A guide to new passport rules

The Ministry of External Affairs has announced various modifications to the passport rules aimed at easing the process of issue of passport. Many new rules for various sections of society are also announced.

The Government has announced new passport rules aimed at simplifying and easing the process of issue of passport. The new passport rules also simplify the process of application for single parents, orphaned children, sadhus etc.

Eight (8) different documents will now be accepted as proof of Date of Birth (DOB).

As per the existing provisions of the Passport Rules, 1980, all the applicants born on or after 26th January 1989, mandatorily submit the birth certificate as the proof of DOB.

The government has now decided that applicants can submit any of the following eight (8) documents as the proof of DOB while submitting the passport application:

1. The birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Births & Deaths or the Municipal Corporation or any other prescribed authority whosoever has been empowered under the Registration of Birth & Deaths Act, 1969 to register the birth of a child born in India.
2. Transfer or School Leaving or Matriculation Certificate issued by the school last attended or by the recognized educational board containing the DOB of the applicant.
3. PAN Card issued by the Income Tax Department with the DOB of applicant.
4. Aadhaar Card/E-Aadhar having the DOB of applicant.
5. Copy of the extract of the service record of the applicant (only in respect of Government servants) or the Pay Pension Order (in respect of retired Government Servants), duly attested/certified by the officer/in-charge of the Administration of the concerned Ministry/Department of the applicant, having his DOB.
6. Driving licence issued by the Transport Department of concerned State Government, having the DOB of applicant.
7. Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India having the DOB of applicant.
8. Policy Bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporations/Companies having the DOB of the holder of the insurance policy.

Simplified rules for various sections of society
A three-member Committee with officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Women and Child Development was constituted to examine various issues pertaining to passport applications where mother/child has insisted that the name of the father should not be mentioned in the passport and also relating to passport issues to children with single parent and to adopted children.

The Report of the Committee has been accepted by the Minister of External Affairs.

Based on the recommendations of the committee, the following changes in the passport rules are being made for various sections of society:

Provision for Single Parents: The online passport application form now requires the applicant to provide the name of father or mother or legal guardian, i.e., only one parent and not both. This would enable single parents to apply for passports for their children and to also issue passports where the name of either the father or the mother is not required to be printed at the request of the applicant.

Number of Annexures reduced: The total number of Annexes prescribed in the Passport Rule, 1980, has been brought down to 9 from the present 15. Annexes A, C, D, E, J, and K have been removed and certain Annexes have been merged.

Only Self Declaration from now on: All the annexes that are required to be given by the applicants would be in the form of a self-declaration on a plain paper. No attestation/swearing by/before any Notary/Executive Magistrate/First Class Judicial Magistrate would be henceforth necessary.

No affidavit or Marriage Certificate required for married applicants: Married applicants would not be required to provide Annexure K or any marriage certificate.

Name of Spouse not required for separated/divorced applicants: The Passport application form does not require the applicant to provide the name of her/his spouse in case of separated or divorced persons. Such applicants for passports would not be required to provide even the Divorce Decree.

Provision for Orphaned children: Orphaned Children who do not have any proof of DOB such as Birth Certificate or the Matriculation Certificate or the declaratory Court order, may now submit a declaration given by the Head of the Orphanage/Child Care Home on their official letter head of the organization confirming the DOB of the applicant.

Children not born out of a wedlock: In case of children not born out of wedlock, the applicant for the passport of such children should submit only Annexure G while submitting the passport application.

For domestically adopted children: In case of issue of passport to in-country domestically adopted children, submission of the registered adoption deed would no longer be required. In the absence of any deed to this effect, the passport applicant may give a declaration on a plain paper confirming the adoption.

Government Servants without a NOC: Government servants, who are not able to obtain the Identity Certificate (Annexure-B)/ No-Objection Certificate (Annexure-M) from their concerned employer and intend to get the passport on urgent basis can now get the passport by submitting a self-declaration in Annexure-‘N’ that he/she has given prior Intimation letter to his/her employer informing that he/she was applying for an ordinary passport to a Passport Issuing Authority.

For Sadhus/Sanyasis: Sadhus/ Sanyasis can apply for a passport with the name of their spiritual Guru mentioned in the passport application in lieu of their biological parent(s) name(s) subject to their providing of at least one public document such as Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India, PAN card, Aadhar Card, etc wherein the name of the Guru has been recorded against the column(s) for parent(s) name(s).

By: Rakesh Dubbudu
(Courtesy: https://factly.in)