiency. Under the new rules, individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, will be expected to provide a birth certificate as the sole officially recognized document for verification of date of birth.

This certificate must be attested by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any person appointed under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. People born earlier than this can also present other documents like extracts of service records, PAN cards, driving licenses, school leaving certificates, or matriculation certificates.

In an effort to increase privacy and security, home addresses will be digitally embedded on passports instead of being printed on the final page. The information will be accessed by immigration officials from a barcode scanned from the passport.

In addition, there will be a new color-coded system for passport identification: white for officials, red for diplomats, and blue for common people. The parents' names will also be omitted from the back page of passports to ensure even greater protection of personal details.

For speedier passport facilities, the government is going to increase Passport Seva Kendras and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 within the next five years with an aim to make the application process simpler for the citizens.

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