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Serving: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas |
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CHANGE OF APPEARANCE |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
ONLINE APPLICATION FOR PASSPORT SERVICES In order to provide more efficient service to applicants, effective from 7th April 2008 application for all passport services should be filled online. For details please see Passport Section on our website. It may be noted that the Consulate will not accept non-online applications after April 7th. Some delays may occur as a result of the transition to the new system. We regret any inconvenience on this account and applicants are requested to bear with us during this period. |
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GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS The application for change of appearance has to be made on the new passport application form. This service is required in cases where there is a significant difference in the appearance of the applicant and a new passport, affixed with applicant’s recent photograph, is requested by the applicant. These cases include change in appearance from: - · Infant to child, · Child to adult; · Non-turban to turban and vice a versa; and · Non-beard to beard and vice a versa. Application for a new passport for change of appearance is to be filled up online. STEPS
The following documents and fee are required to be submitted alongwith the application: - · Old Passport (in original); · Three coloured Passport size (3.5cm x 3.5cm) photographs showing frontal view of full face against a light background including one photograph to be pasted on the space provided on the first page of the application form; · Two proofs of residential address of the applicant, which may include current Driving License, Utility Bill, rent lease agreement showing the residential address. · Photocopy of the first five and last two pages of the original / old passport; · Pages of passport showing US visa or Green Card (in original) Employment Authorization Card (in original) or other visa documents must be shown at the counter. A photocopy of the entire document / Card should be appended with the application (in case the application is sent by mail, a notarized copy of these documents should be sent); · In case application for Green Card or EAC or visa is pending/being processed, a copy of documents in support of this fact must be submitted; · In case the current passport does not contain the name of the spouse and the applicant wishes to have it entered in the new passport, copy of notarized marriage certificate must be submitted alongwith the application. · An affidavit (Link) incorporating duly notarized photograph of the applicant. · In cases where Indian passport has already expired beyond a period of one year, the applicant should submit a notarized affidavit (Link), and may have to appear personally before the Consular Officer. The applicant will be informed by the Embassy / Consulate to appear for interview if the need arises. The Embassy / Consulate will get in touch with applicants in cases where the applications are incomplete / incorrect or have other deficiencies including inadequate fee. Application form must be signed by the applicant and completed in all respects. Please ensure that the applicant's signature or thumb impression (in case of infants or illiterate applicants) is provided in the box at the end of the application form. The right thumb impression for female infants and left thumb impression for male infants is required for insertion in the passport. Signatures of both the parents of the infant are to be appended at the place where the applicant is required to affix his or her signature. Old passport would be returned after cancellation. Valid visas in the old passport are not cancelled and can be used even after cancellation of passport upto their date of expiry. FEE · A non-refundable fee of US$ 40 for normal booklet (36 pages) or US$ 50 for Jumbo booklet (60 pages) has to be paid in cash (only at the counter) or by Certified cheque or Money Order payable to Embassy of India, Washington DC when applying within its jurisdiction or drawn in favour of Consulate General of India, New York / Houston / Chicago, San Francisco, as the case may be. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted. If delivery of documents is requested by mail, applicants must include US$ 20 for Express Mail or US$ 10 for Priority mail (No Tracking Number is generated in this case). It is possible to send one combined Certified cheque for the consular service and mailing service. Please note that the fee once paid is not refunded on account of refusal of service or delay in service. Please insist on a receipt for any money paid at the counter. Please note that even if the requirements mentioned above are complete in all respects, the Embassy / Consulate reserves the right to ask for any necessary original documents at any stage. These documents are required to be presented for scrutiny and satisfaction of the Consular Officer before any service is rendered. Processing time: Applications are received at the Consular counter on all working days between 9.00 am to 12.00 pm (local time); Serviced documents are delivered on all working days between 4.00 pm – 5.00 pm (local time); Processing time for applications received at the Consular counter is between 4 to 7 working days, excluding the date of receipt of application at the Embassy / Consulate. Passport can be issued within 1 to 3 working days in an emergency/tatkal scheme for which an additional emergency fee of US$ 90 will be charged apart from the normal processing fee of US$ 40 (for normal booklet of 36 pages) or US$ 50 (for Jumbo booklet of 60 pages). NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be 30 working days APPLICATION BY MAIL GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS Outstation applicants may send their application for passport/consular Service by certified/registered/overnight mail to the Embassy / consulate depending upon the consular jurisdiction in which the applicant resides. Fee should be paid by Money Order Draft / Certified cheque in favour of Embassy of India, Washington DC or the Consulate General of India, New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Houston depending upon the jurisdiction the applicant resides. In order to return the passport by mail, US$ 20 for Express Mail or US$ 10 for Priority Mail (No Tracking Number is generated in this case) may be sent alongwith the application. Please note that it is possible to send one certified cheque or Money Order for the passport service as well as for mail service. Processing time: Processing time for applications received at the Embassy / Consulate is between 4 to 7 working days, excluding the time taken in mail. NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be 30 working days excluding the time taken by mail. The applicants are advised to refrain from making telephonic or written enquiries about the status or their application during the normal processing time. The Embassy / Consulate will get in touch with applicants in cases where the applications are incomplete / incorrect or the fee sent is not adequate or not paid in the acceptable manner or where there are other deficiencies. THE EMBASSY / CONSULATE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DOCUMENTS LOST IN MAIL. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A PASSPORT SHOULD NOT BE SENT OUT OF ANY COUNTRY BY POST. Application may be sent to the embassy or Consulate depending upon the place where the applicant resides. The Consular jurisdiction and addresses of our offices are as follows: Embassy of India, Consular Wing, 2536, Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 Jurisdiction of Embassy of India, Washington DC Delaware, Washington DC, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, The Bahamas. Consulate General of India, New York: Consular Section 3 East, 64 Street New York, NY-10065 Jurisdiction of Consulate General of India, New York Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and The Virgin Islands. Consulate General of India, San Francisco Consular Section, 540, Arguello Boulevard, San Francisco, CA-94118 Jurisdiction of Consulate General of India, San Francisco Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, California. Consulate General of India, Houston Consular Section, 1990, Post Oak Boulevard, # 600, 3 Post Oak Central, Houston TX 77056 Jurisdiction of Consulate General of India, Houston Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Georgia. Consulate General of India, Chicago Consular Section, 455, North City Front, Plaza Drive (NBC Tower Building), Suite # 850, Chicago, Illinois 60611 Jurisdiction of Consulate General of India, Chicago Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, N. Dakota, s. Dakota, Wisconsin, and Missouri.
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