Your passport expires in a few months, but you have a trip coming up. Should you wait, apply for a new passport, or choose Tatkaal? On Passport Seva, an existing passport holder normally applies for re-issue, the service commonly called “passport renewal.” The right fee and documents depend on why you need a new booklet.
The important 2026 change is the price. G.S.R. 516(E), notified on 20 June 2026 and effective 1 July 2026, substituted Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980. A normal 36-page adult passport now costs ₹2,500; a normal 60-page adult passport costs ₹3,500. The corresponding Tatkaal totals are ₹5,000 and ₹6,000, inclusive of the normal fee. A separate September 2026 amendment clarified the validity rule for a 36-page passport issued to a child below 15.
These are the Gazette's India application fees, not a promise that a particular case qualifies for Tatkaal or will be issued by a fixed date. Select the correct service and check the official fee calculator Official ↗ before paying.
Passport renewal or re-issue: which should you select?
Choose re-issue of passport if you have held an ordinary passport and need another booklet because it is expiring or expired, its pages are exhausted, it is lost or damaged, or you need to change printed particulars. “Fresh passport” normally means a first passport in the relevant category. An expired passport does not automatically turn your application into a first-time application. Passport Seva's service list Official ↗ distinguishes the two.
You need not wait for the passport to expire. Passport Seva's current FAQ Official ↗ lists a passport due to expire within the next ten years, one expired within three years, and one expired more than three years ago as re-issue reasons. An older application instruction booklet discusses a one-year-before-expiry / three-year-after-expiry window in the narrower context of when fresh police verification may be avoided, subject to a clear earlier report and no adverse entry. Check the current portal's case-specific requirements rather than treating that window as the only time re-issue is possible. If you have an urgent trip, check the destination's official entry and visa rules. A “six months remaining” rule is not universal.
Which reason applies to you?
| Your situation | Select or check | Practical point |
|---|---|---|
Expiry approaching or passport expired | Re-issue: validity expired / due to expire | Keep the old passport and check whether your address has changed. |
No blank visa pages | Re-issue: pages exhausted | Select 36 or 60 pages according to your needs and eligibility. |
Name, address, date/place of birth or other particulars changed | Re-issue: change in particulars | The evidence depends on the exact change; use the Document Advisor. |
Passport lost, stolen or damaged | Re-issue: lost/damaged reason | Additional documents and a different fee category may apply. |
Passport fees in India from 1 July 2026
The amounts below come from the official Gazette notification G.S.R. 516(E) , Schedule IV. Tatkaal figures are the total statutory fee, not an amount to add to the normal fee.
| Application category | Normal | Tatkaal total, if eligible |
|---|---|---|
Adult fresh/re-issue, 36 pages | ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 |
Adult fresh/re-issue, 60 pages | ₹3,500 | ₹6,000 |
Minor below 18, fresh/re-issue, 36 pages | ₹1,750 | ₹4,250 |
The adult category can also be chosen by an eligible applicant aged 15–18 who applies under that category. Check the requested validity and applicable category before selecting it. The revised Schedule IV also lists ₹5,000 for a lost/damaged 36-page adult replacement, ₹6,000 for a 60-page adult replacement, and ₹4,250 for a minor's lost/damaged 36-page replacement under normal processing. Those are distinct from the ordinary re-issue fees.
Do not read the Gazette's Tatkaal price column as an eligibility decision. Passport Seva's Tatkaal eligibility page Official ↗ excludes lost/stolen passports and passports damaged beyond recognition, among other categories. Check the exact reason and current portal guidance before choosing Tatkaal. The Schedule also sets the India fee for a Police Clearance Certificate and certain passport-based miscellaneous certificates at ₹750; older portal help pages may still show an earlier amount, so use the current Gazette and checkout calculation for the specific service.
What changed for children in September 2026?
G.S.R. 820(E), published on 17 September 2026 , amended rule 12(1A): an ordinary 36-page passport for a child below 15 is valid for five years from issue or until the child turns 18, whichever occurs earlier. This is a validity rule; it did not announce a fresh July fee increase. For applicants aged 15–18, review the available minor and adult-category choices on Passport Seva rather than assuming one fee or validity period fits everyone.
Documents for an ordinary adult re-issue
For a straightforward expiry or pages-exhausted case, Passport Seva's rules identify the old passport in original and self-attested copies of its first two and last two pages, including the ECR/non-ECR page, observation page and any short-validity extension page where relevant. If your present address differs from the old passport, be ready with accepted present-address proof. The official application instructions Official ↗ and Document Advisor Official ↗ are the right place to confirm your case-specific list.
The list changes when you request a correction or replacement:
- Address change: old passport plus accepted proof of the current address.
- Name or other personal-detail change: old passport plus the supporting documents for that exact change. A spelling correction and a substantial name change may have different requirements.
