Indian Passport Renewal via VFS – Timeline – Process – Documents
You can find multiple Indian Passport Renewal Experience via VFS.
Indian Passport Renewal Atlanta – Normal Processing
I recently renewed Indian Passport through VFG Passport Renewal at Indian Consulate General – Atlanta under the Normal category.
Here’s my timeline:
- Jan 18: Mailed the documents to VFS
- Jan 19 VFS received the documents
- Jan 20: Received notification from VFS about documents review
- Jan 22: Notification from VFS about Documents verification is complete and forwarded to the Indian consulate general
- Jan 25: Received Notification from Indian consulate about Processing
- Jan 27: Police verification at my Indian address
- Jan 27: Notification from consulate about required process complete and forwarded to VFS for Document delivery
- Jan 28: Notification from VFS about Documents dispatch
- Jan 29: Received my New Passport along with my old passport.
Hope this info might help anybody who is already in the process of Passport renewal or planning to renew at Atlanta under the Normal category without Tatkal
Passport Renewal via Tatkal
I did it with tatkal got my passport last week. Here’s my Passport Renewal Process Snapshot
- Create a Passport application on the Indian government Website.
- Create an account on VFS global, pay the shipping fee.
- Collect documents and mail to VFS global.
- VFS verifies documents, sends them to the Indian embassy.
- Indian embassy triggers Police verification in India.
- Indian embassy issues passport
- VFS sends the new and old passport to you.
Passport Renewal Required Documents
- Expiring passport
- 2 Passport photos
- NRI Passport Renewal Form
- USA Address proof (with affidavit)
- Indian Aadhracard or Indian bank account statement
- Change in appearance form
- Copy of passport
- VFS document checklist
- Proof of USA Legal Status
- Self-Sworm affidavit
- Additional documents (as required)
San Fransisco Consulate – Passport Renewal
So my passport renewal was completed successfully and I just received my renewed passport. I applied at the SF consulate(I live in Kirkland, WA) under the normal category and used the VFS provided courier service.
I submitted ONLY the documents in the first section of the checklist since I had no address/personal detail (except appearance) changes.
I did not get the self-attested document (for a 5-year stay in the US) notarized.
I got all other documents notarized from Chase bank (you need an account with them). They did not notarize the actual document but provided a supplemental notarized document referencing the original document.
- Mailed application: Nov 10
- Application received at VFS: Nov 13
- Application process and forwarded to embassy: Nov 13
- Passport renewed: Nov 20
- Received passport: Nov 23
Houston Consulate – Passport Renewal
- VFS Passport Renewal – Normal Processing
- Timeline – 20 days (on the website it says 3 weeks or more)
- Location – Houston, TX
Documents Required
- Annexure E
- Affidavit for Change of appearance and signature (this needs to be notarized)
- Self-sworn affidavit
- Valid Status in the USA. (Can be green card, valid visa copy, I-797, valid work visa or student visa or (expired approval notice along with I797C receipt for extension app) (this needs to be notarized)
- Proof of address (Driving License, Rental Lease, Utility bills, Income Tax Return, Mortgage statements). This document needs to be notarized.
- Passport Size Photos – 2 photos – 1 goes on the passport application
- A Copy of Indian passport first 5 pages and last 2 pages
- Fees receipt – Paid online or money order
- Checklist filled out (from VFS)
- Online Application Form. (submitted on Passport SEVA Site)
Once VFS payment is completed, you will get 2 labels. One for sending and one for return. Please do NOT staple your documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Delay in Delivery/Notification
I mailed my passport renewal application to the VFS application center in San Francisco on January 18th, which got delivered on January 19th. It’s been over a week now, and I have not received any receipt acknowledgment email from VFS with the tracking number. Is anyone on here/that you know of in a similar situation? Or has seen a long wait time prior to receiving the receipt notification email from VFS? Please let me know.
I called up VFS today and they mentioned that the application has been received and in process. They just haven’t had the chance to send out the email yet due to increased application traffic/fewer staff. They mentioned that I should be getting the acknowledgment email along with a tracking number in a few days.
Q2. Incorrect Wording Cost Application fee
I made a mistake, VFS payment page asked for “courier service address” and I gave the nearest FedEx address and not my home address. It was was confusing (the language). I emailed VFS and they are saying I need to reapply it and pay fees again.
Watch out for wordings in your application. But, why would anyone ask for Courier Service Address? The right term would be Home Address or Shipping Address.
Q3. What happens to the old passport and valid visa stamp?
After you get your new passport and there is still validity left on your old passport. Which passport number do you give for processes or identity verification documents. Old one or the new one? The validity start date on the new passport is after the expiration of the old one or from the time you receive it?
Old passport will be returned with Cancelled Stamp on it. If you have valid visa in the old passport, until it expires, you can resume the same visa stamp. So, you will have to carry both passport with you. You don’t have to apply to get new visa stamp on the passport.
