New Passport Rule: Marriage Certificate No Longer Required to Add Spouse’s Name, Says MEA
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PUNE: In a significant policy update aimed at simplifying the passport application process, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced that Indian citizens are no longer required to submit a marriage certificate to include their spouse’s name on their passport. Instead, a Joint Photo Declaration—Annexure J—will now serve as a valid substitute.
According to Senior Officer, Pune’s Regional Passport Officer, the newly introduced Annexure J must be signed by both husband and wife and will act as a legitimate alternative to the traditional marriage certificate, which many applicants previously found difficult to obtain.
Annexure J: A Step Towards Inclusive Documentation
The MEA’s decision is seen as a response to long-standing concerns over the inconsistent availability of marriage registration across various states. A senior passport official noted that while marriages in states like Maharashtra are often registered by default, this is not the case in many northern regions, leaving a large section of applicants without official marriage documentation.
Annexure J requires both spouses to declare their names, address, marital status, and affirm that they have been living together as a married couple. It must include:
- A self-attested joint photograph
- Aadhaar numbers of both parties
- Voter ID numbers
- Passport numbers (if available)
- Signatures of both spouses along with date and place
Dr. Deore emphasized that all fields in the form must be fully completed for it to be considered valid. “The declaration helps applicants who lack formal certificates but can establish marital ties through mutual attestation and supporting identity documents,” he added.
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Spouse Name Removal Still Requires Legal Documents
While the inclusion process has been eased, the MEA clarified that removing a spouse’s name from a passport still requires official documentation. Applicants must submit a divorce decree, death certificate of the spouse, or a re-marriage certificate, depending on the case. A Joint Photo Declaration signed by both parties is also accepted, provided it is backed by updated identity proof featuring QR code-enabled Aadhaar verification.
This progressive move is expected to benefit thousands of applicants across India, especially those in regions with less formalized marriage registration systems.
