It’s common for many Indian women to change their maiden name after marriage; it’s often seen as a ritual after entering a new phase of life. While it’s not mandatory to change your surname in your passport after marriage, many women still choose to do so. If you’re one of them, there’s good news. The Government of India has introduced Annexure J, a new provision that makes the process much simpler. This is just one of the latest changes to Indian passports.
In this article, you will get to know about the new Indian passport rules 2025 – ranging from the changes for married women to other important updates like mandatory birth certificate requirements, and removal of printed residential addresses as well as parents’ names from Indian passports.
Until the recent changes to Indian passports, you (Indian women) were required to submit a marriage certificate as proof to update your name or add spouse name in your passport. Now, that step has been simplified. Instead of a marriage certificate, you can submit Annexure J, a joint declaration form that acts as proof of marriage for an update to your name on the passport. The Annexure J form must include a joint photograph of the couple, signatures of the couple, their names and dates of birth, Aadhaar numbers, and their voter ID or passport numbers. This change makes it very helpful for those whose marriages have not yet been formally registered.
However, some situations still require legal documentation. To remove a spouse’s name from the passport, a divorce decree is mandatory. In cases of remarriage, the applicant must submit either a divorce decree or death certificate of the previous spouse, along with a remarriage certificate or a new joint declaration with the current spouse. Women who choose to adopt their husband’s surname also need to complete additional formalities, such as publishing a name change notification in two newspapers or the State Gazette and updating their Aadhaar and PAN cards with the new name.
Indian Passport Rules 2025: Birth Certificate is Mandatory
If you’re a new parent, it’s now more important than ever to get a government-issued birth certificate for your child shortly after birth. This document is now essential for passport issuance for your child in India. According to the new passport rules, applicants born on or after October 1, 2023 must submit a birth certificate as the only valid proof of date of birth when applying for a passport. This certificate must be issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any authority designated under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Residential Address ceases to be Printed on Indian Passports
In another significant change to the passport in India, the government has decided to stop printing residential addresses on the last page of passports. Instead, your new or renewed passport will have a digitally embedded barcode that stores your residential address details, and the barcode can be scanned by authorized immigration or government officials whenever necessary.
This decision has been taken to protect the privacy of passport holders. If your passport is lost or stolen, such crucial information as your residential address will remain protected against unauthorized access, thereby reducing the risk of misuse. In case your address changes in the future, you may not need a new passport booklet. Only the digital record may need to be updated.
Indian Passport Rules 2025: Parents’ Names Removed
As per the changes to Indian Passport in 2025, parents’ names will no longer be printed on new passports. This update acknowledges modern family structures and offers enhanced privacy, especially for applicants from single-parent families or those who prefer not to disclose parental details. This is a welcome change, in terms of privacy and inclusivity. Children of single parents, for instance, previously had to leave one parent’s name blank or explain their situation.
The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that while parent details will continue to be collected during the application process for internal verification, the printing of those details has been ruled out. This move, much like the removal of residential address, reflects a broad a shift in the government’s approach to securing your passport and personal information.
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