THE PASSPORTS ACT, 1967 

_________ 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

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SECTIONS 

1. Short title and extent. 

2. Definitions. 

3. Passport or travel document for departure from India. 

4. Classes of passports and travel documents. 

5. Applications for passports, travel documents, etc, and orders thereon. 

6. Refusal of passports, travel documents, etc. 

7. Duration of passports travel documents. 

8. Extension of period of Passport. 

9. Conditions and forms of passports and travel documents. 

10. Variation, impounding and revocation of passports and travel documents. 

10A. Suspension of passports or travel documents in certain cases. 

10B. Validation of intimations. 

11. Appeals. 

12. Offences and penalties. 

13. Power to arrest. 

14. Power of search and seizure. 

15. Previous sanction of Central Government necessary. 

16. Protection of action taken in good faith. 

17. Passports and travel documents to be property of Central Government. 

18. [Omitted]. 

19. Passports and travel documents to be invalid for travel to certain countries. 

20. Issue of passports and travel documents to persons who are not citizens of India. 

21. Power to delegate. 

22. Power to exempt. 

23. Act to be in addition to certain enactments. 

24. Power to make rules. 

25. Change of short title of Act 34 of 1920. 

26. [Omitted.] 

27. Repeal and saving. 

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THE PASSPORTS ACT, 1967 

ACT NO. 15 OF 1967 

[24th June, 1967.] 

An Act to provide for the issue of passports and travel documents, to regulate the departure from 
India of citizens of India and other persons and for matters incidental or ancillary thereto. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Eighteenth Year of the Republic of India as follow:— 

1. Short title and extent.—(1) This Act may be called the Passports Act, 1967.  

(2) It extends to the whole of India and applies also to citizens of India who are outside India. 

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—  

(a) “departure”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means departure from 

India by water, land or air;  

(b) “passport” means a passport issued or deemed to have been issued under this Act;  

(c)  “passport  authority”  means  an  officer  or  authority  empowered  under  rules  made  under  this 

Act to issue passports or travel documents and includes the Central Government;  

(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;  

(e)  “travel  document”  means  a  travel  document  issued  or  deemed  to  have  been  issued  under      

this Act. 

3.  Passport  or  travel  document  for  departure  from  India.—No  person  shall  depart  from,  or 

attempt to depart from India unless he holds in this behalf a valid passport or travel document.  

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—  

(a)  “passport”  includes  a  passport  which  having  been  issued  by  or  under  the  authority  of  the 

Government  of  a  foreign  country  satisfies  the  conditions  prescribed  under  the  Passport                
(Entry into India) Act, 1920 (34 of 1920), in respect of the class of passports to which it belongs;  

(b)  “travel  document”  includes  a  travel  document  which  having  been  issued  by  or  under  the 

authority of the Government of a foreign country satisfies the conditions prescribed. 

4.  Classes  of  passports  and  travel  documents.—(1)  The  following  classes  of  passports  may  be 

issued under this Act, namely:— 

(a) ordinary passport; 

(b) Official passport;  

(c) diplomatic passport. 

(2) The following classes of travel documents may be issued under this Act, namely:—  

(a) emergency certificate authorising a person to enter India;  

(b) certificate of identity for the purpose of establishing the identity of a person;  

(c) such other certificate or document as may be prescribed.  

(3) The Central Government shall, in consonance with the usage and practice followed by it in this 
behalf, prescribe the classes of persons to whom the classes of passports and travel documents referred to 
respectively in sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) may be issued under this Act. 

5.  Applications for  passports, travel  documents,  etc,  and  orders thereon.—1[(1)  An application 
for the issue of a passport under this Act for visiting such foreign country or countries (not being a named 
foreign country) as may be specified in the application may be made to the passport authority and shall be 

1. Subs. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 2, for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

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accompanied by  1[such fee as may be prescribed to meet the expenses incurred on special security paper, 
printing,  lamination  and  other  connected  miscellaneous  services  in  issuing  passports  and  other  travel 
documents].  

Explanation.—In  this  section,  “named  foreign  country”  means  such  foreign  country  as  the  Central 

Government may, by rules made under this Act, specify in this behalf.  

