The Union Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the aadhaar card or an e-aadhaar card will henceforth be accepted as a proof of date of birth, while announcing a new set of rules for passport application. Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said the rules are being introduced keeping in mind the “societal need”, reported The New Indian Express.

The aadhaar card is the latest addition to a list of documents, including Personal Account Number card, school leaving certificate, driving licence and voter card, that are accepted as proof of the date of birth of the applicant. The statutory provisions of the passport rules, 1980, said that all applicants born after 26/01/1989 had to submit a birth certificate in order to receive their passports.

Besides, the ministry has also asked the authorities concerned to consider request of applicants seeking a change in their date of birth, reported India Today. Earlier, such requests could be made only within five years of issuance of the passport.

The other major changes introduced by the government include non-requirement of details of the passports holder’s father, mother or spouse. Also, a certificate of non-consent from a parent for a child born out of wedlock is not needed anymore. In a May 2016 ruling, the Delhi High Court had said it was not essential to mention the name of the father if the mother and child so desired. Sadhus and sanyasis can also name their spiritual gurus instead of their biological parents in passports, according to the new rules.

The new rules were formulated based on the report submitted by a three-member inter-ministerial committee. The committee included members of the Ministry of Woman and Child Development, MEA and the Central Passport Organisation.