A step-by-step process for re-issue of the passport with the Indian embassy in New York, Houston (Texas), Washington DC, Atlanta (Georgia), Chicago (Illinois), SFO (San Francisco, California), and Seattle Indian consulate. 

Choose the correct embassy based on your address to avoid rejection.

Passport Renewal Process Snapshot

1. Create a Passport application on the Indian government Website.
2. Create an account on VFS Global, and pay the shipping fee.
3. Collect documents and mail them to VFS Global.
4. VFS verifies documents and sends them to the Indian embassy.
5. Indian embassy triggers Police verification in India.
6. Indian embassy prints a new passport.
7. VFS will send you the new and old passports.

Processing Time

Your Indian passport renewal will take 3-6 weeks if the last passport was issued in India.

If your last passport was issued by the Indian Embassy in the USA, you can get a new one in 10 days.

You can apply for renewal 1 year before expiry. We recommend applying 6 weeks before the final expiry to avoid issues with delays in processing at the Indian embassy.

Documents Required

Create all affidavits and annexures required for Indian passport renewal in one go with our easy-to-use app.

#1 Expiring Passport

An original and most recent passport is required to be sent. All other OLD passports, if any, are not required.

#2 Photographs

A total of 2 photos of size 2×2 Inches are required for passport renewal.

The photo should have a white background and not off-white.

You can get passport-size photos online or at Walmart, CVS, or Walgreens.

#3 NRI Government passport renewal application form

The passport application form will be provided by the Indian government site for printing. Detailed steps are given below.

#4 Highest qualification degree (Optional)

Indian embassy requires your education details to decide if an ECR Stamp is required on your passport or not.

We recommended sending a copy of the Highest Educational Qualification Degree like an MCA or MBA. It is not required but there is no harm in sending it.

Check if you need ECNR or ECR.

#5 USA Address proof (Color, Notarized)

You can safely opt to get the USA address printed on an Indian passport. There is no harm.

#6 Indian Address Proof

Indian address proof is required if you want to add or change the current Indian Address printed on your passport.

Does the current passport have an Indian hostel as a permanent address?

#7 Change of Appearance / Signature Form (Notarized)

A change of appearance form is required. You can either download and fill out the form yourself or use this app to create one.

Everybody’s presence changes a little as you age.

#8 VFS Document checklist

Download the VFS document checklist here. Print and fill it out as you collect documents.

#9 Annexure ‘E’

Annexure E affidavit is required and you can get it from the VFS site.

You can also create the same form using this app which validates all your data and offers a full refund if it is rejected by the Indian embassy:

#10 Copy of Passport

Photocopy of the First 5 pages of YOUR passport along with the last 2 pages. You can use an app-based scanner. 

#11 Marriage Certificate (Optional)

Are you Married and want to add your Spouse’s name to the new passport?

#12 US Legal Status (Color, Notarized)

You can even use the USCIS receipt number copy.

H1B / H4 Extension pending with USCIS? Apply with i797C. 

#13 Birth Certificate / School Leaving Certificate (Optional)

#14 Police Report (Only if Passport lost or stolen)

#15 Additional Documents for Child Passport

Annexure D is required for the Child’s Indian passport. You can create this affidavit using this app which will validate all the data to make sure it is not rejected by the Indian embassy.

#16 Annexure F/L for lost or damaged passport

If your current passport was lost or damaged, then you need an Annexure F affidavit too.

Registration Steps – Indian Govt Website

Start your passport application here on the Indian government website.

You will need to register for each person separately on this website. We suggest using this website on your laptop or PC as the site is messed up on mobile.

#Step 1 Click the ‘Register’ button and fill in the details.

#Step 2 An email is sent to you to verify your email. Click the link in the email to activate your online account.

#Step 3 You will be asked to log in again after you have activated your account. Log in again and then this screen will be visible:

Select the option “Apply for Ordinary passport – Application for fresh passport/Re-issue of Passport (Blue cover passport)“

Passport Application Steps – Indian Govt Site

#Step 1 Start the Passport application by filling ‘passport-type‘ section.

