An important news has come out for the people preparing to travel abroad. The central government has decided to increase passport fees, which will be effective from July 1. After the amendment in passport rules, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued a gazette notification in this regard. According to the new rates, the fee for a 36-page ordinary passport will now increase from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500. For getting this passport made under Tatkal service, now you will have to pay Rs 5,000, which was earlier Rs 3,500.
The government has also increased the fees for 60 page passport. Now for a general passport of this category, one will have to pay Rs 3,500 instead of Rs 2,000. Whereas for Tatkal service, its fee has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, this amendment has been made after the change in Passport Rules 1980. Officials say that there was no major change in the fees for a long time. This increase in passport fee has been made after about 14 years. Earlier in 2012, the passport fees were revised.
The fee hike will put additional financial burden on common citizens, especially those who are planning to go abroad for job, studies or travel. However, the government says that this step has been taken with the aim of making passport services better and modernized. After the implementation of the new rates, both the passport application and re-issue processes will become expensive. In such a situation, this change is considered important for those who are planning to get a passport soon.
