JEE Main 2027: NRI candidates can use passport as ID, apply by November 22

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has allowed Non-Resident Indian (NRI) candidates applying for JEE Main 2027 Session 1 to use their passport as valid identity proof while registering, according to reports published on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The clarification came in response to a query. Reports say it applies to NRI candidates who do not have an Aadhaar card, PAN card or Indian driving licence. Registration for Session 1 opened on Saturday, 24 October 2026, and the last date to apply without a late fee is Sunday, 22 November 2026, according to the registration schedule reported by national outlets. The Session 1 exams are scheduled for January 2027.

JEE Main is the national engineering entrance test conducted by the NTA, and it is also open to Indian citizens living abroad. For them, the identity step of the online form has been a practical hurdle: most Indian identity documents asked for during registration, such as Aadhaar or PAN, are ones that a student who grew up abroad may never have obtained.

Accepting the passport removes that hurdle. An NRI is an Indian citizen living abroad and so holds an Indian passport, which means no eligible student should be stuck at the identity step for want of an Aadhaar card. Reports advise candidates to check that the passport is accepted by the system when they submit the form, since the process is fully online, and to read the official notice on the JEE Main website.

The timing matters too. With the regular deadline on 22 November, NRI applicants who held back because of the identity question now have less than three weeks to complete their forms without a late fee. After that, there is a four-day late window with an extra charge of Rs 500, and a three-day correction window.

Students should also note that the January exam dates are not yet final in every detail. Earlier tentative calendars showed a different spread of January dates, and the most recent NTA calendar is marked provisional. The admit card and exam-city slip dates reported so far are likewise subject to the agency's notices.

Peepals calculation: From Wednesday, 4 November 2026, there are 18 days left until the 22 November deadline (22 minus 4), and from registration opening on 24 October the full regular window is 30 days long (7 days left in October after the 24th, plus 22 in November, plus the opening day). Our calculation from the reported dates.

Short-term: NRI applicants without Indian identity cards can now complete the JEE Main 2027 Session 1 form using a passport.

Long-term: Clearer identity rules for overseas applicants may make it easier for NRI students to take Indian entrance tests in future cycles.

Who is affected: NRI students and their parents, and schools and coaching centres abroad that prepare students for the test.

What to watch next: The regular registration deadline of Sunday, 22 November 2026, and the correction window from 27 to 29 November 2026.

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