How to renew an Indian passport abroad, fees and e-passports

New Delhi (Desk), 18 Oct 2026 (IST) · Explainer

If you're an Indian citizen living abroad, your passport is renewed by the Indian embassy or consulate that covers where you live, not by a passport office in India. In 2025 and 2026, three things changed: missions moved to a new online system, they began issuing chip-enabled e-passports, and the fees went up from 1 July 2026.

Here's how renewal works now, what it costs and how to avoid the mistakes that delay most applications.

Key points

• Apply online on the Global Passport Seva portal, then submit documents and biometrics at the centre your mission names.
• Missions moved to Global Passport Seva 2.0 in stages from late 2025; new passports from these missions are e-passports.
• From 1 July 2026, a normal 36-page passport abroad costs about $125, and a 60-page one about $175, with a small welfare-fund charge added in some countries.
• Tatkaal (urgent) renewal costs about $250 for 36 pages.
• Your old passport stays valid until its printed expiry date; you don't need an e-passport early.

How Indian passport renewal abroad works

Renewal, officially called reissue, follows the same broad steps in most countries:

1. Fill in the form online on the Global Passport Seva portal (the passport India website lists every mission). The Indian Consulate in Réunion, for example, says this portal is the only official website for passport services.
2. Pay or note the fee as your mission instructs.
3. Book an appointment at the service centre your mission uses. Many missions use an outsourced partner, such as VFS Global or BLS International, for appointments, document checks and fingerprints. Which one depends on the country.
4. Submit your old passport, documents and biometrics at the centre.
5. Collect the new passport or receive it by courier, depending on the mission.

Some missions still accept applications by post. Check your mission's passport page before you start, because the details differ.

Global Passport Seva 2.0 and e-passports

The Ministry of External Affairs has moved missions onto Global Passport Seva 2.0 in stages. The Embassy in Paris cites 3 September 2025 for its switch, and reports say the system was in use at missions worldwide by early 2026. Confirm that your mission is on the new system before you apply.

Missions on the new system issue e-passports, which have a chip holding your details and photo. You don't need to ask for one: a renewal from these missions produces an e-passport automatically, NRI advisory sites report. Existing passports without a chip remain valid until their expiry date.

Indian passport renewal fees abroad from July 2026

The Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on 25 June, revised fees from 1 July 2026, both in India and abroad, according to Khaleej Times and Gulf News.

Missions charge in local currency and some add the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) surcharge, so the amount you pay may differ slightly. The Consulate in Istanbul, for example, lists $127 for a 36-page adult renewal, including the welfare fund. Some missions also charge an outsourcing fee for the service centre.

Documents you usually need

• Your current passport (original), plus copies of its first and last pages.
• Proof of address in your country of residence, such as a utility bill, lease or driving licence, as your mission specifies.
• Proof of legal status, such as your visa, residence permit or green card.
• Photographs to the mission's specification, if required.
• For a change of name or address in the passport, the supporting documents, such as a marriage certificate.

Expired passports: If your passport expired more than three years ago, the Paris embassy says you need a written explanation and a declaration that you haven't taken another nationality. Rules elsewhere are similar.

Why it matters: Well over a crore Indian citizens live abroad, according to government estimates, and a passport is their link to work visas, banking and travel home. A delayed renewal can mean a lapsed visa or a missed flight. The new fees raise the cost for families, and the switch to e-passports means a passport renewed abroad now matches those issued in India.

Common mistakes that cause delays

1. Applying too late. Many countries require your passport to be valid for months beyond your visa. Start renewal at least six months before expiry.
2. Using the wrong website. Use only the official portal and your mission's named service centre. Unofficial "agent" sites charge extra.
3. Mismatched details. Your name, date of birth and parents' names must match your old passport. Changes need documents.
4. Wrong photo size. Each mission specifies the photo format; follow it exactly.
5. Taking another citizenship. If you've become a citizen of another country, you can't renew an Indian passport. You must surrender it and can apply for an OCI card.

Special cases: children, lost passports and urgent travel

Children: a minor's passport is usually valid for five years or until the child turns 18, whichever comes first, so it needs renewing more often. Both parents normally have to consent, and missions ask for the parents' passports and a declaration if one parent can't sign. Check the mission's list of forms for minors before booking.

Lost or stolen passports: report the loss to the local police and keep the report. Then apply to your mission for a new passport, which costs more than a normal renewal. If you need to travel to India urgently, the mission may issue an emergency certificate, a one-way travel document valid only for the journey to India.

Urgent travel: Tatkaal renewal is faster but costs more, and missions may still need several working days. If a family emergency means you must travel at once, contact the mission directly and explain; many have an emergency contact for consular cases.

Change of address: if you've moved within the same country, update your address in the application with proof. If you've moved to a different country, apply to the mission there, not the one that issued your old passport.

After you apply

Most missions give you a file number when you submit your application. You can use it to track the status online on the passport portal or the service partner's website. When the new passport is ready, you either collect it in person or receive it by courier, depending on what you chose and paid for.

Your old passport is cancelled, usually by cutting a corner or stamping it, and is often returned to you. Keep it safe. If it holds a valid visa or residence permit, many countries let you keep using that visa in the cancelled passport alongside the new one, but check with that country's immigration authority. You'll also need to update your passport number with your employer, bank, airline profiles and, if you hold one, your country's residence card.

A passport renewal is one of the few government tasks most Indians abroad have to do themselves. With the new system, it should be quicker. With the new fees, it is more expensive. Starting early is the one step that helps with both.

This article is general information. Check your embassy or consulate's website for the current fees and process.