Documents required for passport: Required documents for Indian passport

Holding a passport is crucial if you want to travel outside India. But passports don't just enable overseas travel, they also act as identity proof. That's why there's such high scrutiny when it comes to issuing passports. The applicant has to submit a range of documents that prove their identity, address, age, and other eligibility requirements to get a passport. The documents required for an Indian passport vary depending on the type of passport you apply for. To help the people in this regard, the Government of India has streamlined the process of applying for a passport. And you can easily apply for an Indian passport if you have the checklist of documents required. Read ahead for details related to the documents required for an Indian passport.

List of documents required to apply for a passport

The list of documents required for a passport varies for different passport categories. Here’s the list of documents required to apply for an Indian passport. Note that this is not an exhaustive list and the documents required to apply for a passport might vary on a case-by-case basis. 

1. Proof of Address

The applicant has to submit proof of address. It is one of the mandatory passport application documents required for an Indian passport. You will need to submit a copy of any one of the following documents as proof of your address.

• Voter ID card

• Aadhaar card/E-Aadhaar

• Electricity bill

• Telephone bill

• Water bill

• Gas connection bill

• Bank account statement

• Income Tax Assessment Order

• Rent Agreement

2. Proof of Date of Birth

The applicant has to submit proof of date of birth with the application. It is another critical document. You will need to submit a copy of any one of the following. 

• Birth certificate 

• PAN card

• Aadhaar card/E-Aadhaar

• Driving licence

3. Photo ID proof

The passport applicant has to submit a photo ID proof with the application. You will need to submit a copy of any one of the following. 

• Aadhaar card/E-Aadhaar

• PAN card

• Driving licence

• Voter ID card

4. Passport-size photographs

You will need to provide two recent passport-size photographs with a white background.

5. Previous passport

If you have an old passport, you need to submit it along with your application form.

6. Other passport documents

Additionally, there may be other passport documents required for an Indian passport depending on your specific situation. It is recommended to check the passport application guidelines on the official website of the Indian Passport Seva to ensure you have all the required documents.

Which documents are needed for a passport appointment?

The documents required for a passport appointment are the same as those mentioned in the above section. 

Documents required for an Indian passport for a minor 

In India, a minor is a person who is under the age of 18 years. Indian passports issued for minors either have a 5-year validity or up to the age the minor turns 18. To obtain a passport for a minor in India, the following steps need to be followed.

1. First, visit the Passport Seva website and register as a new user.

2. Fill in the online passport application form for minors. Alternatively, you can download, print and fill out the passport application form manually.

3. Collect all the required documents for a minor's passport. Typically documents for applying for a minor’s passport include the following. 

• Birth certificate of the minor

• Proof of parents' citizenship

• Proof of address

• A recent passport-size photograph of the minor

• Annexure 'D' (for both parents/guardians) and Annexure 'C' (for minors between 15 to 18 years of age)

• Any other document specified by the passport office

4. After that, get in touch with a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) near you.

5. Visit the PSK or RPO with the minor, along with all the necessary documents and the appointment confirmation letter.

6. Pay the applicable fees for the passport application. The fee for a minor's passport is generally lower than that of an adult passport.

7. After submitting the application and documents, you can track the status of the application online using the Passport Seva website.

8. Once the passport is issued, you can collect it from the PSK or RPO where the application was submitted.

It is important to note that both parents or legal guardians of the minor need to be present during the passport application process, and their consent is required for issuing the passport. In case one parent is not available, a notarised affidavit from the absent parent can be submitted along with the application. Also, the minor applicant's current proof of address should be submitted in the parents' name. If the parents have passports, it is recommended to bring originals and self-tested copies of the passports to the PSK. 

Documents required for minors for re-issue of passport

Here is the list of documents required for minors for the re-issue of passports in India.

1. Old Passport: The applicant needs to submit the original old passport with the application. It is recommended that parents should also carry their original passports and self-attested copies. 

2. Self-attested copies: The applicant also needs to submit a copy of the first and last two pages of the self-attested passport. In addition, remember to include the validity extension page, ECR/Non-ECR page and the observation page (if any). For minor applicants, parents can also attest the copies. 

3. Proof of Address: Acceptable documents for address include Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Utility Bill (electricity, water, gas), Telephone Bill, Bank Account Statement, Rent Agreement, or Letter from Employer are needed.

4. Other documents: The list of documents required for reissuing a minor passport varies a little depending on the reason for reissue. Thus, depending on the reason for re-issuing your passport the applicant will have to submit a few additional documents. 

Documents required for re-issue of passport

There are various reasons why someone might need to get a new passport (re-issue). Some of the main reasons are as follows.

• Change of address of the passport holder

• Exhaustion of pages in the passport booklet 

• The validity of the passport is due to expire

• Validity has expired

• Renewal of Short Validity Passport (SVP)

• The passport has been lost/stolen

• Passport got damaged 

• Change in any existing personal particulars like name etc. 

Here is the list of documents required for an Indian passport renewal.

1. Old Passport: The applicant needs to submit the original old passport with the application. The old passport must be surrendered if it is damaged, expired or if it has less than one year of validity remaining. Along with the passport the applicant also has to submit a self-attested copy of the first and last two pages of the passport. Also include the ECR/Non-ECR page and the observation page (if any). If your passport is valid for a short period, remember to bring the extension page as well.

