India raises passport fees, charges for NRIs also go up from July 1

The Indian government has announced a significant increase in passport fees, marking the first revision in 14 years. The new charges will come into force on July 1, 2026, and apply to both residents and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

The fee revision was announced a day after authorities clarified that a passport serves primarily as a travel document and should not be treated as conclusive proof of Indian citizenship.

Under the revised structure, applicants seeking a fresh ordinary passport or renewal of a 36-page passport will have to pay Rs2,500 under the normal application process and Rs5,000 under the Tatkaal scheme. At present, the corresponding fees are Rs1,500 and Rs3,500.

For NRIs, the charges for the same service will increase to $125 for regular applications and $250 for Tatkaal applications, compared with the current rates of $75 and $225, respectively.

The cost of obtaining or renewing a 60-page passport has also been raised. Applicants using the normal route will pay Rs3,500, while those opting for the Tatkaal service will be charged Rs6,000. The existing fees are Rs2,000 and Rs4,000, respectively.

For overseas Indians, the revised rates for a 60-page passport will be $175 under the normal category and $300 under Tatkaal, up from the current charges of $100 and $250.

The government has also increased fees for replacement passports issued due to loss or damage. Reissuing a 36-page passport in such cases will now cost Rs5,000 through the regular process and Rs7,500 under the Tatkaal scheme, compared with the current charges of Rs3,000 and Rs5,000.

NRIs seeking a replacement 36-page passport will pay $250 under the normal category and $375 under Tatkaal, up from $150 and $300, respectively.

Similarly, the fee for replacing a lost or damaged 60-page passport has been revised to Rs6,000 under the normal scheme and Rs8,500 under Tatkaal, compared with the existing rates of Rs3,500 and Rs5,500.

For NRIs, the corresponding charges will rise to $300 and $425, respectively, from the current levels of $175 and $325.