These are the sample values that will apply to most people.

#Step 2 Click next and fill in ‘Applicant details‘. Click next once done.

Once you click ‘Save’, your application is saved and an ‘Application reference number’ (ARN) is generated and shown on top of the current page:

#Step 3 Family Details

Enter family details like Father, mother, and spouse name.

Spouse name is mandatory if you have selected the marital status as ‘married’.

#Step 4: Applicant Address Details

Your presence at an Indian address is not mandatory. Indian embassy understands that you are physically present outside India.

It is mandatory to provide at least one Indian address in the form. It will be used for police verification. You can give your parent or relative’s Indian address.

You can choose these combinations:

In this example image, we are opting to print a US address on the passport and then providing an Indian address as ‘other address’:

#Step 5 Enter emergency contact details

We suggest providing details of the person who you know in the USA. You can provide anyone from India too. It’s your choice.

#Step 6 Previous Passport Details

Enter details and click next.

#Step 7: Other Details

Enter details and click next.

#Step 8 Passport Review

Enter details and click next.

#Step 9 Passport preview

Step 9 shows a nice preview of the new passport’s biometric page. Verify your information and click next.

#Step 10 Verify and Submit

The last step is to verify all the details and then submit your application. You can make changes before clicking the ‘Submit‘ button.

Your application is locked once you click ‘Submit‘ and changes cannot be made.

Print Passport Application

Once you have submitted it, you can print the application from the Applicant Home page.

You should print the passport application on one side of the white paper only. Leave the back side blank. Do not double-print.

You should sign the printed application with a black or blue pen only.

VFS Global Website – Fee Payment & Shipping

VFS’s website and the instructions are half baked and it seems they have been given the contract at the last moment.

The link given on the VFS website will waste your time filling out the form even before registration.

But, the problem is that there is no other way to register either (at least we could not find any).

VFS services are used for postal Envelopes, Payments & shipping of your documents.

#Step 1 Visit the VFS global website and create an application there.

This is also not a mobile-friendly website. So, we suggest using a desktop.

Select the ‘Passport‘ box (Blue color) and then you will see a new form open up:

Click the button ‘Proceed‘.

#Step 2 Fee Details

The total fee for Indian passport renewal is $100+. VFS service fee is also added separately.

Now, once you click the ‘proceed‘ button, you will be asked to register and activate the registration by email. Once you are done, you will have to REDO the whole VFS application. Amazing!

#Step 3 Click ‘Create a new application’.

Enter the details again on this page after logging in to the VFS portal system.

#Step 4 Click the ‘proceed’ button and you will be asked to add a customer.

#Step 5 Click ‘Add customer‘ and you will see this screen where you will be asked to once again enter all your information.

Make sure you enter the Indian government website’s ARN number in the ‘Govt reference number’ field:

Click the ‘Submit‘ button.

#Step 5a Many people have complained that they are not able to see the ‘select courier service’ after adding a customer.

#Step 6 Select Courier Service

You reach the customer list screen.

Note down the VFS reference number. This will be required to search your application if you are automatically logged out.

We recommend VFS’s shipping option. They use FedEx and the cost is $30 for two-way shipping.

If you decide to use your courier service, do not forget to send a pre-paid envelope for return shipping.

• USPS prepaid labels have an expiry date and hence are not accepted by VFS.
• You can use UPS but the prepaid label with UPS Store address is not acceptable.

Click submit.

#Step 7 Courier Service Address

Enter your mailing address here and not VFS Global’s address.

The USA address on your prepaid shipping label should match the proof of address document submitted.

#Step 8 Confirm Application

Click the ‘confirm application’ button and then you will be automatically taken to a payment site named ‘Adyen.com’.

#Step 9 Download Courier Labels

Once the online payment is completed, you can download the shipping labels and send your application package.

Self Attest & Notary

Self attest means that you should sign yourself on the photocopy. No notary is required.