(1A) An application for the issue of— 

(i) a passport under this Act for visiting a named foreign country; or  

(ii)  a  travel  document  under  this  Act,  for  visiting  such  foreign  country  or  countries     

(including a named foreign country) as may be specified in the application or for an endorsement 
on the passport or travel document referred to in this section,  

may be made to the passport authority and shall be accompanied by such fee (if any) not exceeding 
rupees fifty, as may be prescribed. 

(1B)  Every  application  under  this  section  shall  be  in  such  form  and  contain  such  particulars  as 

may be prescribed.] 
 (2)  On  receipt  of  an  application  2[under  this  section],  the  passport  authority,  after  making  such 

inquiry, if any, as it may consider necessary, shall, subject to the other provisions of this Act, by order               
in writing,—  

(a) issue the passport or travel document with endorsement ,or, as the case may be, make on the 
passport or travel document the endorsement, in respect of the foreign country or countries specified 
in the application; or  

(b) issue the passport or travel document with endorsement, or, as the case may be, make on the 
passport  or  travel  document  the  endorsement,  in  respect  of  one  or  more  of  the  foreign  countries 
specified  in  the  application  and  refuse  to  make  an  endorsement  in  respect  of  the  other  country  or 
countries; or  

(c) refuse to issue the passport or travel document or, as the case may be, refuse to make on the 

passport or travel document any endorsement.  

(3) Where the passport authority makes an order under clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (2) on 
the application of any person, it shall record in writing a brief statement of its reasons for making such 
order and furnish to that person on demand a copy of the same unless in any case the passport authority is 
of the opinion that it will not be in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of 
India,  friendly  relations  of  India  with  any  foreign  country  or  in  the  interests  of  the  general  public  to 
furnish such copy. 

6. Refusal of passports, travel documents, etc.—(1) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the 
passport  authority  shall  refuse  to  make  an  endorsement  for  visiting  any  foreign  country  under  clause       
(b) or clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 5 on any one or more of the following grounds, and on no 
other ground, namely:—  

(a) that the applicant may, or is likely to, engage in such country in activities prejudicial to the 

sovereignty and integrity of India;  

(b) that the presence of the applicant in such country may, or is likely to, be detrimental to the 

security of India;  

(c) that the presence of the applicant in such country may, or is likely to, prejudice the friendly 

relations of India with that or any other country;  

1. Subs. by Act 35 of 1993, s. 2, for “a fee of rupees fifty”  (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 
2. Ins. by Act 31 of 1978 s. 2 (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

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(d) that in the opinion of the Central Government the presence of the applicant in such country is 

not in the public interest.  

(2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the passport authority shall refuse to issue a passport or 
travel document for visiting any foreign country under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 5 on any 
one or more of the following grounds, and on no other ground, namely:—  

(a) that the applicant is not a citizen of India;  

(b)  that  the  applicant  may,  or  is  likely  to,  engage  outside  India  in  activities  prejudicial  to  the 

sovereignty and integrity of India;  

(c)  that  the  departure  of  the  applicant  from  India  may,  or  is  likely  to,  be  detrimental  to  the 

security of India;  

(d)  that  the  presence  of  the  applicant  outside  India  may,  or  is  likely  to,  prejudice  the  friendly 

relations of India with any foreign country;  

(e) that the applicant has, at any time during the period of five years immediately preceding the 
date of his application, been convicted by a court in India for any offence involving moral turpitude 
and sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than two years;  

(f) that proceedings in respect of an offence alleged to have been committed by the applicant are 

pending before a criminal court in India;  

(g) that a warrant or summons for the appearance, or a warrant for the arrest, of the applicant has 
been  issued  by  a  court  under  any  law  for  the  time  being  in  force  or  that  an  order  prohibiting  the 
departure from India of the applicant has been made by any such court;  

(h)  that  the  applicant  has  been  repatriated  and  has  not  reimbursed  the  expenditure  incurred  in 

connection with such repatriation;  

(i) that in the opinion of the Central Government the issue of a passport or travel document to the 

applicant will not be in the public interest. 

