New Delhi, Dec 24 (KNN) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced new rules for the application of passport.

MEA has taken a number of steps in the realm of passport policy which is expected to benefit the citizens of India applying for a passport. The step was taken in order to streamline, liberalize and ease the process of issue of passport.

According to the MEA, the presentation of an Adhar Card or an E-Aadhar would be accepted as a proof of Date of Birth (DOB). According to the statutory provisions of the Passport rules, 1980, all the applicants who are born after 26/01/1989 had to submit a birth certificate in order to receive their passports.
Hereafter, the applicants can submit the following certificates instead of the Birth Certificate as the proof of date of Birth.

•          Transfer Certificate (or) School Leaving (or) Matriculation Certificate
•          PAN card

•          Aadhar Card (or) E-Aadhar

•          Pay Pension Order

•          Driving License

•          Election Photo Identity Card

•          Policy Bond

There is another issue for all the single parent or adopted children. Now, this would enable single parents to apply for passports for their children and also issue passports where the name of either the father or the mother is not required to be printed at the request of the applicant.

Old Passport rule, 1980 has removed and certain new annexes have been added. It is not necessary for the Married applicants to provide the Annexure K or any Marriage Certificate. In case of separated or divorced persons, the applicants would not be required to provide the Divorce Decree.

Orphaned children, those who all not have the Birth Certificate or the Matriculation Certificate or the declaratory Court order as the proof of Date of Birth. Now, they can apply along with the declaration given by the Head of the Orphanage/Child Care Home.

The new passport rules were reportedly formulated on the basis of a report of a three-member Committee. The committee was comprised of the officials of the MEA and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.(KNN/RAS)