Indian Baby Passport Application Process: what you need to know

Besides being a form of identification and a basis to travel overseas, the passport is proof of nationality and citizenship. In India, children are eligible for passports the same as adults are. Learn how to apply for an Indian baby’s passport below.

Table of contents

• Indian newborn passport application process
• How to apply for an Indian passport for a baby born overseas?
• Documents required for an Indian passport for a newborn baby
• Indian baby passport photo requirements
• Indian child passport renewal
• Indian baby passport cost

Indian newborn passport application process

Thanks to the current degree of digitalization, you can start your baby passport application process online:

1. Apply on the Passport Seva website. Choose your town/city or choose one closest to you if yours is unavailable;
2. Complete the application with your child’s data and follow the instructions;
3. Appoint a guardian for in-person application;
4. Visit and complete the application at the office.

How to apply for an Indian passport for a baby born overseas?

If your child were born abroad (not in India), you would first have to register them as an Indian citizen and then apply for an Indian passport.

You would need to apply here with the following documents:

• A copy of the child’s birth certificate;
• Copies of both parent's passports;
• A copy of the certificate of Indian citizenship, if acquired by registration/naturalization;
• A copy of the parent's marriage certificate;
• Declaration letter that the child does not hold a passport of any other country.

After that, you can apply for the child’s passport as per the usual process, just at your local Indian embassy or consulate.

Documents required for an Indian passport for a newborn baby

The documents needed for a baby’s application are required to confirm their identity and citizenship:

• Proof of date of birth (birth certificate);
• Proof of address (parents’ passport copy);
• Application receipt;
• Relevant annexure form;
• For a child under four applying at a PSK or POPSK, one recent colour printed passport photo, 35 mm wide × 45 mm high, with a white background. Children aged four or older are normally photographed at the centre and do not need to bring a prepared photo for this route.

Indian baby passport photo requirements

For a child under four applying at a PSK or POPSK, bring a recent colour print that meets the following requirements. Passport Seva normally captures the photograph at the centre for older children.

• The photo must be 35 mm wide × 45 mm high;
• The face of the child takes up 80–85% of the photograph;
• The photograph must be in colour;
• The background must be white, plain, with no objects or shadow;
• The child must be looking directly at the camera;
• The picture must have appropriate brightness and contrast, show skin tones naturally;
• The child's eyes must be open and clearly visible;
• Must show full face in front-view;
• Photo should present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin, even when wearing religious headwear;
• The head must be centered.

Additional instructions include:

• If your child cannot sit up straight, they may be photographed lying down on a plain, white surface;
• No one else should appear in the photo, not even hands of anyone supporting the child;
• The child shouldn’t have soothers or pacifiers as they can obscure facial features.

Detailed child passport photo requirements are described in this article. See also Passport Seva's official guidelines for children under four.

Here is an example an Indian baby passport:

If your child is under four and needs a printed photo for a Passport Seva appointment, you can prepare it at home with Visafoto. Take plenty of pictures on your phone while your baby is comfortable. If they blink, turn away or move, you can choose another frame instead of trying to get a perfect shot on the first attempt. You do not need to take your baby to a photo studio or start with a finished white-background passport photo.

Choose a frame with your baby's eyes open and face clearly visible, then upload it to Visafoto and select the Indian passport-photo format for minors. Visafoto prepares the 35 × 45 mm crop, adjusts the background and lighting, and gives you a printable template. Print the photo at its actual size on photo paper so it is ready to bring to the appointment. If you are unsure which source image to use or why a result needs another try, contact Visafoto support for help.

For this PSK/POPSK route, it is the printed photo that matters: completing the passport application online does not mean uploading a prepared portrait to the portal. If an official rejects a photo purchased from Visafoto, you can request a 100% refund. Support is available 24/7.

Indian child passport renewal

The renewal process is also be started online and finished in person at the office. For that, you will need the following list of documents, which is shorter than the first time application:

• Old passport and its copy (first two and last two pages), including ECR/Non-ECR page (previously ECNR) and the page of observation (if any), made by Passport Issuing Authority and validity extension page, if any;
• Relevant annexure form (Annexure D form).

Indian baby passport cost

For applications in India, the fee schedule effective 1 July 2026 lists ₹1,750 as the normal fee for a minor's ordinary 36-page fresh or reissued passport. The published Tatkaal fee is ₹4,250 in total, not an additional ₹4,250 on top of the normal fee.

For a fresh application for a child up to eight years old, the 10% discount on the passport fee reduces the normal fee to ₹1,575. This discount does not apply to reissues. Check the payable Tatkaal amount shown by Passport Seva before payment if the discount applies to your child's application.

Last updated: 30 September 2026.