Proof and exhibition of old passport & visa documents in civil court

Photocopies of documents are not admissible in evidence so can not be allowed to mark exhibits.

Original document(s) but not photocopy(ies) can be exhibited. However, photocopy(ies) may be marked. 

The case is stated to pertaining to the year 1983-85 and it is being taken up in 2026 for evidence, is it your own and a real story ? 

This is original filed case in Feb 2026. The defendent wants to exhibit his passport and visa of 1983-1985 to show that he worked during this time in abroad and earned.

How this aspect is relevant? Has this fact been pleaded in the Written Statement? 

Yes, defendent mentioned in WS.

Typically, a photocopy is not sufficient on its own if the original exists or if its absence is not legally explained. To use photocopies, the defendant must usually file an application for permission to lead secondary evidence, proving that the original is lost, destroyed, or in the possession of the opposite party.

Photocopies (copies made from the original by a mechanical process) can be admitted only if a proper foundation is laid under Section 65 of Indian evidence act. 

If a document is 30 years old or more and is produced from "proper custody" (where it would naturally be kept), the court may presume that the signature and every other part of such document is in the handwriting of the person by whom it purports to be executed.

This presumption generally applies to original documents, not photocopies. However, for a 40-year-old matter (1983–1985), courts sometimes show leniency if the defendant can prove the originals are genuinely unavailable due to the passage of time.

You can apply to the Regional Passport Office (RPO) for a "Verification Certificate" or a certified summary of past passport details. Even if the full file is weeded out, the "Master Register" often contains entries of issuance and renewals.

Since the immigration record  involves Saudi Arabia, records from the Protector of Emigrants (PoE) or the Ministry of External Affairs regarding "Emigration Check Required" (ECR) clearances from that era can serve as strong corroborative evidence.