Notarize

1. USA Address proof – color copy
2. Change of Appearance Form. Is AFFIDAVIT FOR CHANGE IN APPEARANCE mandatory if mine has not changed?
3. Annexure D (for Child Passport)
4. Copy of Visa or Green Card or I797 approval/pending notice.

Package, Mailing & Tracking

1. Arrange documents in the order of the VFS document checklist with a checklist on top.
2. Paste photo
   1. Stick one photo on the Indian government passport application form.
   2. Stick the second photo on ‘Change of appearance form’.
3. (Optional) Use a small letter-style envelope to keep the passport just to have an extra layer of protection.
4. Original Expiring Passport.
5. Use a paper clip, paper pins, or a binder paper clip instead to tie all the documents together. Do NOT use a stapler.

Visit the FedEx office, pick up the FREE envelope (included in the shipping fees you paid to VFS), and send it with VFS’s FedEx shipping label within 15 days of generating the label.

NOTE: No need to send a return envelope. It will be taken care of by VFS if you opt for VFS shipping.

You can track your application status on the Indian government website or at the VFS site using your VFS reference number.

Refund

We have documented the process and VFS application refund policy separately here.

FAQ

The post Renew Indian Passport in USA (VFS Process, Documents & Affidavits) appeared first on AM22Tech.

They will print the address that’s listed on your Aadhar card.

This is the message that many users have received from VFS in the USA:

VFS has not provided any official consent letter format as of now.

We have created this sample consent letter which you can use for your passport renewal.

How to Create Consent Letter Online

The app takes care of creating the PDF for you and sends you the properly filled consent letter affidavit to your email address securely.

It will only take 2 minutes to generate the letter.

A user log-in is required and the app will save your information to generate the affidavit again anytime later from any device including your iPhone, Android, or Samsung mobile.

#1 Enter Your Details

Enter your full name, select your Gender, and fill in your father’s name as per your current unexpired Indian passport.

The gender is used by the app to change the affidavit language to refer to ‘his/her‘ and make it unique for your case.

The app will flash an error if there are any missing fields to make sure you do not miss anything on the affidavit.

#2 Address

The self-sworn affidavit needs two types of addresses:

• Indian Address: This can be your parent’s address, relatives, or any neighbor in India.
• Non-Indian address: This should be your current active residential address outside India.

We strongly recommend providing your current foreign country address.

For example, people living in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, etc. should enter their current address that matches the address proof.

We have entered a sample New York address here:

#3 Date of Leaving India

The app considers the date of your leaving India as 5 years from today as the default date. This means that if you do not enter or select the actual date that left India, the app will assume it has been more than 5 years.

This affects the language in the affidavit. There is no need to worry even if you do not select the date as the Indian government just wants to make sure that you are living outside India for more than 5 years.

If you do select the actual date, the app will automatically calculate the years and days and will print on the affidavit PDF to make it easier for you.

VFS Sample Consent Letter for Indian Address

You can fill out this template, print and submit it to VFS.

FAQ

The post VFS Consent letter for Printable Indian address On Passport Renewal Based on Aadhar card appeared first on AM22Tech.

• FedEx Envelope (the Regular paper-based envelope)
• FedEx Reusable envelope
• FedEx Small Pak
• FedEx Large Pak

Do not use any FedEx box (cardboard) or any other type of envelope to ship your package to VFS.

We recommend using VFS shipping if you want to use FedEx overnight delivery. At this time, VFS does not allow you to use your own FedEx labels.

Similarly, you can use the standard priority mail or legal envelopes from UPS and USPS if you are using your own shipping. The sample free envelopes are shown in the above image.

Cost

VFS FedEx shipping cost is $30. It is a combined charge for both sending and receiving back the package. There is no option of buying only one way service at this time.

VFS only has the option of buying FedEx overnight service at this time.

If you decide to buy your own shipping service outside of the VFS site, you would need to have the shipping label numbers ready before you pay for the passport application fee on the VFS site.

