New passport rules in 2025
• The residential address will no longer be printed on the last page of the passport. Instead, it will be digitally embedded in a barcode, accessible to immigration officials via scanning. This change enhances privacy and reduces the risk of personal data exposure.
• Parents' names will also be omitted from the passport to accommodate single parent households, children of divorced parents, or other unique family situations, making the process more inclusive.
• Attestation of annexes by a notary or magistrate is no longer required; applicants can now submit these as self declarations on plain paper.
• Marriage certificates or spouse names are no longer mandatory for married or divorced applicants, reflecting societal changes.
• For urgent passport needs (job related travel), Govt employees can submit a self declaration if they cannot obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
• For individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, a birth certificate is the only acceptable proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.
• The birth certificate must be issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, a Municipal Corporation, or any authority empowered under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
• For those born before October 1, 2023, existing alternative documents (school leaving certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or matriculation certificates) will continue to be accepted as proof of date of birth.
*Color Coded Passports*
• Red : For diplomats
• White : For Govt official
• Blue : For all other citizens, replacing the previous orange color for ECR passport holders.
