For a fresh adult passport you need one proof of present address and one proof of date of birth. Aadhaar counts as address proof but not as date of birth proof. To renew (officially "re-issue") you mainly need your old passport, plus address proof if your address has changed. Minors also need a declaration form (Annexure D). Tatkaal adds three ID documents from a fixed list (two for minors). Take the originals and one set of self-attested photocopies to your appointment. From 1 July 2026, a normal 36-page adult passport costs ₹2,500.
Last checked 17 October 2026 against passportindia.gov.in (Document Advisor, acceptable document lists, Tatkaal page and Fee Calculator). The site says the information is indicative and the passport officer's decision is final.
Fresh or re-issue: which one are you?
The official process page puts it simply. Apply as fresh only if you have never held a passport of that type before. If you have ever held an ordinary passport (the dark blue one), any new ordinary passport is a re-issue, whether it expired, is about to expire, ran out of pages, or you need to change your details.
Passport Seva also advises applying for re-issue up to a year before expiry, and notes that to travel abroad your passport must be valid for at least six months. More on that in when to renew your passport.
The checklist by case
This is what the official Document Advisor listed on 17 October 2026 for the common cases, assuming both parents consent for a minor and no other special case applies (such as a name change, a government job or J&K or Nagaland residence).
| Case | Documents the Advisor lists |
|---|---|
| Fresh, adult, normal | Proof of present address; proof of date of birth; proof of a Non-ECR category (if you claim one) |
| Fresh, adult, Tatkaal | The three above, plus any 3 of the 13 Tatkaal documents |
| Fresh, minor | Proof of present address (can be in a parent's name); proof of date of birth; Annexure D declaration about the minor |
| Re-issue, adult, expiring or expired, same address | Old passport in original, with self-attested copies of its first two and last two pages (including the ECR/Non-ECR page and any observation page); proof of a Non-ECR category (if you claim one) |
| Re-issue, adult, new address | As above, plus proof of present address |
| Re-issue, adult, Tatkaal | Old passport with copies as above; any 3 of the 13 Tatkaal documents; Non-ECR proof (if you claim it) |
| Re-issue, minor | Old passport with copies as above; Annexure D declaration about the minor |
Run the Document Advisor for your own case: it asks about your job, address, marital status and more, and adds documents for special cases. Your passport office's own page may ask for more.
Accepted proof of present address
Any one of these, as named on the official list:
- Water bill
- Telephone (landline or post paid mobile bill)
- Electricity bill
- Income Tax Assessment Order
- Election Commission Photo ID card
- Proof of gas connection
- Certificate from employer of reputed companies on letter head
- Spouse's passport copy (first and last page including family details mentioning you as spouse), if your present address matches the address in it
- Parent's passport copy, in case of minors (first and last page)
- Aadhaar card
- Rent agreement
- Photo passbook of a running bank account (scheduled public sector banks, scheduled private sector Indian banks and regional rural banks only)
What the official notes add:
- Only proof of your present address is needed, however long you have lived there. The form still asks for every place you stayed in the past year.
- Aadhaar letter, card or e-Aadhaar is accepted as proof of address and photo identity, subject to validation with the Aadhaar database.
- An employer certificate counts only from a public limited company, on letterhead with a seal. Computerised printouts are not accepted.
- For a minor, address proof in a parent's name is fine.
Accepted proof of date of birth
Born on or after 1 October 2023: only a birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, the Municipal Corporation or another authority empowered under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Born before 1 October 2023: any one of these:
- Birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
- Transfer, school leaving or matriculation certificate from the recognised school last attended or a recognised board, showing your date of birth
- PAN card showing your date of birth
- Extract of your service record (government servants) or Pay Pension Order (retired government servants), attested by the officer in charge of administration
- Driving licence issued by the state transport department, showing your date of birth
- Election Photo Identity Card showing your date of birth
- Policy bond from Life Insurance Corporation of India or public companies, showing your date of birth
The official note says items 3 to 6 count only if they show your precise date of birth, so a card with only a year of birth won't do.
