NEW DELHI: Starting October 1, 2023, all citizens born after this date will be required to submit their birth certificate as proof of date of birth when applying for a passport, following the implementation of the amended Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2023.
However, individuals born before this cutoff can still submit alternative documents to verify their birth, as outlined in the Passport (Amendment) Rules, 2025, published in the official gazette on Friday. These alternative documents include a transfer certificate or school leaving certificate from a recognized school, a PAN card, a service record or pension order for government employees, a driving license, an electoral photo identity card, or a policy bond issued by LIC or a public company.
Previously, a similar cutoff date of January 26, 1989, was set for the mandatory submission of birth certificates, but this requirement was lifted in 2016. Since then, applicants could provide any of the listed alternative documents as proof of birth.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, aims to simplify the process by allowing the birth certificate to serve as the sole document to confirm both the date and place of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This will be applicable for various services, including passport issuance, school admissions, obtaining a driving license, voter registration, marriage registration, government appointments, and obtaining an Aadhaar number, thereby reducing the need for multiple documents.