Do not enter the dummy label numbers as you cannot change them once you have submitted the application on the VFS site. There are no edits allowed.

FedEx Return Envelope

The is no need to send the ‘return envelope’ with your application if you have used the VFS FedEx shipping service. VFS will automatically pick up the FedEx envelope and paste your ‘return shipping label’ to return your renewed passport.

If you are using your own shipping service like UPS or USPS, then you should stick the return label on the ‘return envelope’ and send it along with your application package. VFS may not take the hassle of picking up the envelope from the shipping service for you.

VFS Return Label Address

The return label address should match your US address proof as per VFS global guidelines. Hence, you cannot use someone else’s address on the ‘return envelope’ label.

Return Shipping Label not Generated?

When you buy the FedEx shipping labels from VFS directly, they only generate a one-way label and send it to you. No need to worry as the return label is generated by VFS when they are ready to send your passport package back.

Change Shipping Label Address After Payment

You cannot change the shipping label address once it has been generated. If you call VFS customer care, they will ask you to contact FedEx to change the address but FedEx will ask you to contact the label generator, which in this case is VFS.

You should make sure that you enter the correct addresses while generating the labels on the VFS site as they cannot change or modify the address once the label has been generated.

• We have tried it and there is no end to this madness.
• VFS has no idea about how to make changes to the FedEx label. They will simply ask you to cancel the whole application and redo everything.
• If you keep arguing, you will be paying for the VFS support call too. So, it is in your best interest to check your label address 100 times before clicking the ‘pay’ button on the VFS site.

VFS customer care services are not free and you will be charged $2.48 per minute if you have to call for any type of query even though they do give 5 minutes of free consultation per week.

Use Own Shipping

You can use any other shipping or courier like UPS, USPS, and many others listed as an option on the VFS site but they all have some of the other conditions attached to it.

VFS has not clearly mentioned any of that limitation on their shipping selection and payment page. This is the main problem with the VFS portal as they have scattered information at multiple places with contradicting points.

Example:

• USPS pre-paid label with an expiry date is not accepted.
• UPS pre-paid labels with the return address of the UPS store are not accepted. That’s reasonable but you will still be guessing as to what to do.
• You are responsible for making sure that UPS or USPS picks up your package from the VFS office once it is ready. This is another hassle.

As per our experience, it is better to use VFS FedEx than to keep going in circles with VFS support later with respect to package delivery. Their customer care executive itself will give a different answer each time you call.

Family Applications – Multiple Passport in One Envelope

VFS does not accept multiple applications using one envelope.

You should send each family member’s application separately in a separate envelope.

The post VFS FedEx Envelope – No return Label (Indian Passport Renewal) appeared first on AM22Tech.

First, there is no online option to cancel your application. There are cases where you have entered the wrong information or want to edit the shipping address, but there is no such option.

So, the only way to correct things is to cancel the whole application and then claim a refund if you have already paid for the shipping and passport renewal on the VFS site.

The VFS refund policy page cites vague information and has no clarity about what amount will be refunded.

VFS Refund Process

There are two ways to start the refund process:

• Send an email to info.ihcusa@vfshelpline.com with the subject line as your VFS application reference ID and not the Indian government application reference number.
• OR fill this refund request form.

Mention the reason for the refund or why you are opting to cancel your application.

Sample refund reason for passport renewal application:

You will receive a reply from VFS in about 24 hours with a new PDF file which will need your Debit/Credit card information to process the refund. This form and how to fill has been shown in the image above.

Till this point, there is no clarity as to what amount will be refunded. We spoke to VFS customer care and they told us that FedEx shipping label fee will also be refunded but we are still waiting for it.

We are working with VFS to understand and complete a transaction to know what gets refunded and what not. This page will be updated with real information soon.

How to Cancel Application

There is no way to cancel your application online or by calling VFS customer care. You will simply waste your time and money by calling VFS.

Just send an email to request a cancellation and start the refund process. That’s the only way we found apart from filling this online refund application PDF form.

