General Passport Information

In line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, hand-written passports are not accepted worldwide after 2014. The Government of India introduced Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) with effect from 26 August 2007.

How to apply

1. Go to the passport portal for Missions: mportal.passportindia.gov.in/mission.
2. Click “Online Registration”.
3. For the Indian Mission, select “TANZANIA – Dar-es-Salaam”.
4. Select the service you need (see the table below).
5. Complete the application form, save it and print it.
6. Submit the printed form with the documents and the fee (see Consular Fees) at the High Commission of India, Dar es Salaam. Attach copies of your passport, residence permit / work permit / ID / dependant pass / school pass and other supporting documents.

Applicants living in Tanzania must submit their applications at the High Commission of India, Dar es Salaam. All applicants, including minors and newborn babies, must come in person for identification. You can book an appointment online.

Important points

1. The applicant's signature must fit exactly in the prescribed box (4.5 × 1.5 cm). Fill in the surname and given name columns correctly.
2. Give the complete permanent address in India, including the PIN code, legibly.
3. An ordinary passport is valid for ten years from the date of issue; the passport authority may issue it for a shorter period. Minors get passports for five years or until they turn 18, whichever is earlier.
4. Apply in the prescribed form with the correct fee; other forms are not accepted. Fill in every column correctly and legibly; do not leave any column blank or answer with a dash or tick. Sign with a black or blue ballpoint pen. Infants, minors and people who cannot sign should give a thumb impression.
5. Fees for passport and related services are set by the Government of India from time to time.
6. Giving false information is an offence under the Passports Act, 1967. Passport facilities may be refused for suppressing material information, giving incorrect particulars, wilful damage or loss of a passport, or unauthorised changes or tampering. A passport can be impounded or revoked for violating the Act.
7. It is an offence to hold more than one valid passport at a time.
8. Processed documents should preferably be collected by the applicant, or by a person authorised in writing who brings the official receipt given at submission.

Change of particulars

Any change from the previous passport (name, address, addition or deletion) must be supported by original documents and their photocopies.

Change of first name or full name

A court order or notarised affidavit, a newspaper notice in a local daily, and a newspaper notice in the applicant's home state in India.

Change to married name

The passport, the marriage certificate and a copy, a sworn affidavit giving the married and maiden names, the husband's passport and a joint photograph of the couple. If the first name also changes, the requirements for a change of full name apply too.

Change of appearance

A new passport may be issued in place of a valid passport if the holder's appearance has changed.

Fresh passport for a newborn child: online registration of birth for Indian citizenship

The Government of India has made online registration of the birth of a child as an Indian citizen mandatory. For details, see the Ministry of Home Affairs website, indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in.

For a child born in the jurisdiction of the High Commission (Tanzania, including Zanzibar):

1. Go to the Indian citizenship online form of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
2. Select the form “Registration of birth of a minor child at an Indian Consulate under Section 4(1) of the Citizenship Act, 1955”.
3. Click “Apply Online” and fill in the form:
   • one online form per person;
   • use block capital letters;
   • give names, address and date of birth exactly as asked;
   • check all details before submitting: no changes are possible afterwards.
4. When the form is submitted, an MHA file number is shown. Keep it for correspondence and to track the status online.
5. Print the application from “Print application” in the main menu, using the MHA file number and date of birth. Paste a recent ICAO-compliant photograph where shown.
6. Sign or give a thumb impression in the signature box. For a minor (under 18), the parents or guardians sign in their column.
7. Submit the signed application with the supporting documents, in triplicate, at the High Commission. The High Commission will verify and upload the scanned documents.

If the application is made within one year of the child's birth and the eligibility criteria are met, the High Commission registers the birth and the child becomes an Indian citizen. If it is made after one year, the application is sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval, after which the High Commission registers the birth.

Documents to attach (Section 4(1), Citizenship Act, 1955)

• Copy of the child's birth certificate
• Copies of the Indian passports of both parents
• Copy of the certificate of Indian citizenship, if acquired by registration or naturalisation
• Copy of the parents' marriage certificate
• A declaration that the child does not hold a passport of any other country

Please read the Citizenship Act, 1955 and its rules before applying.

Emergency Certificate

An Emergency Certificate (EC) is a one-way travel document issued in place of a passport so that an Indian national can return to India if, while abroad, the passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, impounded or revoked, a passport has been refused, or the person has to be repatriated to India.

An Indian passport holder who acquires the citizenship of another country must renounce Indian citizenship at the nearest Indian Mission. Tanzania does not allow dual citizenship.

Last updated on: 19 October 2026