Birth Certificate Now Mandatory for Passports of Those Born After October 1, 2023
New Delhi, 1st March 2025: The government has made it mandatory for all individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, to submit a birth certificate as proof of date of birth when applying for a passport. This requirement follows the implementation of the amended Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 2023, which came into effect last year.
For those born before this cutoff date, alternative documents will still be accepted under the newly notified Passport (Amendment) Rules, 2025, published in the government gazette on Friday.
Alternative Documents for Older Applicants
Applicants born before October 1, 2023, can continue to submit one of several accepted documents in place of a birth certificate. These include:
A school leaving, transfer, or matriculation certificate from a recognized educational institution
PAN card
Service record or pension order (for government employees)
Driving license
Voter ID
Insurance policy bond issued by LIC or other public companies
Earlier Rules and Amendments
Previously, a similar rule existed for those born after January 26, 1989, making birth certificates compulsory for passport applications. However, this requirement was relaxed in 2016, when the Passport Rules were amended to allow applicants to submit alternative documents as proof of birth.
The latest amendment aligns with the 2023 changes to the RBD Act, which were introduced to modernize record-keeping, streamline administrative processes, and enhance accessibility for citizens. The law aims to integrate birth and death records into digital databases, ensuring seamless verification of documents across government departments.
