The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest petition challenging the Centre's increase in passport fees for Indian citizens living abroad, holding that a hike of about 67 per cent after 14 years cannot be considered unreasonable or exorbitant, LiveLaw reported.

Source: LiveLaw

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma noted that passport fees were last increased in 2012 and that fixing passport processing and renewal fees falls within the government's policy domain. "After 14 years, it's a reasonable increase... we're not inclined to show any indulgence," the Acting Chief Justice said orally, according to LiveLaw.

The petition was filed by the Pravasi Legal Cell, which challenged the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on June 25, and a Ministry of External Affairs office memorandum dated August 10, 2026. The petitioner submitted that overseas Indians were being asked to pay around Rs 11,900 for a passport, up from around Rs 7,000, Bar and Bench reported.

Source: Bar and Bench

The petitioner argued that the higher fee would fall hardest on low-income Indian workers in Gulf countries, including mechanics, plumbers and construction workers, and suggested that the government create a concession mechanism for economically weaker Indians abroad. The bench asked how the economic vulnerability of a citizen living overseas would be determined and who would certify such eligibility.

The court said that as long as fees charged for issuing or renewing a passport are not unreasonably exorbitant, it is not required to interfere with such policy decisions, and it dismissed the petition. The ruling means the revised fee structure for overseas Indians stays in place for now.