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IMPORTANT NOTICE
ONLINE APPLICATION FOR PASSPORT SERVICES
In order to provide more efficient service to applicants, application for all passport services have to be filled online. For details please see Passport Section on our website. It may be noted that the Consulate does not accept non-online applications.
Applications should be filled online and a printout should be taken. Columns remaining unfilled should be completed by hand and the application sent by mail, or brought in personally, along with required photographs / documents, on any working day between 0900 hrs. to 1230 hrs.
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REQUIREMENTS IN BRIEF
Application for a duplicate passport is normally not accepted by mail except with prior approval of the Consular Officer.
Application must be submitted with the following documents:
1.
Application for a new passport is to be filled up online.
STEPS
- Click here to apply online �Online Passport Application�.
- After having filled the application online, print a copy.
- Affix photograph as per specification in the box (do not staple photograph)
- Specimen signature or thumb impression of those who cannot sign, within the specimen signature box and sign at the end of the application
- Minor children and those applicants who cannot sign should affix thumb impression (Left thumb impression for male and right thumb impression for female) in the specimen signature box in the application.
- Parents of minor children should not sign the specimen signature box as the passport holders signature or thumb impression is required in the passport but application/Declaration should be signed by the parent/legal guardian of Minor below 18 years.
- Attach two more photographs in a separate cover.
- Attach only one Cashier Check/Money Order drawn in favour of Consulate General of India, Houston for the full amount of fee and return mail charges.
- Attach supporting documents as detailed in the concerned section below.
- While filling up the application online, a date and time for appointment will be generated. Applicant can visit the Consulate as per the schedule and submit the application or ignore the date and time for application and mail the application by Fedex/Express mail with a tracking number.
- A file number will automatically be generated and printed on the application. This number may be used for status enquiries/future reference.
- Completed application can be sent by mail, or brought in personally, on any working day between 0900 hrs. to 1230 hrs.
2. Copy of Police report or complaint number with date;
3. Six recently taken and identical colour photographs with light background of size 3.5x3.5 cm. Photographs should show the front view of full face and should be in civil dress. Polaroid photographs, poor quality photographs and photographs taken in uniform or with dark glasses will be rejected;
4. Six copies of personal verification form in "Prescribed proforma";
5. FEE $ 125/-. 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.
6. In case of student, Letter of verification from school/college is required.
7. "Affidavit"; (elaborated in Annexure)
8. Photo copy of the previous (lost) passport;
9. Photo copy of Driver's License, Employer's letter (as applicable);
10. Photo copy of Green Card/Employment Authorization card (as applicable);
11. Photo copy of House Lease Deed/ Bank Certificate / Insurance Policy or Utility Bills as a proof of residence in USA and
12. An application on a plain paper detailing the circumstances in which the passport was lost.
GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS
Application for issue of a duplicate passport is to be made according to instructions given at the beginning of the page. It should be submitted to the Embassy or Consulate General in whose
jurisdiction the applicant resides.
Applications for duplicate passports are normally not accepted by mail except with prior approval of the Consular Officer. The applicant has to come in person before the Consular Officer while submitting application for a duplicate passport except when the applicant is residing far away from the Embassy / Consulate. In these exceptional cases, the photograph and signature of the applicant must be notarized on a separate sheet of paper with the notary�s remark �Seen the person and signed in my presence� which can be sent by mail alongwith the application.
The following documents and fee are required to be submitted with the application:
� Photocopy of the original (lost) passport;
� Six 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.
Four passport size photographs are to be affixed on the four copies of personal verification form in the prescribed
proforma.
� 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 at least first five and last two pages of the original / old passport;
� Photocopies of pages of passport showing US visa; or Green Card (in original) or Employment Authorization Card (in original) or other visa documents must be shown at the counter. A copy 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 lost passport does not contain the name of the spouse and the applicant wishes to have it entered in the duplicate passport, a copy of the notarized marriage certificate must be submitted alongwith the application.
� In case where lost Indian passport had already expired beyond a period of one year, the applicant should submit a notarized
affidavit, 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.
� Original Police Report lodged with the Police about loss of passport;
� An application on a plain paper explaining the circumstances in which the passport was lost or damaged, as the case may be;
� A notarized affidavit must also be submitted;
� Declaration at the end of the application form duly notarized;
� In case of applicant seeking duplicate passport in lieu of the damaged passport, the latter (damaged passport) has to be submitted in original.
� Current School ID and Letter from school/college in the USA (in case of students only) is to be submitted;
� Matriculation certificate/School Leaving Certificate or any other school records in India or the USA;
� Birth Certificate;
� Driver License (issued in India and the USA);
� Indian Photo Identity card, including Ration Card, Election Commission ID, PAN Card or any Indian document indicating Indian nationality is to be submitted;
� Proof of stay in the USA (from the date indicated in the application form by the applicant), such as Telephone Bill, house lease deed/bank certificate/insurance policy, letter of employment or any other evidence;
It is important to furnish full, accurate and truthful information in the application form. Misrepresentation of facts may result in denial of passport facilities. Applications received with incomplete details will remain unprocessed. Habitual losers of passports may be denied further passport facilities.
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.
Fee
� A non-refundable fee of US $ 125 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.
If the final validity of the lost/damaged passport has already expired at the
time of submission of application, only the normal fee of $40 will have to be
paid by the applicant. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted. If delivery of documents is requested by mail, applicants must include $20 for Express Mail or $10 for Priority mail (No Tracking Number is generated in this case). It is possible to send one combined cheque for the consular service and mailing service.
Please note that the fee money 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.
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 situation like death / serious ailment of a family member in India. In such a
case, a short validity passport can be issued to the applicant provided a
specific request is made in writing to the Consular Officer explaining the
emergency for issuing the passport and submitting all documents required for
issuing a duplicate passport alongwith proof of emergency and two sworn
affidavits from reputed Indian nationals residing in the area of the applicants
residential jurisdiction certifying that the applicant is personally known to
them for a long time. Besides, relevant pages of the passports of the two Indian
nationals giving sworn affidavit should also be submitted
Note: Passport application must be submitted in person by the applicant or
immediate family member of the applicant at the counter or directly through mail
to the Embassy/ Consulate. Personal interview may be required.
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
upto 30 working days ,excluding the time taken in mail.
Passport can be issued within 1 to 3 working days in an emergency situation
which like death/serious ailment of a family member in India. In such a case, a
short validity passport can be issued to the applicant provided a specific
request is made in writing to the Consular Officer explaining the emergency for
issuing the passport and submitting all documents required for issuing a
duplicate passport alongwith proof of emergency and two sworn affidavits from
reputed Indian nationals residing in the area of the applicants residential
jurisdiction certifying that the applicant is personally known to them for a
long time. Besides, relevant pages of the passports of the two Indian nationals
giving sworn affidavit should also be submitted
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,
4300 Scotland Street,
Houston, TX - 77007
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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Note: In case of any assistance/complaints in respect of passport services, the following officers may be contacted during office hours.
| (i) |
Vice Consul (Consular) |
Phone: (713) 626-3252 |
| (ii) |
Assistant Consular Officer |
Phone: (713) 629-1491 |
It would be preferable for the applicant to address their passport related
queries through email.
Personal Cheques/Credit Cards are not accepted.
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