Ministry of External Affairs Announces New Passport Fee Structure for July 2026
外交部公布 2026 年 7 月起新護照收費標準
Introduction
The Indian government has announced changes to the Passports Rules of 1980, introducing a new list of fees for travel documents and related services.
印度政府宣布修改 1980 年的護照條例，推出一份旅行證件及相關服務的新收費表。
Main Body
The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, replace the previous fee schedule to ensure that service costs match current economic and administrative needs. Consequently, fees for adult applicants have increased significantly. For a standard 36-page passport, domestic prices have risen from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 for normal applications, and from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000 for the fast-track Tatkal service. Similarly, 60-page passports are now more expensive, with normal fees increasing by 75% to Rs 3,500. Applicants living overseas will pay between USD 125 and USD 300, depending on the document size and service speed.
2026 年的《護照（修正）條例》取代了之前的收費表，以確保服務成本符合目前的經濟與行政需求。因此，成年申請人的費用大幅增加。對於標準 36 頁的護照，國內普通申請的價格從 1,500 盧比增加到 2,500 盧比，而 Tatkal 快速服務則從 3,500 盧比增加到 5,000 盧比。同樣地，60 頁的護照現在價格更高，普通費用增加 75% 至 3,500 盧比。居住在海外的申請人將支付 125 美元至 300 美元不等，具體取決於證件大小與服務速度。
Furthermore, the cost to replace lost or damaged passports has also gone up. For example, a domestic 36-page replacement now costs Rs 5,000 for normal processing and Rs 7,500 for Tatkal. For children under 18, a new 36-page passport is priced at Rs 1,750 for normal service, while replacements can cost up to Rs 6,750. To help certain groups, the government is offering a 10% discount on new domestic applications for children under eight and senior citizens aged 60 and above. Additionally, fixed prices have been set for other services, such as police clearances, which now cost Rs 750 domestically or USD 40 for those abroad.
此外，補辦遺失或損壞護照的費用也增加了。例如，國內 36 頁的補發護照，普通處理現在需 5,000 盧比，Tatkal 則需 7,500 盧比。對於 18 歲以下兒童，新申請 36 頁護照的普通服務價格為 1,750 盧比，而補發費用最高可達 6,750 盧比。為了幫助特定群體，政府為 8 歲以下兒童及 60 歲及以上長者的國內新申請提供 10% 的折扣。此外，其他服務也設定了固定價格，例如警察清單證明，國內現在需 750 盧比，海外申請者則需 40 美元。
Conclusion
These new fees and validity periods—ten years for adults and five years (or until age 18) for minors—will start on July 1, 2026.
這些新收費與有效期（成年人十年，未成年人五年或至 18 歲）將於 2026 年 7 月 1 日起生效。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'B2 Bridge': Moving from Basic to Precise
At the A2 level, you describe things simply: "The price went up." To reach B2, you need precise movement verbs and connectors of result. Let's dissect how this text does it.
📈 Precision in Change
Instead of just saying "change," the text uses words that tell us the direction and intensity of the change:
- "Increased significantly" Not just a small change, but a big, noticeable one.
- "Risen from... to..." This is the professional way to show a starting point and an ending point.
- "Replace" Used when one old rule is completely gone and a new one takes its place.
B2 Upgrade Tip: Next time you talk about your salary, grades, or the weather, don't say "It changed." Say "It increased significantly" or "It has risen."
🔗 The 'Logic Linkers'
B2 speakers don't use "And" or "But" for everything. They use Cause-and-Effect connectors to make their speech flow like a professional:
*"...to ensure that service costs match current economic needs. Consequently, fees for adult applicants have increased..."
The Magic Word: Consequently
- What it means: "Because of this / As a result."
- Why use it? It tells the listener that the second sentence is a direct result of the first one. It sounds much more academic than "So..."
🛠️ Quick Comparison Table
| A2 Style (Simple) | B2 Style (Sophisticated) |
|---|---|
| The price is higher. | Fees have increased significantly. |
| So, it costs more. | Consequently, it is more expensive. |
| The old rules are gone. | The new rules replace the previous schedule. |