7.  Duration  of  passports  and  travel  documents.—A  passport  or  travel  document  shall,  unless 
revoked  earlier,  continue  in  force  for  such  period  as  may  be  prescribed  and  different  periods  may  be 
prescribed for different classes of passports or travel documents or for different categories of passports or 
travel documents under each such class:  

Provided  that  a  passport  or  travel  document  may  be  issued  for  a  shorter  period  than  the          

prescribed period—  

(a) if the person by whom it is required so desires; or  

(b) if the passport authority, for reasons to be communicated in writing to the applicant, considers 

in any case that the passport or travel document should be issued for a shorter period. 
 1[8.  Extension  of  period  of  Passport.—Where  a  passport  is  issued  for  a  shorter  period  than  the 
prescribed period under section 7, such shorter period shall, unless the passport authority for reasons to be 
recorded  in  writing  otherwise  determines,  be  extendable  for  a  further  period  (which  together  with  the 
shorter period shall not exceed the prescribed period) and the provisions of this Act shall apply to such 
extension as they apply to the issue thereof.] 

9.  Conditions  and  forms  of  passports  and  travel  documents.—The  conditions  subject  to  which, 
and the form in which, a passport or travel document shall be issued or renewed shall be such as may be 
prescribed:  

Provided  that  different  conditions  and  different  forms  may  be  prescribed  for  different  classes  of 
passports or travel documents or for different categories of passports or travel documents under each such 
class:  

1. Subs. by Act 35 of 1993, s. 3, for section 8 (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 

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Provided  further  that  a  passport  or  travel  document  may  contain  in  addition  to  the  prescribed 
conditions such other conditions as the passport authority may, with the previous approval of the Central 
Government, impose in any particular case. 

10. Variation, impounding and revocation of passports and travel documents.—(1) The passport 
authority  may, having regard to the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 6 or any notification under 
section 19, vary or cancel the endorsements on a passport or travel document or may, with the previous 
approval of the Central Government, vary or cancel the conditions (other than the prescribed conditions) 
subject  to  which  a  passport  or  travel  document  has  been  issued  and  may,  for  that  purpose,  require  the 
holder  of  a  passport  or  a  travel  document,  by  notice  in  writing,  to  deliver  up  the  passport  or  travel 
document to it within such time as may be specified in the notice and the holder shall comply with such 
notice.  

(2) The passport authority may, on the application of the holder of a passport or a travel document, 

and  with  the  previous  approval  of  the  Central  Government  also  vary  or  cancel  the  conditions              
(other than the prescribed conditions) of the passport or travel document.  

(3)  The  passport  authority  may  impound  or  cause  to  be  impounded  or  revoke  a  passport  or  travel 

document,— 

 (a) if the passport authority is satisfied that the holder of the passport or travel document is in 

wrongful possession thereof;  

(b) if the passport or travel document was obtained by the suppression of material information or 
on the basis of wrong information provided by the holder of the passport or travel document or any 
other person on his behalf:  

1[Provided that if the holder of such passport obtains another passport, the passport authority shall 

also impound or cause to be impounded or revoke such other passport.]  

(c)  if  the  passport  authority  deems  it  necessary  so  to  do  in  the  interests  of  the  sovereignty  and 
integrity of India, the security of India, friendly relations of India with any foreign country, or in the 
interests of the general public;  

(d) if the holder of the passport or travel document has, at any time after the issue of the passport 
or travel document, been convicted by a court in India for any offence involving moral turpitude and 
sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than two years;  

(e) if proceedings in respect of an offence alleged to have been committed by the holder of the 

passport or travel document are pending before a criminal court in India;  

(f) if any of the conditions of the passport or travel document has been contravened;  

(g)  if  the  holder  of  the  passport  or  travel  document  has  failed  to  comply  with  a  notice  under      

sub-section (1) requiring him to deliver up the same;  

(h)  if  it  is  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  passport  authority  that  a  warrant  or  summons  for  the 
appearance,  or  a  warrant  for  the  arrest,  of  the  holder  of  the  passport  or  travel  document  has  been 
issued by a court under any law for the time being in force or if an order prohibiting the departure 
from India of the holder of the passport or other travel document has been made by any such court 
and the passport authority is satisfied that a warrant or summons has been so issued or an order has 
been so made.  

(4) The passport authority may also revoke a passport or travel document on the application of the 

holder thereof.  

