Government Increases Passport Application Fees Across All Categories from July 1

The Bottom Line

•Passport fees are increasing significantly for all categories starting July 1, 2026.
•Check official government portals for the new fee structure before applying to avoid delays.

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Revised Fee Schedule:

The Ministry of External Affairs has announced a significant upward revision in passport application fees, effective from July 1, 2026. Under the new guidelines, the fee for a standard 36-page fresh or reissued passport will increase from ₛ1,500 to ₛ2,500. Additionally, the fee for a 60-page ordinary passport has been raised to ₛ3,500 from the current ₛ2,000, reflecting an update to the established Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.

Enhanced Tatkal Rates:

Premium service costs have seen similar adjustments to match current operational requirements. The Tatkal fee for a 36-page passport is now set at ₛ5,000, up from ₛ3,500, while the Tatkal rate for a 60-page passport has climbed to ₛ6,000 from the previous ₛ4,000. These changes apply across all applicant profiles, including adults and minors, as part of a government initiative to streamline the administrative processing costs of document issuance.

Administrative Implementation:

Regional Passport Offices are updating their online payment portals to reflect the new structure, and applicants are strongly advised to check official government portals before initiating their service requests. The Ministry has previously clarified that these adjustments are necessary to manage the rising demand for travel documents, and those submitting applications on or after July 1, 2026, will be required to pay the revised rates to process their requests.

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Context & Background

The previous passport fee structure had remained static for several years under the Passports Rules, 1980.
The Ministry of External Affairs recently clarified that a passport functions primarily as a travel document rather than definitive proof of citizenship.
The government signaled that administrative adjustments were necessary to manage the rising demand for high-quality travel document issuance.

Key Consequences

Applicants submitting documents after June 30, 2026, must pay the new, higher rates at Passport Seva Kendras.
A short-term surge in application volume is expected before the July 1 deadline as citizens attempt to avail of the current, lower pricing.
Increased revenue from the revised fee schedule is expected to support ongoing infrastructure upgrades within the central passport issuance system.

Market & Economic Impact

No direct market impact.