The Ministry of External Affairs has announced new changes for submitting proof of date of birth while applying for a passport. The changes were notified on February 24 and will affect people depending on when they were born.
New Rule for Children Born on or After October 1, 2023
If a child is born on or after October 1, 2023, the only valid proof of date of birth for passport applications will be a birth certificate. This certificate must be issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporation, or any other authorized authority under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Proof of DOB for People Born Before October 2023
People who were born before October 1, 2023, they can submit the following authorised documents :
• Birth certificate, that is issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Municipal Corporation, or any other authorized authority.
• School certificates : Such as transfer, school leaving, or matriculation certificates from recognized schools or education boards. The documents should have the applicant’s date of birth in it.
• PAN card issued by the Income Tax Department, that will only be considered if it contains the date of birth.
• If you are Government employee, you can submit an extract of your service record or pay pension order, certified by your department.
• Your official Driving license, which mentions your DOB, can also be considered as proof.
• Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India, can be given as proof of DOB if it includes the date of birth.
• Life insurance policy bond of LIC or public insurance companies that have the policyholder’s date of birth.
No Other Changes to Passport Rules
The government has clearly stated that aside from these updates, no other changes have been made to the passport application process.
These changes mainly impact newborns and those applying for passports in the future. People born before October 2023 will still have multiple options to prove their DOB, but for those born later, a birth certificate will be the only valid proof.