India: Birth certificate now mandatory to issue new passport for some citizens under amended rules

The Ministry of External Affairs of India changed regulations concerning proof submission for date of birth during passport applications.

The new Passports (Amendment) Rules 2025 stipulate that anybody born on or after October 1, 2023 will need to provide a birth certificate to obtain a new passport.

The valid date of birth proof must come exclusively from the Registrar of Births and Deaths or the Municipal Corporation or any authorized entity recognized under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) as published in the official gazette.

Starting February 28 the new changes became active.

People born before February 28 can provide the following documents for birth date verification.
 

• A birth certificate from the Registrar of Births and Deaths or the Municipal Corporation or any other authorized entity under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969).

• The recognised educational board or school last attended by the applicant must issue the transfer or school leaving matriculation certificate containing the applicant's date of birth.

• The Income-tax Department issues the applicant's Permanent Account Number Card (PAN) which features the applicant's date of birth.

• The applicant must provide either an extract of their service record if they are currently a government servant or their Pay Pension Order if they are a retired government servant. The officer-in-charge from the applicant's ministry or department needs to certify the document which includes the applicant's date of birth.

• The Driving licence from the state government's Transport Department should contain the applicant's date of birth.

• The Election Commission of India issues Election Photo Identity Cards that include the applicant's date of birth.

• The Life Insurance Corporations of India and public companies release policy bonds that include the policyholder's date of birth.

The Indian government required citizens to submit birth certificates as proof of birth date before January 26, 1989. The requirement was permanently abolished in 2016 which enabled all applicants to submit either a policy bond from Life Insurance Corporation of India or public companies or an election commission document as a date of birth proof for new passport applications.

Important update! Under the updated regulations all citizens applying for new passports must produce a birth certificate. Subscribe to Just Dubai to stay updated with the latest news.