2. Proof of Address: Documents such as Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Utility Bill (electricity, water, gas), Telephone Bill, Bank Account Statement, Rent Agreement, or Letter from Employer are needed.

3. Proof of Date of Birth: The applicant needs to submit any one of the following documents as proof of date of birth: Birth Certificate, PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, School Leaving Certificate or Transfer Certificate.

4. Photographs: You need to submit two recent passport-size photographs. The photographs should have a white background and should not be older than 6 months.

5. Other documents: Based on the reason for re-issuing your passport the applicant will have to submit a few additional documents. In some cases, you may need to submit additional documents such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or name change affidavit. In case of a stolen or damaged passport, you will have to submit the original police report along with an affidavit stating how and where your earlier passport got stolen/lost/damaged. 

Documents required for Tatkaal Passport

Tatkaal passport is a type of passport service provided by the Indian government for urgent and immediate travel needs. This service is offered to Indian citizens who require a passport urgently, such as for business or medical emergencies, or to students who need to travel abroad for studies.

The Tatkaal passport service is available both for new passport applications as well as for the re-issue of existing passports. The main advantage of the Tatkaal service is that the passport is issued within one to three working days, depending on the urgency of the requirement.

It is important to note that the Tatkaal passport service is more expensive than the regular passport service, and is only available for genuinely urgent cases. Additionally, the issuance of a Tatkaal passport is subject to certain conditions and the discretion of the passport authorities.

To apply for a Tatkaal passport, applicants must first fill out the passport application form and submit it online through the Passport Seva website. The applicant must then visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) along with all the necessary passport documents, including proof of urgency for the Tatkaal service, and pay the required fees.

Here is the list of documents required for a Tatkaal passport in India.

To apply for a Tatkaal passport in India, you will need to provide the following documents.

1. Proof of age (Birth Certificate, School Leaving Certificate, etc.).

2. Proof of address (Aadhaar card, Voter ID card, Electricity bill, etc.).

3. Proof of nationality (Birth Certificate, Voter ID card, etc.).

4. Self-attested copies of the first two and last two pages of your old passport (if any).

5. Annexure E (declaration of citizenship, family details and no criminal record).

6. Two passport-sized photographs (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm) with a white background.

7. Payment of the Tatkaal fee (which is higher than the normal fee).

In addition to the above passport documents, to apply for a passport under the Tatkal scheme you will need to provide any additional documents. Those over the age of 18 will need to submit any three of the documents specified in the List of Acceptable Documents. The list of acceptable documents by the passport authority of India includes the following. 

• Aadhaar card

• PAN Card

• Student Photo Identity Card from a Recognised Educational Institution

• Birth Certificate issued by a government body 

• Ration Card

• Last Issued Passport (if applicable)

• Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC)

• Valid Driving Licence

• Updated Bank Passbook, Post Office Passbook or Kisan Passbook

• Pension Documents

• Service Photo Identity Card from State or Central Government or a Public Sector Undertaking

The list of documents required for a passport may vary depending on the specific case. 

Documents required for availing Diplomatic/Official passport

To obtain a Diplomatic/Official passport in India, the following documents are required.

1. Applicants official identity card is required for application submission.

2. Certificate by the Head of Office is needed. The format can be downloaded from the official passport website. 

3. An Official Request Letter from the Forwarding Officer is required. The format for the same is available on passport seva portal. 

4. If applicable, the applicant needs to submit a Political/PMO Clearance Certificate.

5. For Existing Passport or re-issue of diplomatic passport the applicant needs to submit the original Diplomatic/Official Passport for cancellation or original Surrender/Safe, or Original Cancellation Certificate.

6. In case the official is close to retiring (less than 6 months) from passport application date, the applicant needs to bring an official undertaking from the office. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s a list of common questions and answers related to the documents required for an Indian passport.

Is there a government portal where I can find more information related to the documents required for an Indian passport? 

You can visit the official website of the Ministry of External Affairs for more information.

Do I need to submit proof of age while applying for a Tatkaal passport?

Yes, a proof-of-age document is needed while applying for a Tatkaal passport in most cases. 

While applying for a passport re-issue, do I need to submit my old passport?

Yes, submission of the old passport is needed in most cases while applying for a passport re-issue.

My baby is 2 months old, does the baby require a separate passport? 

According to the new passport guidelines, parents are no longer able to endorse their child's name in their own passports. This means that each minor must now have their own separate passport.

How to change the surname in my passport if I recently got married or divorced? 

If you recently got married or divorced and need to change your surname on your passport, you have to apply for a "Re-issue" of passport. To check the complete list of documents to be submitted along with the application form, please click on the "Documents Advisor'' link on the home page of Passport Seva Portal. 

My passport expired 5 years back. What is the procedure to get it reissued?

If your passport has already expired you can get it reissued by filling the passport application form under "Re-issue of Passport '' category on the Passport Seva Portal. Since your passport expired more than three years ago a new police verification process would be initiated. 

What to do if the documents required for passport application are not available?

In some cases, certain alternative documents might work if the required document is unavailable. Please discuss the same with the passport office.

Explore More:

• Police verification for passport

• ECNR/ Non-ECR in passport

• Different types of passports in India

• How to apply for a student passport

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet, and is subject to changes.