(5)  Where  the  passport  authority  makes  an  order  varying  or  cancelling  the  endorsements  on,  or 
varying the conditions of, a passport or travel document under sub-section (1) or an order impounding or 
revoking a passport or travel document under sub-section (3), it shall record in writing a brief statement 
of  the  reasons  for  making  such  order  and  furnish  to  the  holder  of  the  passport  or  travel  document  on 

1. The proviso ins. by Act 35 of 1993, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-7-1993).  

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demand a copy of the same unless in any case, the passport authority is of the opinion that it will not be in 
the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of India, friendly relations of India with 
any foreign country or in the interests of the general public to furnish such a copy.  

(6) The authority to whom the passport authority is subordinate may, by order in writing, impound or 
cause  to  be  impounded  or  revoke  a  passport  or  travel  document  on  any  ground  on  which  it  may  be 
impounded or revoked by the passport authority and the foregoing provisions of this section shall, as far 
as may be, apply in relation to the impounding or revocation of a passport or travel document by such 
authority.  

(7) A court convicting the holder of a passport or travel document of any offence under this Act or the 

rules made thereunder may also revoke the passport or travel document: 

Provided that if the conviction is set aside on appeal or otherwise the revocation shall become void.  

(8) An order of revocation under sub-section (7) may also be made by an appellate court or by the 

High Court when exercising its powers of revision.  

(9)  On  the  revocation  of  a  passport  or  travel  document  under  this  section  the  holder  thereof  shall, 
without delay, surrender the passport or travel document, if the same has not already been impounded, to 
the authority by whom it has been revoked or to such other authority as may be specified in this behalf in 
the order of revocation. 

1[10A. Suspension of passports or travel documents in certain cases.—(1) Without prejudice 
to  the  generality  of  the  provisions  contained  in  section  10,  if  the  Central  Government  or  any 
designated officer is satisfied that the passport or travel document is likely to be impounded or caused 
to be impounded or revoked under clause (c) of sub-section (3) of section 10 and it is necessary in the 
public interest so to do, it or he may,— 

(a) by order, suspend, with immediate effect, any passport or travel document;  

(b) pass such other appropriate order which may have the effect of rendering any passport or 

travel document invalid, 

for a period not exceeding four weeks: 

Provided  that  the  Central  Government  or  the  designated  officer  may,  if  it  or  he  considers 
appropriate, extend, by order and for reasons to be recorded in writing, the said period of four weeks 
till  the  proceedings  relating  to  variation,  impounding  or  revocation  of  passport  or  travel  document 
under section 10 are concluded: 

Provided  further  that  every  holder  of  the  passport  or  travel  document,  in  respect  of  whom  an 
order under clause (a) or clause (b) of this sub-section had been passed, shall be given an opportunity 
of being heard within a period of not later than eight weeks reckoned from the date of passing of such 
order and thereupon the Central Government may, if necessary, by order in writing, modify or revoke 
the order passed under this sub-section. 

(2) The designated officer shall immediately communicate the order passed under sub-section (1), 
to the concerned authority at an airport or any other point of embarkation or immigration, and to the 
passport authority. 

(3) Every authority referred to in sub-section (2) shall, immediately on receipt of the order passed 

under sub-section (1), give effect to such order. 

10B.  Validation  of  intimations.—Every  intimation  given  by  the  Central  Government  or  the 
designated officer, before the commencement of the Passports (Amendment) Act, 2002 (17 of 2002), 
to  any  immigration  authority  at  an  airport  or  any  other  point  of  embarkation  or  immigration, 
restricting  or  in  any  manner  prohibiting  the  departure  from  India  of  any  holder  of  the  passport  or 
travel  document  under  sub-section  (3)  of    section  10,  shall  be  deemed  to  be  an  order  under  sub-
section (1) of section 10A and such order shall continue to be in force for a period of three months 

1. Ins by Act 17 of 2002, s. 2 (w.e.f. 23-10-2002). 

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from the date of commencement of the Passports (Amendment) Act, 2002, or the date of giving such 
intimation, whichever is later. 

Explanation.—For  the  purposes  of  sections  10A  and  10B,  the  expression  “designated  officer” 
means such officer or authority designated, by order in writing, as such by the Central Government.]    

