Parliament Question: Hike in Passport Fees

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 938 ANSWERED ON - 24/07/2026 HIKE IN PASSPORT FEES 938. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI: DR. GANAPATHY RAJKUMAR P: SHRI N K PREMACHANDRAN: THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN: SHRI K C VENUGOPAL: Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) the performance of Passport Offices and Passport Seva Kendras across the country, particularly in Andhra Pradesh; (b) whether recently the Government has increased the fees for Ordinary and Tatkal Passports; (c) if so, the details thereof indicating the cost incurred in issuing a Ordinary and Tatkal Passport along with the total revenue collected 1from Passport issuance and related services during the last three years and reasons for the increase; (d) whether this will financially impact migrant workers, students, senior citizens, middle and lower class people, if so, the details thereof; (e) whether the Government has received any request from any individual or tourist’s association to reduce fee/consider withdrawing it, if so, the response of the Government thereto; and (f) whether the Government treat the service of External Affairs as a profit making procedure, if so, the details of projected additional revenue expected annually due to this recent fee hike ? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) Passport Offices and Passport Seva Kendras continue to provide passport services efficiently across the country. In Andhra Pradesh, the average time taken for issuance of passports (excluding Police Verification) was 11 days in 2023, 11 days in 2024 and 13 days in 2025. 2The details of performance of Passport Offices and Passport Seva Kendras across the country is enclosed at Annexure-I. (b) to (f) The fee for all passport and passport-related services prescribed under Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980 has been revised vide Gazette Notification G.S.R. No. 516(E) dated 25.06.2026, with effect from 1 July 2026. A copy of the Gazette notification having revised fee is enclosed as Annexure-II. The issuance of a passport involves several components of expenditure. The major direct cost elements include: Cost of Passport Booklet, Printing of data in the Passport booklet, Payment to Service Provider, Payment to Police Department for Police Verification, Payment to Department of Post, Courier charges, Expenditure on Technical support and cost of ePassport project including its operation and maintenance for validation of ePassports through Public Key Directory in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. Besides these, there are a number of other expenditure components relating to human resources, establishment and infrastructure. These include payment of salaries 3and allowances to Passport Officers and officials, expenditure on office premises, IT infrastructure, expenses on court cases, etc. Passport fees are revised from time to time after a comprehensive review of the cost of providing passport and related services, operational requirements, and service delivery improvements. Earlier, passport fees were revised in 1971, 1980, 1993, 2002, 2012, and now in 2026. A number of initiatives have been taken for improvement of passport services including implementation of upgraded Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0 and e-Passports which has enhanced the quality, security and efficiency of passport services, while increasing the cost of service delivery. In addition, the increase in the cost of various inputs and service delivery over the fourteen years since the last revision in 2012 made it necessary to revise the passport fees. The rendering of passport service is not a profit making procedure. All passport fees collected goes to the Consolidated Fund of India. 4Annexure-I Lok Sabha Unstarred Parliament Question on Hike in Passport Fees *** Annexure to part (a) of the question about ‘Performance of Passport Offices and Passport Seva Kendras in country’ The average time taken for issuance of passports (excluding Police Verification) across the country (State/UT wise) for the year 2023, 2024 and 2025 are as under. This is the average time taken for issuance of a Passport (excluding Police Verification). Average time taken for issuance of a passport (Excluding Police Verification) 2023 (no. of 2024 2025 State/UT Name days) (no. of days) (no. of days) Andaman and Nicobar 3 3 4 Andhra Pradesh 11 11 13 5Arunachal Pradesh 12 13 19 Assam 11 11 18 Bihar 9 9 8 Chandigarh 11 14 13 Chhattisgarh 18 25 38 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 12 21 23 Daman and Diu 27 23 20 Delhi 9 8 8 Goa 2 2 3 Gujarat 18 13 11 Haryana 13 14 13 Himachal Pradesh 7 6 8 Jammu and Kashmir 13 10 12 Jharkhand 16 10 10 Karnataka 9 12 13 Kerala 4 3 5 Ladakh 32 27 15 Lakshadweep 4 5 11 Madhya Pradesh 8 7 10 Maharashtra 8 8 10 Manipur 7 7 11 6Meghalaya 10 10 14 Mizoram 8 7 10 Nagaland 14 12 19 Odisha 22 39 29 Puducherry 5 5 6 Punjab 10 11 12 Rajasthan 11 12 16 Sikkim 4 4 8 Tamil Nadu 5 8 10 Telangana 13 10 11 Tripura 7 14 19 Uttar Pradesh 16 16 14 Uttarakhand 21 21 30 West Bengal 10 18 19 7Annexure-II MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS NOTIFICATION New Delhi, dated the 20th June, 2026. G.S.R. 516(E).─ In exercise of the powers conferred by section 24 of the Passports Act, 1967(15 of 1967), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Passports Rules, 1980, namely:─ 1. (1) These rules may be called the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026. (2) They shall come into force with effect from the 1st day of July, 2026. 2. For Schedule IV to the Passports Rules, 1980, the following Schedule shall be substituted, namely:─ ‘SCHEDULE IV (See rule 8) Schedule of fees payable in respect of applications for passport and travel documents 8Sl. Particulars of application Scale of fees No. Normal Fee Tatkaal fee (inclusive of normal fee) India Abroad India Abroad Rs. $ Rs. $ (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) I. PASSPORT─ (a) Applicants (18 years of age and above / Minors aged between 15 to 18 years, if applied under this category) : 1. For an ordinary fresh passport 2500 125 5000 250 or reissue of passport containing 36 pages 2. For an ordinary fresh passport 3500 175 6000 300 or reissue of passport 9containing 60 pages 3. For an ordinary passport in lieu 5000 250 7500 375 of lost or damaged passport containing 36 pages 4. For an ordinary passport in lieu 6000 300 8500 425 of lost or damaged passport containing 60 pages (b) Minor Applicants (below 18 years of age) : 5. For an ordinary fresh passport 1750 90 4250 215 or reissue of passport containing 36 pages 6. For an ordinary passport in lieu 4250 215 6750 340 of lost or damaged passport containing 36 pages II. SPECIAL TRAVEL DOCUMENT─ 107. Emergency Certificate NA 15 NA NA 8. Certificate of Identity 1000 50 NA NA III. MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES─ 9. Issue of Police Clearance 750 40 NA NA Certificate or Surrender Certificate or Global Entry Program verification or any other Miscellaneous certificates based on the passport Note: 1. “NA” means “not applicable”. 2. The validity of passports issued under serial number I(a) shall not exceed ten years, and the validity of passports issued under serial number I(b) shall be for five years or until the applicant attains the age of 18 years, whichever is earlier. 113. There shall be a discount of ten per cent. in passport fee for fresh applications (and not for re-issue) in respect of minors up to the age of 8 years and senior citizens (persons above the age of 60 years).’. [No. 401/01/20/2025] B.S. MUBARAK, Jt. Secy. and Chief Passport Officer Note.─ The Passport Rules, 1980 were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide notification number G.S.R. 691(E), dated the 11th December, 1980 and last amended vide notification number G.S.R. 156 (E), dated the 24th February, 2025. ***** 12