Massive passport rule change: Beginning certificates now obligatory for brand spanking new candidates

In a serious coverage shift, the central authorities has amended the passport utility course of, making beginning certificates the one legitimate proof of date of beginning for people born on or after October 1, 2023. This alteration is geared toward streamlining documentation and making certain uniformity in age verification.
The brand new rule, introduced final week as a part of the amended Passport Guidelines, will come into impact after its publication within the official Gazette. In response to a notification dated February 24, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs has revised the necessities for submitting proof of date of beginning whereas making use of for a passport.

New passport guidelines: Beginning certificates requirement

The one recognised proof of date of beginning for folks born on or after October 1, 2023, shall be beginning certificates issued by the Municipal Company, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or some other authorised physique underneath the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, in response to the brand new laws.
The brand new rule doesn’t apply to anybody born earlier than this date, although. They’ll nonetheless current different paperwork, akin to a beginning certificates, a certificates of switch or faculty leaving from an accredited faculty, a certificates of matriculation, or a Everlasting Account Quantity (PAN) card from the Earnings Tax Division. Moreover, copies of an applicant’s driving license or extracts from their service information can even be thought of legitimate proof.
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Modifications in residential data

To boost privateness, the applicant’s residential handle will not be printed on the ultimate web page of the passport. As an alternative, immigration officers will entry this data by scanning a barcode embedded within the doc.

New color coding system

The federal government has additionally launched a colour-coding system for passports. Below the revised laws:

Modifications to oldsters’ title requirement

Elimination of fogeys’ names from the passport’s final web page is one other vital change. By eradicating useless publicity of parental data, this variation goals to help youngsters from break up or separated households.
In response to officers, passport guidelines relating to the date of beginning had not been up to date for a very long time, primarily as a result of many rural residents lacked beginning certificates. Nonetheless, with the strict enforcement of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, beginning certificates at the moment are the one acknowledged proof of date of beginning for these born after October 1, 2023. People born earlier than this date can nonetheless use different paperwork, akin to faculty certificates, PAN playing cards, and driving licenses.
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Growth of Passport Seva Kendras

Along with these adjustments, the federal government plans to increase the variety of Publish Workplace Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs). Over the subsequent 5 years, the variety of operational Passport Seva Kendras will improve from 442 to 600.
The Division of Posts and the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) have prolonged their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a further 5 years with the intention to accommodate this enlargement, making certain that passport companies by means of POPSKs would proceed to be provided.