Passports issued to children below 15 years of age will now be valid for five years or until they turn 18, whichever is earlier, under new regulations notified by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on Thursday, amend the Passports Rules, 1980.Under revised Rule 12(1A), a standard 36-page passport issued to a child below 15 years will remain valid for five years from the date of issue or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier.The notification, dated September 15, also amends Rule 8 relating to passport application fees. It states that the fee applicable to each category of passport application will be as specified in Schedule IV of the rules.The amended rules have come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.The Passports Rules, 1980, were originally notified through G.S.R. 691(E) on December 11, 1980. They were last amended through G.S.R. 156(E) on June 20, 2026.