Govt hikes Passport fee to 2,500; Tatkal variant will cost 5,000

The Central Government has officially amended the Passports Rules, 1980, introducing a steeper fee structure for securing the essential international travel document. According to a formal notification issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the revised pricing grid will apply to both standard fresh applications, reissues, and expedited Tatkal services. These changes, legally formalized under the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, are scheduled to come into effect nationwide starting July 1, 2026.

Under the newly updated payment framework, a standard 36-page fresh or reissued booklet will now cost ₹2,500, up from the previous rate of ₹1,500. Those opting for the expedited Tatkal variant of the 36-page passport will face a revised charge of ₹5,000 instead of the earlier ₹3,500. Furthermore, applicants requiring a larger 60-page booklet will see standard fees rise from ₹2,000 to ₹3,500, while the high-speed Tatkal option for the same 60-page category has been scaled up to ₹6,000 from the older pricing of ₹4,000. Moreover, if you lose or damage your passport, then a replacement 60-page passport will cost ₹6,000 under the normal category and ₹8,500 under Tatkal. 

The executive notification also detailed specific guidelines regarding document validity limits and concession brackets. Standard adult passports will carry a maximum validity of ten years, whereas booklets issued to minors will remain valid for five years or until the individual turns 18, whichever baseline is reached earlier. Notably, the MEA has introduced a 10 percent financial discount on the base application fee, though this waiver is strictly restricted to brand-new applications filed for minors up to 8 years of age and senior citizens over 60 years.