Apply for a Passport Without a Birth Certificate

A few steps have been taken by the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to speed up and streamline the passport application process. The ability for citizens to apply for passports without a birth certificate is one such initiative.  

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Passport Application Without a Birth Certificate

Passport without Birth Certificate

According to modifications to the passport policy that were issued in December 2016, an individual can now apply for a passport without presenting a birth certificate. The applicant may instead submit any of the listed documents by the government.

Anyone applying for a passport who was born on or after January 26, 1989 must show their birth certificate as identification in accordance with the Passport Rules of 1980. A new law now allows other sorts of documents to be used in place of birth certificates.

The decision to accept other documents for proof of D.O.B. has been taken to streamline and liberalize the issue of passports to applicants.
The individuals who do not have a birth certificate can now submit any of the following document along with the passport application form to fulfil the eligibility criteria :

Birth Certificate 

Apart from any of the documents listed below, an applicant can still use his/her birth certificate issued by any of the authorised bodies -

  1. Registrar of Births & Deaths
  2. Municipal Corporation
  3. A specified authority that is empowered (under the Registration of Birth & Deaths Act, 1969) to issue a birth to a child born in India

School Leaving / Matriculation / Transfer Certificate

The applicant can use either the college/university transfer certificate, school leaving certificate or the matriculation certificate to fulfil the requirement for proof of D.O.B. provided the certificate contains the D.O.B. of the applicant.

Aadhaar Card / E-Aadhaar

Aadhaar is now required and helpful for many different applications and verification processes. Aadhaar is significant since it contains a person's demographic and biometric information, hence the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has permitted applicants to provide their Aadhaar as proof of D.O.B. Additionally, Aadhaar can aid candidates in speeding up the process of applying for a passport.

PAN Card

The new policy also allows an individual to use his/her Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card for the proof of D.O.B. A valid PAN Card issued by the Income Tax (IT) Department with the mention of the D.O.B. can be used instead of any other documents provided in this list.

Service Record

Personnel of the government may apply for a passport using a copy of the service record extract or the Pay Pension Order (applicable to retired employees).

The person responsible for the administration of the ministry or department must properly attest or certify the document. In order to meet the criteria for proof of D.O.B., the document must include include the applicant's D.O.B.   

Voter ID Card

The Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India has also secured a place in the list of valid documents that can be used for the application of a passport. The Voter ID Card must show the D.O.B. of the applicant in order for it to be considered valid for the application.  

Driving License (DL)

A valid DL issued by the Transport Department/Authority of the State Government is also listed among the documents that can be utilised for the passport application procedure because it contains the D.O.B.

Policy Bond

A policyholder can use a Policy Bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporations/Companies to furnish it as the proof of D.O.B. provided there is a mention of his/her D.O.B.

Whether it is the application for a new passport or the reissue of an expired passport, applicants can use any one of the listed documents to carry out the application process.

FAQs on Passport Without a Birth Certificate

  • What is the reason behind the Indian government's decision to accept other documents for proof of D.O.B. in passport applications?

    The decision was taken to streamline and liberalise the issue of passports to applicants who do not have a birth certificate. 

  • What is the minimum requirement for proof of D.O.B. in passport applications for individuals born after 26 January 1989?

    Applicants born on or after 26 January 1989 must show their birth certificate as identification in accordance with the Passport Rules of 1980. 

  • Can an Aadhaar card be used as proof of D.O.B. in passport applications?

    Yes, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has permitted applicants to provide their Aadhaar as proof of D.O.B. 

  • Are college or university transfer certificates valid as proof of D.O.B. in passport applications?

    Yes, college/university transfer certificates, school leaving certificates, or matriculation certificates can be used as long as they contain the applicant's D.O.B. 

  • Can a Policy Bond be used as proof of D.O.B. in passport applications?

    Yes, a Policy Bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporations/Companies can be used as long as it contains a mention of the applicant's D.O.B. 

  • Who can apply for a passport without presenting a birth certificate?

    Individuals born before 26 January 1989 can apply for a passport without presenting a birth certificate. They can instead submit any of the other documents listed by the government. 

  • How has the new policy on passports simplified the application process?

    The new policy allows for more types of documents to be used as proof of date of birth, making it easier for applicants who do not have a birth certificate to apply for a passport. 

  • Can a PAN card be used as proof of date of birth when applying for a passport?

    Yes, a PAN card can be used as proof of date of birth if it contains the date of birth and has been issued by the Income Tax Department. 

  • What are some examples of valid documents that can be used as proof of date of birth for passport application?

    Some examples of valid documents include birth certificates, school leaving certificates, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, service records, voter ID cards, driving licenses, and policy bonds. 

  • How can applicants speed up the passport application process with Aadhaar?

    Aadhaar contains an individual's demographic and biometric information and can be used as proof of date of birth when applying for a passport. It can also help applicants speed up the process of applying for a passport. 

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