The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 25 June notified the Passports (Amendment) Rules 2026, raising the cost of almost every passport and travel-document service for the first time in seven years. From 1 July 2026, an ordinary 36-page passport for adults will cost ₹2,500—up from ₹1,500—while the Tatkal charge rises to ₹5,000. A 60-page ‘jumbo’ booklet will be priced at ₹3,500 (Tatkal ₹6,000). Fees for minors, replacements for lost or damaged passports and miscellaneous certificates such as Police Clearance have also gone up. The increase follows a sustained spike in post-pandemic passport demand: India issued a record 15 million passports in 2025 and expects the number to cross 17 million this year. MEA officials argue that higher fees will fund the nationwide rollout of chip-enabled e-passports, biometric e-gates and 400 additional Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) under Passport Seva 2.0. The new rates still keep India among the cheapest G20 countries for passport services; comparable booklets cost the rupee equivalent of ₹9,000 in the UK and ₹8,500 in the US.
![Passport Fees Hiked: Adult 36-Page Booklet to Cost ₹2,500 From 1 July 2026]()
For organizations and individuals looking for a smoother way to navigate the fee changes and the paperwork involved, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers end-to-end assistance with passport renewals, e-passport applications and destination visa requirements. The platform’s digital document checker, appointment scheduling and courier pick-up options can shave days off the process—particularly valuable for HR teams managing multiple employees at once.
For corporates the timing is crucial. July is peak outbound-assignment season for IT, consulting and education sectors. Employers should budget for higher reimbursement ceilings, update global-mobility cost templates and communicate the change to travelling staff immediately. HR teams processing bulk renewals should try to complete payment formalities before midnight on 30 June to lock in the old rates. The notification retains a 10 % discount for first-time applicants under eight and senior citizens over 60, a concession popular with family travellers. Emergency Certificates remain free when issued in India, ensuring stranded workers abroad will not be penalised. The government has promised a ‘price-cap review’ every three years instead of ad-hoc hikes. Travel consultants say the bigger impact will be behavioural: expect a rush of online appointments in the last week of June and longer processing queues in July. Companies with overseas projects starting next quarter should advise employees to secure appointments now and explore PSKs in tier-2 cities where slots are more readily available.
For organizations and individuals looking for a smoother way to navigate the fee changes and the paperwork involved, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers end-to-end assistance with passport renewals, e-passport applications and destination visa requirements. The platform’s digital document checker, appointment scheduling and courier pick-up options can shave days off the process—particularly valuable for HR teams managing multiple employees at once.
For corporates the timing is crucial. July is peak outbound-assignment season for IT, consulting and education sectors. Employers should budget for higher reimbursement ceilings, update global-mobility cost templates and communicate the change to travelling staff immediately. HR teams processing bulk renewals should try to complete payment formalities before midnight on 30 June to lock in the old rates. The notification retains a 10 % discount for first-time applicants under eight and senior citizens over 60, a concession popular with family travellers. Emergency Certificates remain free when issued in India, ensuring stranded workers abroad will not be penalised. The government has promised a ‘price-cap review’ every three years instead of ad-hoc hikes. Travel consultants say the bigger impact will be behavioural: expect a rush of online appointments in the last week of June and longer processing queues in July. Companies with overseas projects starting next quarter should advise employees to secure appointments now and explore PSKs in tier-2 cities where slots are more readily available.
