The Centre has introduced a significant amendment to the passport application process, making birth certificates the exclusive proof of date of birth (DoB) for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This policy shift aims to standardise documentation and simplify the verification process.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a notification on February 24, confirming that the revised passport rules will come into effect following their publication in the official Gazette. This change marks a departure from the previous system, which allowed multiple documents as proof of DoB.
New Passport Regulations: Birth Certificate Mandate
Under the updated guidelines, only birth certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or other authorised entities under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be accepted as proof of DoB for those born from October 1, 2023, onwards.
For individuals born before this cutoff date, existing alternatives remain valid. These include school transfer or matriculation certificates, a PAN card, a driving license, or official service record extracts.
Updates To Passport Format, Information
In a bid to enhance privacy, the Government has decided to remove the applicant’s residential address from the final page of the passport. Instead, immigration officials will retrieve this information by scanning a barcode embedded within the document.
Additionally, another key revision involves the exclusion of parents’ names from the last page of the passport. This measure is designed to protect the privacy of individuals, particularly those from separated or estranged families.
New Colour-Coding System For Passports
The Government has introduced a revamped colour-coding scheme for passports:
- White passports will be issued to Government officials.
- Red passports will be designated for diplomats.
- Blue passports will continue to be issued to ordinary citizens.
Expansion Of Passport Seva Kendras
Alongside these regulatory updates, the Government has announced plans to expand passport service infrastructure. The number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) is set to increase from 442 to 600 over the next five years. To facilitate this expansion, the MEA has extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Posts for an additional five years, ensuring the continued operation of passport services through POPSKs.
Officials highlighted that the passport rules concerning proof of birth had remained unchanged for a long time, primarily due to challenges faced by rural populations in obtaining birth certificates. However, with stricter implementation of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, birth certificates are now deemed the most reliable proof of date of birth for applicants born after October 1, 2023.
These reforms are expected to streamline the passport issuance process, improve efficiency, and enhance security while ensuring a uniform approach to identity verification.
