Passport fees have increased by a whopping 50% since the new government took office, causing widespread outrage.
Under the changed fee structure, citizens would now pay Rs 4,500 for a normal 36-page passport valid for five years, up from Rs 3,000 previously. Similarly, the urgency charge for the same category has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500.
The charge for a 36-page passport with a 10-year validity term has increased to Rs 6,700 from Rs 4,500. The urgency fee has also increased to Rs 11,200 from Rs 7,500.
Citizens seeking a 72-page passport for 5 years would now have to pay Rs 8,200 for standard processing and Rs 13,500 for urgent processing. Meanwhile, the fee for a 100-page passport valid for 10 years will be Rs 12,400 for regular processing and a staggering Rs 20,200 for urgent processing.