Photo ID: the extra documents for Tatkaal
For a normal application the Advisor doesn't ask for a separate photo ID (Aadhaar, if you give it, already counts as one). For Tatkaal, adults add any three and minors any two from items 1 to 6 of this list:
- PVC Aadhaar card, complete original Aadhaar letter, e-Aadhaar with digital signature verified mark, or Aadhaar card. Small cut-out cards or smart cards printed by non-UIDAI entities are not accepted.
- PAN card
- Student photo identity card from a recognised educational institution
- Birth certificate issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
- Ration card (latest or updated)
- Last passport issued (re-issue only)
- Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC)
- Driving licence (valid, and within the jurisdiction of the state where you apply)
- Bank, Kisan or Post Office passbook, with your photo attested and the latest transaction updated
- SC, ST or OBC certificate
- Arms licence under the Arms Act, 1959
- Pension documents, such as an ex-servicemen's pension book, a pension payment order, or an old age pension order
- Service photo identity card from a state or central government body, PSU, local body or public limited company
Tatkaal is not open to everyone. The official list of cases that can't use it includes any change in name, a present address outside the passport office's area, a minor applying with Annexure C, minors with a single parent, and re-issue of a lost, stolen or badly damaged passport.
Non-ECR proof, and who needs it
If you claim Non-ECR status (no emigration check), the Advisor asks for proof of one Non-ECR category. Common ones on the official list:
- Matriculation or higher: your matriculation or higher pass certificate.
- Over 50: a birth certificate or school leaving certificate.
- Children up to 18: a birth certificate. After 18, a re-issue needs proof of a Non-ECR category, otherwise ECR is stamped.
- Income tax payers: proof of tax assessed and paid for the last year, or a stamped return with tax paid plus a PAN copy. A nil return doesn't qualify.
Extra points for a child's passport
- Annexure D is the usual declaration about the minor. Annexure C is for when one parent hasn't given consent. Both are on the Annexures page.
- Passport Seva advises carrying the parents' passports (original and self-attested copies) if they have them. Parents can attest the child's documents.
- For a child under 4, bring a recent passport size photo (4.5 x 3.5 cm) with a white background.
- Divorce, separation, single parents, adoption and children born abroad are covered on the official special cases page.
How to apply, step by step
- Register on the Passport Seva portal and log in. Pick the passport office for where you live now. If you are re-issuing from a different office than the one that issued your passport, the site says to create a new login ID (the same email works).
- Fill in the form under "Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport" and submit it. You can't change it after submitting, so check every detail against your documents first.
- Pay and book. Payment online is mandatory before you get an appointment: card, net banking or UPI. You can reschedule three times, or once for Tatkaal.
- Go to the Passport Seva Kendra on your date with the original documents and one set of self-attested photocopies. The SMS is enough as proof of appointment.
- Don't wait too long: if you don't visit within 90 days of submitting the form, you have to submit it again.
Passport fees from 1 July 2026
Fees as of 17 October 2026. They change, so check the official Fee Calculator on passportindia.gov.in before you pay.
| Application | Normal | Tatkaal |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+), fresh or re-issue, 36 pages | ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 |
| Adult (18+), fresh or re-issue, 60 pages | ₹3,500 | ₹6,000 |
| Under 15, or 15 to 18 choosing 5 years or till 18 | ₹1,750 | ₹4,250 |
| 15 to 18 choosing 10 years | ₹2,500 (36 pages), ₹3,500 (60 pages) | ₹5,000 (36 pages), ₹6,000 (60 pages) |
| Adult, re-issue of a lost or damaged passport, 36 pages | ₹5,000 | ₹7,500 |
Read from the official Fee Calculator on 17 October 2026; the same fee showed for re-issue because of expiry and because the pages ran out. Fresh applications for children up to 8 and adults over 60 get 10% off (not re-issue). Check the calculator before you pay, as fees change.
