The Indian government has updated its passport application process, now requiring birth certificates as the sole accepted proof of date of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This change aims to standardize documentation and ensure consistency in age verification.

The Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai confirmed that these new rules apply to Indian children born in the UAE. According to spokespersons from the missions, new passport applications are only accepted for Indian children born in the UAE, while passport renewals are available exclusively for Indian expats who are residents of the UAE.

For Indian residents or visitors who lack a valid passport, the missions issue a temporary travel document known as an Emergency Certificate, which serves as a one-time travel passport back to India. The missions indicated that the recent changes primarily impact new passport applications for Indian children born in the UAE.

In 2024, the Indian missions registered approximately 19 300 births of Indian children in the UAE. The Consulate in Dubai and the Northern Emirates accounted for around 13 900 registrations, while the Embassy in Abu Dhabi registered about 5 400 births.

Indian parents with newborns in the UAE must already provide a birth certificate as proof of date of birth when applying for their child’s passport through the outsourced service provider, BLS International. This birth certificate must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE.

To obtain the birth certificate, parents must first secure the original document from the relevant health authorities based on the birth notification from the hospital. After obtaining the necessary attestations, they must present the birth certificate along with other required documents, such as the parents’ passport copies and marriage certificate, to the BLS Centre for registration with the Indian missions.

A spokesperson from the Embassy stated that a child’s birth can typically be registered within one year of the event, allowing for a passport application to be submitted simultaneously. However, registration can occur up to 18 years after the birth with the appropriate documents.

The registration process is mandatory, and an online application must include a file number when submitted to BLS. Notably, Indian citizenship is guaranteed to a child born to Indian parents overseas only if the birth is registered with the respective Indian mission.

The spokesperson from the Indian Consulate emphasized that there are usually no issues with birth registrations, as most births occur in hospitals and are promptly registered with local authorities before being reported to the Indian missions for passport applications. For applicants born before October 1, 2023, passport offices in India will still accept other valid documents as proof of date of birth.