New passport rules 2025: 5 key updates explained

In a significant policy update, the central government has revised passport application rules, bringing in stricter documentation requirements and procedural changes. Here are five key takeaways from the new passport regulations:
Starting October 1, 2023, individuals born on or after this date must provide a birth certificate as the sole official proof of their date of birth. This certificate must be issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or an authority designated under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Those born before to this date, however, may continue to use other papers, such as extracts from service records, a PAN card, a driving licence, a school leaving certificate or a matriculation certificate.
Residential addresses will no longer be printed on the last page of passports in an effort to improve security and privacy. Rather, a barcode inserted in the paper will be scanned by immigration officials to retrieve this information.
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To simplify passport identification, the government has introduced a colour-coded system:
This change aims to streamline identification processes for different categories of passport holders.
The updated rules remove the requirement to print parents' names on the last page of passports, improving privacy and benefiting individuals from single-parent or separated families.
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To expedite passport services, the government plans to increase the number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 during the course of the following five years.
To support this expansion, the Department of Posts and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a further five years.
These amendments aim to make the passport application process more secure, efficient, and uniform, ensuring a seamless experience for Indian citizens.