Renew Indian Passport in USA

 

Renew Indian Passport in USA Step by step

 

Easily renew your Indian Passport in the United States after a decade is feasible, thanks to VFS Global. Various Indian consulates, including those in New York, Houston (Texas), Washington DC, Atlanta (Georgia), Chicago (Illinois), and SFO (San Francisco, California), provide a methodical process for passport re-issuance in collaboration with the Indian embassy.

In this article, we shall delve into the following:

1. Passport Renewal Process Overview
2. Processing Duration
3. Necessary Documents
4. Indian Government Website Registration Steps
5. Passport Application Steps – Indian Govt Site
6. Print Passport Application
7. VFS Global Website – Fee Payment & Dispatch
8. Self Attestation & Notarization
9. Packaging, Mailing, & Tracing
10. Refunds
11. FAQ

Indian-Passport-renewal-in-USA

Passport Renewal Process Overview

1. Create a Passport application on the Indian government Website.
2. Create an account on VFS Global and pay the shipping charge.
3. Assemble documents and mail them to VFS Global.
4. VFS verifies documents and forwards them to the Indian embassy.
5. The Indian embassy initiates Police verification in India.
6. The Indian embassy prints a new passport.
7. VFS delivers the new and old passports to you.

Processing Duration

Renewing an Indian passport will take 3-6 weeks if the last passport was issued in India or 10 days if it was issued by the Indian Embassy in the United States. You can apply for renewal a year before expiry; however, it is advised to do so six weeks before the final expiry date to avoid potential processing delays at the Indian embassy.

Necessary Documents

1. Expiring Passport: Submit the original and most recent passport. Older passports are not required.
2. Photographs: Provide two 2×2 inch photos with a white background.
3. NRI Government passport renewal application form: This form will be supplied by the Indian government site for printing (see detailed steps below).
4. Highest qualification degree (Optional): To determine if an ECR Stamp is necessary on your passport, the Indian embassy requires your education details. It is advisable to send a copy of your highest educational qualification degree, such as an MCA or MBA, but it is not mandatory.
5. USA Address proof (Color, Notarized): You may safely choose to have the USA address printed on an Indian passport.
6. Examples of acceptable address proof: Rental Lease Agreement (Month to Month is acceptable) OR Home Mortgage bill, any utility bill (Electricity/ gas/ water/ landline telephone bill) that is not older than 3 months, Driver’s License or State ID (front and back required), Learning/temporary driving license. Not acceptable: Home Internet Wi-Fi bills, mobile bills, and US bank statements.
7. Indian Address Proof: Required if you want to alter the current Indian Address printed on your existing passport.
8. Examples of acceptable address proof: Any Indian utility bill (Electricity/ gas/ water/ landline telephone bill) not older than 3 months, Aadhar Card, Indian Driver’s License, recent Bank Statement from an Indian Government Bank.
9. Change of Appearance / Signature Form (Notarized): Required regardless of changes in appearance with age.
10. VFS Document checklist: Download from VFS, print, and complete it as you collect documents.
11. Annexure ‘E’: Obtain an Annexure E affidavit from the VFS site or create the form using their app.
12. Copy of Passport: Photocopy the first five pages and the last two pages of your passport. You can use an app-based scanner.
13. Marriage Certificate (Optional): Required if you are married and wish to add your spouse’s name to the new passport. Include a copy of your spouse’s passport (front and back pages) or Spouse Green Card.
14. US Legal Status (Color, Notarized): Current Valid US Visa (including dependent visas) OR I-797 OR Green card OR Employment Authorization Card (EAD) or I-797 approval notice or Valid I-20.
15. Birth Certificate / School Leaving Certificate (Optional)
16. Police Report (Only if Passport lost or stolen)
17. Additional Documents for Child Passport: Annexure D is required for a child’s Indian passport. Parent’s Current Valid US Visa OR I-797 OR Green card OR Employment Authorization Card or I-797 approval notice, and Parent’s Passport (front and back pages).
18. Annexure F/L for lost or damaged passport: Required if your current passport was lost or damaged.

Indian Government Website Registration Steps

To begin your passport application, visit the Indian government website. Register and provide the necessary details for each person separately. It is recommended to use a laptop or desktop computer for this process, as the site might not work well on mobile devices.

Once the application is completed, you will receive an Application Reference Number (ARN), which will be necessary for the following steps.

Passport Application Steps – Indian Govt Site

Follow the step-by-step process detailed on the Indian government site to complete your passport application. Upon completion, you will be presented with a preview of the new passport’s biometric page. Thoroughly verify your information before submitting the application.

Print Passport Application

After submitting the application, print it from the applicant’s homepage. Sign the printed application with a black or blue pen. It is essential to print the application on one side of the paper only, leaving the backside blank.

VFS Global Website – Fee Payment & Shipping

On the VFS Global website, create an application and pay the shipping charge. VFS Global will handle the postal envelopes, payments, and document shipping. The total fee for Indian passport renewal is $92.90, including the VFS service fee of $15.90. If you opt for VFS shipping, the total cost will be $127.20, including FedEx shipping both ways (recommended).

Self Attest & Notary

Depending on whether you are renewing an adult or child passport, different documents will require self-attestation and notarization. For detailed information on which documents need self-attestation or notarization, refer to the original article content above.

Packaging, Mailing, & Tracking

Organize documents in the order of the VFS document checklist and mail them to VFS Global. Once the package is sent, you can track your application status on the Indian government website or the VFS site using your VFS reference number.

Refunds

The process and VFS application refund policy are documented separately.