11.  Appeals.—(1)  Any  person  aggrieved  by  an  order  of  the  passport  authority  under  clause  (b)  or 
clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 5 or clause (b) of the  proviso to section 7 or sub-section (1), or 
sub-section (3) of section 10 or by an order under sub-section (6) of section 10 of the authority to whom 
the passport authority is subordinate, may prefer an appeal against that order to such authority (hereinafter 
referred to as the appellate authority) and within such period as may be prescribed:  

Provided that no appeal shall lie against any order made by the Central Government.  

(2) No appeal shall be admitted if it is preferred after the expiry of the period prescribed therefor:  

Provided  that  an  appeal  may  be  admitted  after  the  expiry  of  the  period  prescribed  therefor  if  the 
appellant satisfied the appellate authority that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within 
that period.  

(3) The period prescribed for an appeal shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of the 

Limitation  Act,  1963  (36  of  1963),  with  respect 
limitation thereunder.  

to 

the  computation  of 

the  periods  of                     

(4) Every appeal under this section shall be made by a petition in writing and shall be accompanied 
by  a  copy  of  the  statement  of  the  reasons  for  the  order  appealed  against  where  such  copy  has  been 
furnished to the appellant and  1[by such fee as may be prescribed for meeting the expenses that may be 
incurred in calling for relevant records and for connected services].  

(5)  In  disposing  of  an  appeal,  the  appellate  authority  shall  follow  such  procedure  as  may  be 

prescribed:  

Provided  that  no  appeal  shall  be  disposed  of  unless  the  appellant  has  been  given  a  reasonable 

opportunity or representing his case.  

(6)  Every  order  of  the  appellate  authority  confirming,  modifying  or  reversing  the  order  appealed 

against shall be final. 

12. Offences and penalties.—(1) Whoever—  

(a) contravenes the provisions of section 3; or  

(b) knowingly furnishes any false information or suppresses any material information with a view 
to  obtaining  a  passport  or  travel  document  under  this  Act  or  without  lawful  authority  alters  or 
attempts to alter or causes to alter the entries made in a passport or travel document; or  

(c)  fails  to  produce  for  inspection  his  passport  or  travel  document  (whether  issued  under  this      

Act or not) when called upon to do so by the prescribed authority; or  

(d) knowingly uses a passport or travel document issued to another person; or  

(e) knowingly allows another person to use a passport or travel document issued to him,  
shall  be punishable  with imprisonment  for a  term  which  may  extend to  2[two  years or  with fine  which 
may extend to five thousand rupees] or with both. 

1.  Subs.  by  Act  35  of  1993,  s.  5,  for  “by  such  fee  (if  any)  not  exceeding  rupees  twenty-five  as  may  be  prescribed”             

(w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 

2. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for “six months or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees” (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 

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1 [(1A) Whoever, not being a citizen of India,— 

(a) makes an application for a passport or obtains a passport by suppressing information about his 

nationality, or  

(b) holds a forged passport or any travel document,  

shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may 
extend to five years and with fine which shall not be less than ten thousand rupees but which may extend 
to fifty thousand rupees.]  

(2) Whoever abets any offence punishable under   2[sub-section (1) or sub-section (1A)] shall, if the 
act abetted is committed in consequence of the abetment, be punishable with the punishment provided in 
that sub-section for that offence.  

(3) Whoever contravenes any condition of a passport or travel document or any provision of this Act 
or  any  rule  made  thereunder  for  which  no  punishment  is  provided  elsewhere  in  this  Act  shall  be 
punishable  with  imprisonment  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  three  months  or  with  fine  which  may 
extend to five hundred rupees or with both.  

(4) Whoever, having been convicted of an offence under this Act, is again convicted of an offence 

under this Act shall be punishable with double the penalty provided for the latter offence. 

13.  Power  to  arrest.—(1)  Any  officer  of  customs  empowered  by  a  general  or  special  order  of  the 
Central Government in this behalf and any 3[officer of police or emigration officer] not below the rank of 
a sub-inspector may arrest without warrant any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he 
has committed any offence punishable under section 12 and shall, as soon as may be, inform him of the 
grounds for such arrest.  

