New Passport update: Adding spouse’s name to passport no longer needs marriage certificate, says MEA- Details here

In a move set to ease a longstanding hassle for Indian passport applicants, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced that citizens can now add their spouse's name to their passport without furnishing a marriage certificate. The new rule introduces a joint photo declaration—Annexure J—as a valid substitute.

According to Pune’s regional passport officer Arjun Deore, Annexure J, signed by both husband and wife, now serves as a valid alternative to the traditional marriage certificate requirement, which many applicants previously struggled to fulfil, as reported by the Times of India.

A senior passport official explained that the change addresses significant regional disparities in marriage registration practices. While marriages in Maharashtra are typically registered by default, in many northern states they are not, which leaves applicants without formal marriage certificates.

The official added that the MEA introduced the option of the Joint Photo Declaration because many applicants often lack complete documentation.

Annexure J requires the couple to declare their names, address, and marital status, confirming that they have been living together as a married couple. The form includes a space for a self-attested joint photograph, and both parties must sign the declaration with the place and date clearly mentioned. Additional required details include the Aadhaar numbers, voter IDs, and passport numbers (if available) for both spouses.

Dr. Deore clarified that the form includes a dedicated space for a self-attested joint photograph, and the declaration is considered valid only if all fields are completed, including names, Aadhaar numbers, voter ID numbers, and passport numbers, where applicable.

The ministry has also made it clear that in order to remove a spouse’s name from a passport, a divorce decree or order is still mandatory. A source stated that to change the name of a spouse on the passport, applicants must provide a divorce decree, death certificate of the first spouse, a re-marriage certificate, or a Joint Photo Declaration (Annexure J) signed by both parties, along with updated identity documents featuring QR-code-enabled Aadhaar verification.