In India, the Ministry of External Affairs issues the Passport through its network of passport offices and Indian embassies and consulates located abroad. The passport acts as an essential travel document for those who travel abroad for tourism, education, business purposes, pilgrimage, and family visits. The passport helps the passport holder in certifying himself as a citizen of India as per the Passports Act, 1967

Table of Contents:

1. Documents Required for obtaining Designated Partner Identification Number (DPIN)

2. Documents accepted as Proof of Address

3. Documents accepted as Proof of Date of Birth

4. Marriage Certificate no longer a compulsion

5. Other Changes made in Passport Rules

6. Marriage Certificate Validity

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Documents required for obtaining Indian Passport

To apply for a Passport the following documents are required:

• Passport application form

• Proof of address

• Proof of date of birth

• Documentary proof for anyone of the Non-ECR categories

Documents accepted as Proof of Address

• Passbook of running bank account having the photo of the applicant

• Landline or postpaid mobile bill

• Rental agreement

• Electricity bill

• Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India

• Water bill

• Income Tax Assessment order

• Proof of Gas connection

• Aadhaar card

• Copy of the first and last page of parent’s passport, in the case of minors

• Certificate from Employer of reputed companies on their letterhead

• Copy of the first and last page of the spouse’s passport mentioning the applicant’s name as spouse of the passport holder

Documents accepted as Proof of Date of Birth

• PAN card

• Voter ID card 

• Driving license

• A declaration given by the Head of the Orphanage or Child Care Home confirming the date of birth of the applicant in its official letterhead.

• Birth certificate 

• Transfer certificate/school leaving/matriculation certificate issued by the school last attended or by a recognised educational board.

• The copy of an extract of the service record of the applicant (only for government employees) or pension order (retired government employees) which is duly attested or certified by the officer of the concerned department of the applicant.

• The copy of the policy bond that is issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporation/Companies having the date of birth of the holder of the insurance policy.

Marriage Certificate no longer a compulsion

In order to make the process easier the government made a number of changes in the Passport rules and released new Passport rules in December 2016.

Earlier, married applicants were required to provide Annexure K or any marriage certificate. Now with the change in the rules, applicants for Passport need not submit the marriage certificate or divorce decree if they are separated or divorced. The applicant also doesn’t need to mention the name of the former spouse in the application.

Other Changes made in Passport Rules

Other changes that have been made with the new passport rules in 2016 are:

• Birth certificate requirement:

Earlier, without the submission of the birth certificate the process of enrollment was not completed. These rules were applicable to the applicants who were born on or before January 1, 1989. Now this requirement is no longer applicable and the birth certificate has been accepted as proof of date of birth. Applicants can now submit any of the following documents as proof of date of birth: Birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, transfer/school leaving/matriculation certificate with DoB. 

• Name of only one parent/legal guardian:

Now, the applicant can fill details of only one parent or legal guardian if he/she so wishes. A special committee was set up for this demand to examine the issues relating to children with single parents and adopted children.

• Fewer annexes:

The number of annexes has also been reduced from 15 to 9. Annexes A, C, D, E, J, and K have been removed and provisions of some have been merged. The annexures now are no longer needed to be attested.

Easier for orphaned children and children born out of wedlock:

If an orphaned child is without a Date of Birth proof, the head of the orphanage or child care home can now simply write a declaration for that child on its official letterhead; and that declaration can be submitted with the application.

And in cases where a child is born out of wedlock, the applicant can submit Annexure C while submitting the passport application.

• No requirement of NOC for government servants:

Earlier, without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (Annexure M), the government servants could not get a passport. Now, if the person needs a passport urgently and cannot wait to obtain the certificate, a self-declaration on Annexure N (that the applicant has given prior intimation to the employer that he/she is applying for an ordinary passport) can be submitted at the time of application.

• Aadhaar made mandatory: 

The applicant is now required to mandatorily furnish the details of his/her Aadhaar while applying for a Passport. 

• Earlier, Passports were delivered to an applicant’s home via registered post. But now, to obtain a Passport, the person has to make an in-person appearance after the biometric verifications are done.

Marriage Certificate Validity

• Is marriage certificate required for adding spouse’s name in passport?

Details of the person such as their name, age, marital status, address etc. are required for a passport. Although the details are based on what is filled in the application form for a Passport, there are discrepancies at times. In other situations, certain details will have to be changed such as the surname of the woman after marriage, removal of a name post-divorce and so on.

The following steps illustrate the steps that are required for adding the name of a spouse after marriage

• In case an applicant wishes to add their spouse's name after marriage, he/she will have to'Re-Apply' for a Passport and download Form No. II for Miscellaneous services either through the Passport Seva Kendra or online.

• This completely-filled form will have to be submitted along with the following documents:

1. The original Passport along with attested copy of the first and last two pages

2. Attested copy of Marriage Certificate along with joint affidavit from the couple along with joint photographs.

3. Address proof

• The above should be submitted either online or to the Passport Seva Kendra after having taken an appointment or online.

• After the necessary changes are made, the new Passport will be sent to the applicant directly.

• Is Arya Samaj marriage certificate valid for visa?

Ceremonial Marriage is not recognized by foreign embassies in India and Foreign Countries outside India. Marriage Registration Certificate is needed as proof of marriage in foreign embassies in India and foreign countries outside India. While applying for Spouse VISA, the foreign Embassies ask for Marriage Registration Certificate.

• Is marriage certificate issued by Qazi/Church be accepted as a valid proof for marriage certificate?

An attested copy of marriage certificate issued by the Registrar of Marriage would only be accepted as a valid proof for marriage certificate. If you have a marriage certificate issued by Qazi/Church, then you need to meet Assistant Passport Officer (APO) at your nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).

Written by: Utkarsh Sharma

Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala (3rd Year)