Gujarat High Court Allows Single Mother’s Plea For Passport Renewal Of Minor Children Without Father’s NOC

The Gujarat High Court allowed a divorced mother to get the passports of her minor children renewed without the father’s no-objection certificate (NOC). The Court noted the parents were divorced and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) awarded custody of the children to the mother; hence, the father’s NOC was not necessary under the Passport (Entry Into India) Rules, 1980. The ruling underscores that procedural formalities cannot override children’s right to travel or educational opportunities, especially in a scenario where the custodial parent is acting within her rights and no prohibitory court order exists.