(2) Every officer making an arrest under this section shall, without unnecessary delay, take or send 
the person arrested before a magistrate having  jurisdiction in the case or to the officer in charge of the 
nearest  police  station  and  the  provisions  of  4[section  57  of  the  Code  of  Criminal  procedure,  1973              
(2 of 1974)] shall, so far as may be, apply in the case of any such arrest. 

14. Power of search and seizure.—(1) Any officer of customs empowered by a general or special 
order of the Central Government in this behalf and any 3[officer of police or emigration officer] not below 
the  rank  of  a  sub-inspector  may  search  any  place  and  seize  any  passport  or  travel  document  from  any 
person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed any offence punishable under 
section 12.  

(2) The provisions of the  5[Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974)], relating to searches and 

seizures shall, so far as may be, apply to searches and seizures under this section. 

15.  Previous  sanction  of  Central  Government  necessary.—No  prosecution  shall  be  instituted 
against any person in respect of any offence under this Act without the previous sanction of the Central 
Government or such officer or authority as may be authorised by that Government by order in writing in 
this behalf. 

16. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall 
lie  against  the  Government  or  any  officer  or  authority  for  anything  which  is  in  good  faith  done  or 
intended to be done under this Act. 

17. Passports and travel documents to be property of Central Government.—A passport or travel 

document issued under this Act shall at all times remain the property of the Central Government. 

18. [Passports, etc., not to be issued to persons who cannot emigrate under Act 7 of 1922].—Omitted 

by the Passports (Amendment) Act, 1993 (35 of 1993), s. 8 (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 

1. Ins. by Act 35 of 1993 s. 6, (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 
2. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for “sub-section (1)” (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 
3. Subs. by s. 7, ibid., for “Officer of police” (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 
4. Subs. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 3, for “section 61 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898)” (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 
5. Subs. by s. 4, ibid., for  “Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898)” (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

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19. Passports and travel documents to be invalid for travel to certain countries.—Upon the issue 

of a notification by the Central Government that a foreign country is—  

(a) a country which is committing external aggression against India; or  

(b) a country assisting the country committing external aggression against India; or  

(c) a country where armed hostilities are in progress; or  

(d) a country to which travel must be restricted in the public interest because such travel would 

seriously impair the conduct of foreign affairs of the Government of India,  

a passport or travel document for travel through or visiting such country shall cease to be valid for such 
travel or visit unless in any case a special endorsement in that behalf is made in the  prescribed form by 
the prescribed authority. 

20.  Issue  of  passports  and  travel  documents  to  persons  who  are  not  citizens  of                           

India.—Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions relating to issue of a passport or 
travel document, the Central Government may issue, or cause to be issued, a passport or travel document 
to a person who is not a citizen of India if that Government is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do in 
the public interest. 

21. Power to delegate.—The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct 
that any power or function which may be exercised or performed by it under this Act other than the power 
under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 6 or the power under clause (i) of sub-section (2) of that 
section or the power under section 24, may, in relation to such matters and subject to such conditions, if 
any, as it may specify in the notification, be exercised or performed—  

(a) by such officer or authority subordinate to the Central Government; or  

(b) by any State Government or by any officer or authority subordinate to such Government; or  

(c)  in  any  foreign  country  in  which  there  is  no  diplomatic  mission  of  India,  by  such  foreign 

Consular Officer; as may be specified in the notification.  

22.  Power  to  exempt.—Where  the  Central  Government  is  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  necessary  or 
expedient in the public interest so to do, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette and subject to such 
conditions, if any, as it may specify in the notification,—  

(a) exempt any person or class of persons from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this 

Act or the rules made thereunder; and  

(b) as often as may be, cancel any such notification and again subject, by a like notification, the 

person or class of persons to the operation of such provisions. 

23. Act to be in addition to certain enactments.—The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to 
and not in derogation of the provisions of the Passport (Entry into  India) Act, 1920 (34 of 1920),  1[the 
Emigration Act, 1983 (31 of 1983)] the Registration of  Foreigners Act, 1939 (16 of 1939), the Foreigners 
Act,  1946  (31  of  1946),  2***,  Trading  with  the  Enemy  (Continuance  of  Emergency  Provisions)              
(16 of 1947), the Foreigners Law (Application and Amendment) Act, 1962 (42 of 1962),  3[the Foreign 
Exchange  Regulation  Act,  1973  (46  of  1973)]  and  other  enactments  relating  to  foreigners  and  foreign 
exchange. 

