In a move to simplify the process of getting passports, the government had last week informed the Parliament that birth certificates will no longer be required to get the identity card.

According to reports, Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh told the Parliament that Aadhaar or a PAN card, along with either transfer/school leaving certificate from last attended school/recognized educational board, driving license, voter ID cards and/or LIC policy bonds can be submitted to establish proof of birth.

Singh further said the purpose of the changes is to make passports available to millions of citizens.

According to the Passport Rules, 1980, all applicants born on or after 26 January 1989 had to submit a birth certificate.

But, on the recommendations of the committee comprising of the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Women and Child Development, several modifications have been made in the pre-existing rules.

For instance, with the new rule in place, neither divorce decrees, nor adoption certificates need to be submitted to get a passport. Even orphan children only need a document from their orphanage to confirm the date of birth.