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Indian Passport Renewal in USA - Application Form, Fees, Processing Time, Document Checklist
Indian Passport Renewal in USA Checklist and Complete Guide: I have personally gone through the Indian passport renewal application process in the USA, specifically at the Indian consulate in SFO (San Francisco, California), and I believe sharing my experience could be valuable to others. The Indian passport renewal process will be the same for the other consulates, like in New York, Houston (Texas), Washington DC, Atlanta (Georgia), and Chicago (Illinois).
You can apply for Indian passport renewal one year before its expiry.
You will receive a new Indian passport (without any visa stamps) with a validity of 10 years.
The processing time for Indian passport renewal in the USA is 4 to 5 weeks with a fee of $132.
For Tatkal processing, the time is approximately 2 weeks.
If you lost your passport - read this.
Before delving into the details, let's first go through the high-level steps required to renew an Indian passport in the USA. Later, I will provide a detailed explanation of each step.
Renew Indian Passport in the USA
Complete the Indian Passport Renewal application form on the Indian Passport Seva website.
Create a VFS Global account and pay the associated shipping fee for the passport renewal application.
Gather the necessary documents and mail them to VFS Global to process your passport renewal.
Undergo verification, including police verification conducted by the Indian embassy.
Once the process is complete, expect to receive both your old and renewed passports through VFS Global in your mailbox.
Table of Contents: Indian Passport Renewal in USA Checklist |
Indian Passport Renewal Application Form
The first step is to file your Indian passport renewal application online on the Government of India website. Once you go to this website, choose your region/country as 'AMERICAS', then select the country as 'USA'. This will redirect you to a separate portal where you can select 'Register to apply for Passport Services'.
The registration process will ask you to enter the consulate details, your personal information and create a new login ID and password. Once submitted, your login ID will be created and then you can use these login credentials to log back in.
I have selected the San Francisco Consulate. Please check which consulate you belong to by referring to this blog, which provides information about the Consulate General of India (CGI) office that covers your state. It has also email and phone number details that you may need later.
After submitting the form, an email will be sent to the email address you provided for account activation. Open the email and enter your User ID to activate the account. Then, log in to the passport portal.
Once logged in, select "Apply for an ordinary passport" and apply for "Re-issue of passport" with "Validity expired within 3 years/ Due to expire".
Fill out all the information it will ask for, such as applicant details, family details, applicant address details, emergency contact, previous passport details, other details, and self-declaration.
Once you fill out all the information, an ARN (application reference number) will be generated for you and you have to use this number to make payment in the second step at the VFS global website.
After your application is submitted an application form PDF will be generated. Download it and print it since you need to post this along with the other supporting documents.
Indian Passport Renewal Fees
The second step in the Indian passport renewal process is the fee payment and the courier envelope. You need to register on the VFS global website and pay the application and shipping fee. Go to the VFS global website, select "Passport" and fill out the form.
Example:
Here are sample passport renewal registration fee details. Please note that these fees may vary based on your selection and potential changes in the fee structure in the future.
*** You can also check out the fees at the vfsglobal website.
If you're a new user, you need to register to make the payment. If you're already registered, you can simply go to the 'Back to login' page.
The next step is to log in, create a new application, add a new customer, and enter all your information, including the ARN number, passport number, personal details, etc. You will be prompted to make the payment when required.
I paid $132 for my Indian passport renewal application in the USA. Payment can also be made using a cashier's check or money order, but I chose to use a credit/debit card for convenience.
After submitting the payment, a PDF application confirmation letter will be generated for your login. Download this document, as you'll need to post it.
A courier label will also be generated for you, and you should print both documents. You can choose to use your courier service, but I opted for the one provided by VFS.
Indian Passport Renewal Documents Checklist
The third step in the Indian passport renewal process in the USA is submitting your passport renewal application along with the required supporting documents. Below is the document checklist for the re-issue of the passport.
Please note that this checklist has been updated; mine was slightly different. This checklist includes all the documents you need to send, but since everyone's situation may vary, please double-check which documents you need to submit for your Indian passport renewal in the USA.
Documents Required for Passport Renewal in the USA
Government passport renewal application form: Original form and signed.
Two passport-size photos: Original (follow guidelines for photographs).
Recently, VFS introduced the 'Digital Photograph Service'. You can download the instructions from below and help other readers by sharing your experience (comment) with this new service.
Current Indian passport: Original, along with a copy of the first five and last two pages of the passport.
Annexure E: Download from here, original (mandatory).
Copy of valid visa, or US legal status: Notarized color copy.
Proof of address (USA): Driver's License, State ID, Utility Bill, or Rental Agreement - notarized color copy.
Fee payment: Application confirmation letter generated during fee payment.
Indian address proof: Aadhar card, DL, or utility bill (necessary if there's a change in the Indian address).
Marriage certificate: Required if adding the spouse's name to the passport.
Change of appearance form: Download (notarized).
VFS checklist: Filled and signed; this will serve as the cover page for your document package.
Police report: Required if applying for a lost/stolen passport.
Since I used the VFS-provided courier label, I just placed all the documents in the envelope, labeled/superscribed it as 'RE-ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT IN LIEU OF EXISTING PASSPORT ADULT', and affixed the courier label. I then dropped it off at FedEx.
Indian Passport Renewal in USA Tracking
You can track your application status online here. After the Indian consular application center has verified your application and every document is good, the Indian embassy will issue you a new passport and send it back to you along with your previous original passport. A hole will invalidate the old passport. You will receive your old and new passports in the same courier parcel.
Indian Passport Renewal in USA Processing Time
You can expect to receive a new Indian passport in 4 to 6 weeks. I received mine in 5 weeks, and my husband received it in 4 weeks. You can apply for a new passport up to one year before its expiry date.
If needed, there is also a Tatkal service available for passport renewal. You can also refer to the VFS website for the above steps. Refer this.
Feel free to comment below with any questions; I'll do my best to answer them. Best of luck with your passport renewal process! You might also enjoy reading my next post on obtaining an OCI card for your child.
FAQs on Indian Passport Renewal in USA Checklist
Can you please clarify whether the envelope should be superscribed as 'RE-ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT'?
Yes, when submitting your documents for passport renewal, the envelope should be superscribed as "RE-ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT IN LIEU OF EXISTING PASSPORT ADULT". This labeling helps ensure that your application is correctly identified and processed by the authorities.
What to do in case an Indian passport is lost or stolen in the US?
If you lose your passport in the US, the first step is to report the incident to the police. The next step is to apply for a passport re-issue under the lost category. Read more.
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