24. Power to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 

make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.  

1. Subs. by Act 35 of 1993, s. 9, for “the Emigration Act, 1922 (7 of 1922)” (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 
2.  The  words  and  figures  “the  Foreign  Exchange  Regulation  Act,  1947  (7  of  1947)”  omitted  by  Act  31  of  1978,  s.  5               

(w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

3. Ins. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 5, ibid. (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

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(2)  In  particular,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  power,  such  rules  may 

provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—  

(a) the appointment, jurisdiction, control and functions of passport authorities;  

(b)  the  classes  of  persons  to  whom  passports  and  travel  documents  referred  to  respectively  in    

sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 4 may be issued;  

(c)  the  form  and  particulars  of  application  for  the  issue  or  renewal  of  a  passport  or  travel 
document or for endorsement on a passport or travel document and where the application is for the 
renewal, the time within which it shall be made;  

(d) the period for which passports and travel documents shall continue in force;  

(e) the form in which and the conditions subject to which the different classes of passports and 

travel documents may be issued, renewed or varied;  

1[(ee)  specifying  the  foreign  country  for  the  purposes  of  the  Explanation  to  sub-section  (1)  of 

section 5;]  

(f) the fees payable in respect of 2[any application for the issue of a passport under sub-section (1) 
of  section  5  or  issue  of  a  passport  for  visiting  a  foreign  country  referred  to  in  sub-section  (1A)  of 
section 5]  or  travel  document  or  for  varying  any  endorsement  or  making  a  fresh  endorsement  on a 
passport or a travel document and the fees payable in respect of any appeal under this Act;  

(g) the appointment of appellate authorities under sub-section (1) of section 11, the jurisdiction 

of, and the procedure which may be followed by, such appellate authorities;  

(h)  the  services  (including  the  issue  of  a  duplicate  passport  or  travel  document  in  lieu  of  a 
passport  or  travel  document  lost,  damaged  or  destroyed)  which  may  be  rendered  in  relation  to  a 
passport or travel document and the fees therefor;  

(i) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed or in respect of which this Act makes no 
provision or makes insufficient provision and provision is, in the opinion of the Central Government, 
necessary for the proper implementation of the Act.  

(3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before each House 
of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session 
or 3[in two or more successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the 
session or the successive sessions aforesaid], both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or 
both  Houses  agree  that  the  rule  should  not  be  made,  the  rule  shall  thereafter  have  effect  only  in  such 
modified  form  or  be  of  no  effect,  as  the  case  may  be;  so,  however,  that  any  such  modification  or 
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule. 

25. Change of short title of Act 34 of 1920.—In the Indian Passport Act, 1920, in sub-section (1) of 
section 1, for the words and figures “the Indian Passport Act, 1920,” the words, brackets and figures “the 
Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920” shall be substituted. 

26.  [Saving  as  to certain  passports  and  applications.]—Omitted  by the  Passports  (Amendment)  Act, 

1993 (35 of 1993), s. 8 (w.e.f. 1-7-1993). 

27. Repeal and saving.—(1) The Passports Ordinance, 1967 (4 of 1967) is hereby repealed.  

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken or purporting to have been done 
or taken under the said Ordinance shall be deemed to have been done or taken under this Act as if this Act 
had commenced on the 5th day of May, 1967. 

1. Ins. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 6 (w.e.f. 18-8-1978).  
2. The words “issue or renewal of a passport” of clause (f)  were subs. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 6 (w.e.f.18-8-1978)  to read as 
“issue or renewal of a passport for visiting a  foreign country referred to in sub-section (1A) of section 5”and the words 
“any  application  for  the  issue  or  renewal  of  a  passport”  were  further  subs.  by  Act  35  of  1993,  s.10  to  read  as  above 
(w.e.f.1-7-1993). 

3. Subs. by Act 31 of 1978, s. 6, for certain words (w.e.f. 18-8-1978). 

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