Passport Services To Become Costlier From July 1

The Central government has announced a significant increase in passport and related service charges by notifying the Passport (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

The decision comes amid an ongoing public debate over whether a passport should be considered proof of citizenship. The Ministry of External Affairs has now approved the revised fee structure for passport services under the amended rules.

New rates to come into effect from July 1

According to the new rules, the revised passport charges will come into force from July 1, 2026. As a result, obtaining a new passport, renewing an existing passport, and availing other passport-related services will become more expensive for applicants.

Officials said the revised fee structure could increase the cost of certain passport services by up to ₹2,000 for ordinary citizens.

Old fee schedule to be discontinued

With the implementation of the new rules, applicants seeking passport-related services will be required to pay the updated charges from July 1 onwards.

As part of the overhaul, the government has decided to discontinue the fee schedule that has been in place since 1980. The existing Schedule-IV will be permanently replaced with a new list of charges under the Passport (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

The government has already issued an official notification approving the revised fee structure.