Centre asked to review revised passport fee structure following legal challenge by expatriate rights group.
Indian nationals living in the United Arab Emirates may receive relief from higher passport renewal charges after the Delhi High Court directed the Central Government to review the revised fee structure introduced earlier this year. The move has raised hopes among the Indian expatriate community, particularly low-income workers across the Gulf.
The court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala chapter of the Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC), asked the Union Government to treat the petition as a formal representation and take an appropriate decision, preferably within three weeks. The petitioner has also been asked to be informed of the outcome.
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The PIL challenges the Passports (Amendment) Rules, 2026, under which passport application and renewal fees were increased from July 1
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According to the petition, the revised charges place an undue financial burden on Indian citizens living abroad, especially migrant workers employed in Gulf countries
The UAE is home to one of the largest Indian expatriate populations, with many workers requiring periodic passport renewals to maintain their legal residency and employment status. Community representatives have argued that the increase has disproportionately affected blue-collar employees, many of whom earn modest monthly wages. Reports indicate that the passport renewal fee in the UAE rose from around Dh280 to approximately Dh450 following the revision.
The High Court did not rule on the legality of the amended rules but instead directed the Ministry of External Affairs to examine the concerns raised by the petitioners before taking a policy decision. The government’s response is expected to determine whether the revised fees will be modified for overseas Indian applicants.
For now, Indian expatriates in the UAE are awaiting the Centre’s decision, which could significantly ease the financial burden of passport renewals for thousands of workers and their families.
