SHIMONA SHARMA
The North News
Chandigarh, March 6
The government has revised its passport regulations, making birth certificates the only accepted proof of date of birth for individuals born from October 1, 2023, onwards. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the change on February 24, with the new rules set to take effect once published in the Gazette, according to Business Standard. Under the updated regulations, applicants born on or after the specified date must provide a birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, a municipal corporation, or another authorized body under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
In addition to the birth certificate requirement, the government will no longer print residential addresses on the last page of passports. Instead, a barcode will allow immigration officials to access the relevant information, as reported by Hindustan Times. The move is part of a broader effort to modernize the passport system, including a new color-coding scheme: white for government officials, red for diplomats, and blue for ordinary citizens. To enhance privacy, the names of passport holders’ parents will no longer be displayed on passports, offering relief to individuals from separated or single-parent households. The government also plans to increase the number of Passport Seva Kendras from 442 to 600 over the next five years to improve accessibility and efficiency for applicants.
These reforms are aimed at bolstering security and providing a streamlined experience for passport applicants across India.
