As part of Government's continuing endeavour of streamline procedures for issue and servicing of passports for the benefit of the general public, it has been decided to discontinue the present system of endorsing the names of minor children in their parents' passports and to issue separate passports to minor children.

This measure has been introduced in the wake of the practice increasingly being followed by foreign diplomatic missions for granting visas to minor children only if they are in possession of separate passports.

The fee for issue of a passport to a minor child would be restricted to Rs. 200 only. All children who apply for separate passport will be automatically granted endorsement of 'Emigration Clearance Not Required (ECNR)' provided their parents have the same endorsement on their own passports.