- Lost/stolen passport: report the loss as required, retain the police report/FIR and prepare the declaration and other documents the portal specifies. Do not book Tatkaal for a lost/stolen case.
- Damaged passport: take the booklet if available; the Passport Office distinguishes a recognizable booklet from one damaged beyond recognition.
- Minor applicant: check parental/guardian consent and documents in the applicable category.
Bring the originals and the required self-attested copies to the appointment. The Passport Office may request further evidence based on the facts; do not rely on a generic checklist for a date-of-birth correction, short-validity passport or an adverse police record.
How to apply for re-issue online
Passport re-issue on Passport Seva
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Register or sign in
Use the official Passport Seva portal Official ↗.
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Choose the service
Select “Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport,” then choose re-issue and the correct reason.
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Complete the form
Enter your latest passport details, current residential address and any changes carefully. Review the preview before submitting.
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Check the fee
Choose the applicable booklet and Normal or Tatkaal category only if eligible; confirm the fee in the portal.
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Pay and book
Use “Pay and Schedule Appointment” to select the available PSK/POPSK or Passport Office appointment.
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Attend the appointment
Take originals and applicable self-attested copies. The appointment SMS can serve as proof of appointment; follow any current portal instructions.
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Track the application
Keep the ARN/file number and respond to any verification or document request.
Passport Seva's re-issue procedure Official ↗ says online payment is required for booking an appointment. Availability varies by centre; Passport Seva's getting-started page Official ↗ says Tatkaal is not presently available at a POPSK. The application receipt printout is generally not required when the appointment SMS is available.
Normal or Tatkaal: what is the real difference?
Tatkaal is an expedited route for eligible applications with its own document and fee requirements. It is not a way to bypass scrutiny, guarantee delivery before a flight, or make an excluded loss/damage case eligible. Passport Seva lists excluded categories, including lost/stolen passports, damage beyond recognition, certain changes in particulars and other special cases. Adult Tatkaal applicants may need additional documents from the official acceptable-documents list, along with the usual proofs.
Police verification can be required before or after issue depending on the case and the Passport Office's decision. The official Tatkaal guidance Official ↗ and fee/payment FAQ Official ↗ should be checked at the time of application. Pay the displayed Tatkaal total if approved for that route; do not add it again to the normal fee.
Three practical examples
Expiry with no other change: Your passport expires in eight months and your address is unchanged. Select re-issue for impending expiry, prepare the old passport and required copies, and check your application category and fee. Do not select “fresh” merely because you will receive a new booklet.
Address changed: Your existing passport is valid but you moved. Select re-issue for the change in particulars, enter your current residential address accurately and bring an accepted address proof. The address entered in the application is significant for the new booklet and verification.
Passport lost before travel: Select the lost-passport re-issue reason, report the loss and prepare the required police/declaration documents. The higher replacement fee applies. Passport Seva excludes lost/stolen cases from Tatkaal, so a flight booking does not change eligibility.
Before you pay: quick checklist
- ○ Re-issue reason and applicant age category are correct.
- ○ Old passport details and current address match the supporting evidence.
- ○ Booklet size, Normal/Tatkaal eligibility and current fee have been checked.
- ○ Original passport (unless lost) and relevant self-attested copies are ready.
- ○ Special documents for a change, loss, damage or minor application are ready.
- ○ Travel destination's official passport-validity and visa rules have been checked.
- ○ ARN, appointment details and payment acknowledgement are saved.
Common questions that cause delays
Can I apply after my passport expired more than three years ago?
Yes, the service remains re-issue rather than a first passport. Passport Seva treats the timing as a distinct case, and additional verification or evidence may be required. Check the Document Advisor before making assumptions about police verification.
Is the fee for a 36-page Tatkaal adult passport ₹2,500 plus ₹5,000?
No. The Gazette labels ₹5,000 as the Tatkaal fee inclusive of the normal fee for an eligible adult fresh/re-issue 36-page application. The ordinary fee for that category is ₹2,500.
Does every country insist on six months' remaining validity?
No. The immigration and visa rule depends on the destination, itinerary and sometimes transit. Check the destination government's official advice and your airline's document requirements before travelling.
Official sources and verification
- Gazette of India, G.S.R. 516(E), 20 June 2026 — Schedule IV fees effective 1 July 2026.
- Gazette of India, G.S.R. 820(E), 15 September 2026 — rule 8 and the below-15 validity rule; published 17 September.
- Passport Seva: application form FAQ Official ↗, re-issue steps Official ↗, Tatkaal eligibility Official ↗ and fee calculator Official ↗.
- Passport Seva application instructions Official ↗ — reasons for re-issue and case-specific documents.
Last verified: 27 October 2026. This guide is general information. The Passport Office and current Passport Seva application determine document requirements, verification and processing for each applicant.