We have tried filling the online application PDF form it again resulted in the same email from VFS which asked us to fill a second PDF refund application.

How Much Will Refunded?

We read the whole VFS refund policy page and here is our understanding of what all can be refunded.

If you have filled the VFS form online, made the payment, and have not yet shipped the application to the VFS, then your cancellation request is eligible for a refund:

There are no concrete answers to these situations as to what exactly will be refunded.

The old policy that was active with old service provider CKGS had clear indication of what will be refunded as:

#1 Received application but has NOT yet sent to Indian Embassy

#2 Passport application to Indian Consulate

#3 Refund for Erroneous / Ineligible Applications sent back to Applicant

#4 “Abandoned” due to “Incomplete Documentation”

#5 Application “Abandoned” after submission to Indian Consulate

• Convenience Charges are applicable only for Credit Card payments and are non-refundable.
• Check /Cheque Payment Refund Charges – Additional charge of 1.90 $ will be levied in case of refunds done through Check / Check payment.
• Stop Bank Payment – Personal Bank Check – VFS will not be responsible for any penalty charges levied by the bank in case the Applicant attempts to stop check payment. They cannot refund those charges if charged by your Bank.
• Shipping Charges – Conditional Refund.

Processing Time – 15 to 45 Days

Refund processing time will be approximately 15 business days for all except shipping services.

Consular fee – Non Refundable

Consular fees are non-refundable if your application has been sent to the Indian Embassy for processing. It does not matter if your Passport is issued or denied or delayed due to any reason whatsoever.

VFS will NOT refund any fees in these circumstances:

• Rejection of Passport application by the Mission.
• Request for Reapplication Passport by Mission.
• Delay in processing Passport application by Mission.
• Non-receipt of Passport on or before the travel date.
• The loss to Employer / Self due to delay in receipt of Passport due to nonattendance.
• Loss due to Deportation and repatriation for any reason at the Port of Entry in India.
• Delay in the shipping of Passport by the shipping company.
• Loss or Damage of Passport in transit by the shipping company.
• Change in Passport fee by the Mission.
• Air tickets, Hotel booking, and other related cancellations due to delay or rejection of Passport application.
• All expenses related to travel to IPAC to collect Passport including but not limited to local/interstate travel expenses, purchase of Food / Beverages, hotel accommodation, boarding/ lodging expenses.
• Opportunity loss for time spent on the Passport application.

The post VFS Refund Policy in USA (Passport, OCI, Visa Services) appeared first on AM22Tech.

If required, you have to get the document attested by your US state of secretary before visiting or sending documents for attestation to Indian Embassy.

Do I need Apostile?

You can answer these simple questions about your passport and then we can figure out if you need an Apostile or not.

If you want to do it yourself, here are the Apostile rules:

Indian Passport Holder

Apostile is required if your answer is Yes in this table

Non-Indian Passport Holder

If you are a US citizen or any hold passport of any other country, Apostile is required if your answer is YES in this table:

The post Is Apostile required for Document attestation by Indian Embassy? appeared first on AM22Tech.

If you are okay with a US address printed on a renewed passport, you do not need to provide any Indian address proof.

• Any Indian utility bill like electricity, gas, water, landline telephone bill (MTNL/BSNL) bill from the last 3 months. OR
• Aadhar Card OR
• Unexpired Indian Drivers license OR
• Recent Bank Statement from Indian Government bank. Frontpage of the paper bank statement is required with your affixed photograph.

Name Change after Marriage

You can use your pre-marriage Aadhar card with your maiden name printed on it for Indian passport renewal in the USA. This will help you keep your Indian address printed on your new passport.

Indian Hostel As Permanent Address

If you want to keep your Indian Hostel address in new passport there is no address proof required.

Parent’s Indian Address

You can specify your parent’s Indian address for your passport renewal in the USA but there should be some proof with your name printed on it.

Aadhar is the most common proof where the parent’s address may match but have your name on it.

FAQ

Complete step by step process for Indian passport renewal.

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