All You Need To Know About Passport For Minors

Passports are authorised travel documents that also serve the purpose of identification to a particular country. Earlier, minors in India could travel abroad with their names endorsed on their parents' passports. Now, that provision has been discontinued and all Indians irrespective of age need to hold a passport for international travel.

Who Can Apply Passport For Minors?

Individuals below the age of 18 years can apply for a passport under the minor category in India. This includes newborns and infants who need to travel abroad for any reason. The validity of a passport issued to a minor is either five years or till the time they attain the age of 18 and therefore cease to be a minor, whichever of these is earlier. However, minors between 15-18 years of age also have the option to apply for a full validity passport. In this case, they will be issued an adult passport that comes with a validity period of 10 years, subject to proper procedures, including police verification.

How to Apply For a Minor Passport in India

The process of passport application for minors in India is available in online and offline modes. Here's detailing both the procedures for application:

Documents Required For Minor Passport in India

The documents required for obtaining a minor's passport in India are different than that for adult passports. Following is the checklist of passport documents for minors:

1. Birth Certificate
2. Proof of present address of parents
3. Passport of either or both parents
4. Passport-sized photographs of minor applicant and parents

*Baby passport requirements allow for ordinary passport-sized photographs to be carried while applicants above 4 years of age will have their photographs captured during appointment:

1. Proof of parents' marital status
2. Declaration of Parent/Guardian for Minor Passports (Annexure "D") or Annexure C when consent of either parent is unavailable
3. Declaration as per Annexure "I" affirming the particulars of the minor provided in the application

Special cases of passport for minors applications might necessitate additional documents that can be looked up in detail on the official website.

Eligibility For Minor Passport in India

Whether you are applying for a passport for a 1-year-old baby in India or anyone identifying as a minor, the following criteria must be met:

1. Applicant must be below 18 years of age
2. Applicant must be an Indian citizen by birth or by descent or by registration/naturalisation

Apart from these two basic conditions, minor applicants need to fulfil some other eligibility criteria that might differ depending on the nature of their application. Parents or guardian's consent is essential but in cases where obtaining consent is not possible for reasons such as a parent identifying as resident abroad or divorced, or deceased, there exist alternative criteria that must be met.

Minor Passport Validity in India

All applicants who are below 15 years of age will only be entitled to receive a 36-page minor passport that is valid for a period of 5 years or till they attain 18 years of age, whichever situation arises earlier.

However, minors between 15-18 years of age can apply either for a minor passport or an adult passport. The minor passport will be valid for 5 years in all cases or till the passport holder turns adult. However, in case of the latter, an ordinary passport with full validity of 10 years can be issued to the minor applicant.

Minor Passport Fees

Passport fees for minor applicants will vary depending on the category they apply under. Depending on whether the application is made under the normal or tatkaal scheme, there will be a variation in the payment due for obtaining a passport. The following table shows the different fee specifications pertaining to diverse categories of passport for minors:

Payment Modes For Minor Passports in India

Payment for all passport applications needs to be made as per the guidelines mentioned on the Passport Seva website. The general mode of payment is online with a special case for paying a certain proportion of fees in cash. There is also the provision for offline payment through a State Bank of India challan, which also happens to be one of the two non-chargeable payment options. SBI internet banking is the other mode of payment that does not impose an additional service charge.

Payments made through Debit or Credit Cards as well as Wallet Payments will attract a 1.5%+ service tax. Tatkaal applications necessitate a dual mode of fee payment in which fees applicable under the normal category will be paid online and the additional fee has to be paid in cash at the Passport Seva Kendra after acceptance of the application.

Processing Time For Minor Passports in India

The processing time of a passport for infant application, or any passport application for minors, is different from the standard timeline for obtaining a passport. Since minor passport applications do not necessitate police verification, the processing time for normal cases is generally 3-4 days while that of tatkaal cases is 1-2 days.

However, in specific situations of minor applications that might involve police verification as in case of 15-18 year old minors applying for a full validity passport, the timeline can be extended. Similarly, cases of unsatisfactory documentation or identification too can cause delays in processing. Adopted children or those living in orphanages or those without establishment of definite parentage can expect delays in their application. 

How to Renew a Minor Passport Online in India

Passport renewal for minors is a more regular requirement because of the shorter validity period. It is mandatory to renew your Indian passport once it has expired or preferably before its expiry. To renew a minor passport online in India, you need to do the following:

1. Log in to your Passport Seva account
2. Select the Reissue of Passport option
3. Proceed to fill up the form by providing all necessary details as asked for
4. View the Saved/Submit Application option and click on the Pay and Schedule Appointment link
5. Make the payment as applicable and print the receipt
6. Show up on the appointment date at the regional Passport Seva Kendra along with all original documents for renewal of the minor passport

Conclusion

Holding a passport is mandatory for all Indian travellers, including newborns, who are eligible for a minor passport. Parents/guardians of minors need to apply for a passport for their child while ensuring that they have a valid travel insurance policy that provides global coverage.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It may contain outdated data and information. It is advised to verify the currency and relevance of the data and information before taking any major steps. ICICI Lombard is not liable for any inaccuracies or consequences resulting from the use of this outdated information.

Also Read

• Documents Required for Indian Passport Application
• Tatkal passport eligibility: who can apply for it?
• What documents are required for tatkal passport?
• What is file number in passport?
• When can I renew my Indian passport before it expires?