What the official lists rule out
Passport Seva doesn't publish a list of rejection reasons, but its own notes rule these out:
- A PAN card, driving licence, voter ID or service record without your exact date of birth, used as date of birth proof.
- An employer letter from a company that isn't a public limited company, or a computerised printout.
- For Tatkaal: a cut-out or smart Aadhaar card printed by a non-UIDAI shop, or a driving licence from another state.
- Missing the 90-day window between submitting the form and visiting.
Our tips (not official rules): check that your name and date of birth are spelled the same way on the form and on every document you bring; put the originals and the photocopy set in the order of the checklist above; and if a case doesn't fit neatly, run the Document Advisor or call the National Call Centre (1800-258-1800) before your appointment.
Keep these documents ready with DocIt
We make DocIt, so read this part with that in mind. DocIt can't apply for a passport, and the Passport Seva Kendra wants the originals. What it can do is keep copies of the documents above together on your phone, so you can check them while filling in the form.
- Scan or import your Aadhaar, birth certificate, bills and old passport as photos or PDFs. DocIt reads them on the phone and fills in the details for you to check.
- The number one tap away: once your passport is saved as a passport (by its name or the type you pick), its number sits in the wallet, ready to copy into the form.
- See what is expiring: each saved document shows Valid, Expiring or Renew now, and once you turn reminders on, DocIt reminds you 30, 7 and 1 day before the expiry date you saved.
- Private: your documents are encrypted on this phone. No sign-up and no ads.
The honest part: a reminder 30 days before expiry is late for a passport, since Passport Seva suggests applying up to a year early. Use the expiry status as a check, and set your own reminder a year ahead.
DocIt is free on Google Play, on Android only.
Which important documents to keep · When to renew your passport
Questions
What documents do I need to renew a passport that has already expired?
Renewal is called re-issue. For an adult whose passport has expired, the Document Advisor on 17 October 2026 listed the old passport in original with self-attested copies of its first two and last two pages, plus proof of a Non-ECR category if you claim one. If your address has changed since the old passport, it also asks for proof of present address.
Is Aadhaar enough for a passport?
Aadhaar is accepted as proof of address and as photo identity, subject to successful validation with the Aadhaar database, and the site says furnishing it will speed up processing. Aadhaar is not on the list of documents accepted as proof of date of birth, so a fresh applicant still needs one of the date of birth documents.
Can I use a rent agreement as address proof?
Yes. A rent agreement is item 11 on the official proof of address list. The list links to a circular with the conditions, so read that before you rely on it.
What documents are needed for a minor's passport?
For a fresh passport where both parents consent: proof of present address (it can be in a parent's name), proof of date of birth, and Annexure D, a declaration about the minor. A child born on or after 1 October 2023 needs a birth certificate as proof of date of birth. If one parent does not consent, Annexure C applies instead, and Tatkaal is not available in that case.
What extra documents does Tatkaal need?
On top of the normal documents, adults submit any three documents from the Tatkaal list of 13, and minors any two from the first six on that list. Some cases cannot use Tatkaal at all, such as a change of name or a lost or stolen passport.
Do I need to carry a printout of the appointment?
No. The official process page says a printout of the application receipt is no longer required and an SMS with your appointment details is accepted. You do need your original documents and one set of self-attested photocopies.
Sources
All checked on 17 October 2026. Passport Seva pages load in a browser only (they need JavaScript).
- Passport Seva: process to apply for a fresh or re-issue passport, with the Document Advisor
- Passport Seva: apply for re-issue of an ordinary passport
- Passport Seva: Tatkaal documents and ineligible categories
- Passport Seva: Fee Calculator (fees revised from 1 July 2026)
- Passport Seva: annexures and affidavits (Annexure C, D and others)
- Passport Seva: special cases of minors requiring passports
- Passport Seva: importance of a valid passport