All You Need To Know Before You Apply For Your Baby’s Passport

Planning your child's first overseas travel? Zeroing in on the best countries to travel with your infant? Here's help.

Getting a passport ready for your child is a lot more than just planning for a travel. The passport is a crucial and widely accepted ID- proof document that will come in handy for school admissions, etc. But don't know where to start? Here's a handy guide that every new parent will need to read before they apply for their child's passport. Also, don't forget to take a look at the essential ID-proof documents every parent needs to arrange for their child 

Thanks to simplified computerized procedures, getting a passport for your child is no longer a hassle. Check here to know more about getting an Aadhaar for your child. 

Steps involved:

• Register your child in the Passport Sewa Kendra website. 
• Create an account and make sure you fill the online application form.
• The next step would be to make the payment. (Check the rates below) 
• Schedule an appointment at your convenient slots in the nearest Passport Sewa Kendra. The government has recently announced that all major General Post Office centres can be used as Passport Sewa Kendra. Locate the one that's nearest here. 
• At The Sewa Kendra, the process is simplified, and with an infant- you even get to jump the queue in case of a long line! Once the biometrics and document verification is done- you will receive a receipt that signals the end of the process. Sit back an relax at home- the passport will reach you in a couple of days time! 

Documents needed:

• Make sure to read through the exhaustive Document advisor on the website. With numerous categories (like a single parent, divorced parents, etc), you might want to read the list carefully before choosing your criterion.
• Depending on each category, certain documents are considered mandatory. But the most common documents that you will require for your child are Proof of Address, Proof of Date of Birth, Affidavit and Annexure H that gives the parent's consent for issuance of a passport for the child. 
• It is not mandatory for both parents to have a passport before they apply for their child. But the parent's passport should have the spouse name endorsed in their passport- in which case, there is no need for a police verification when they apply for their child. In case, it isn't endorsed, you might have to apply for a re-issue with the necessary changes. 
• For minors below 4 years of age, it is recommended you carry their photographs (clicked in a white background with face clearly visible). For children 4 years and above- the photographs will be clicked in the Sewa Kendra. 

Cost: For children below 15 years, applying for passport (under Normal scheme) costs Rs. 1000

For children below 15 years, applying for a passport (under Tatkal scheme) costs Rs. 3000

(The rates may vary based on the validity of the passport for kids aged above 15 years and the number of pages required in the passport)

Official website link: Passport Sewa Kendra