Special Correspondent
New Delhi: The central government has introduced significant changes to passport rules, eliminating the need to mention addresses and parents’ names on passports. Instead, a barcode will be printed, allowing immigration officials to scan and retrieve address details.
A passport is a crucial document for international travel, serving as proof of citizenship and personal identification. The Ministry of External Affairs issues passports in India.
According to the revised rules, individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, must submit a birth certificate as a mandatory document when applying for a passport. This certificate must be issued by a municipal corporation or any authority recognized under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969. However, those born before this date can continue to submit alternative documents such as SSC board certificates, school leaving certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or other government-issued identity proofs as before.
Previously, the last page of passports carried the permanent address of the holder. Under the new system, the address will no longer be printed; instead, a barcode will be included, which immigration officials can scan to access the necessary information.
Additionally, passports will now have different colored covers for easy classification.
White passports will be issued to government officials.
Red passports will be given to diplomatic personnel.
Blue passports will continue to be issued to ordinary citizens.
Another significant change is the removal of parents’ names from the last page of the passport. This is expected to provide relief to single parents and individuals from separated families, ensuring privacy regarding family details.
To improve accessibility, the government also plans to increase the number of Passport Seva Kendras from 442 to 600 over the next five years, making passport services more widely available.
