Holidays - India
Visa Information - Timings - Visa Fees - Other
Information
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PASSPORT APPLICANTS:
Applications are accepted at the counter between 9.00
A.M. and 12.30 PM on all working days (Monday through
Friday) and can be picked up on the pickup date between
4 and 5 PM. Receipt would be required to be presented.
Applications sent in by mail normally take 7 working
days for processing and issue of passports. Postal transit
could take another five days or so. Kindly make enquiries
only after a reasonable time for processing. In case
of necessity, enquiries can be made between 4.00 P.M.
and 5.00 P.M. on telephone number 713-626-2148.
For all services return mail charges should invariably
be paid in addition to the fee. Applicants are advised
to send their applications, passports, etc by certified,
registered or by overnight services (FEDEX, UPS, etc.)
For returning the passport by Certified mail, please
send a self addressed stamped envelope along with your
application OR include an additional amount of \\$5.00
in case of one passport and an extra $1.00 for every
additional passport to the fees towards return mail
charges. If you want it delivered by priority mail,
add \\$7.00 if by registered mail, add \\$10.00 and
if you want it by courier services (FEDEX/UPS), please
enclose \\$15.00 extra. Account numbers , COD's are
not acceptable .
Passport fee once received, cannot be refunded, even
if the application is withdrawn, or passport is refused.
Application forms should be filled in full, legibly
(capital/Block letters) and accurately, and submitted
with your old passport. Incomplete or illegibly filled
forms will not be processed.
Please attach a photocopy of BOTH SIDES of Applicants
Resident Alien/Employment Authorization card/ or copy
of valid U.S. visa/valid I-94.
FOUR passport size front view pictures should be sent
with the application. In case of change of appearance,
one copy of the photo should be notarized.
Applicants should also notarize the signature in the
Declaration (ii) of the form in case the passport has
expired six months ago.
In the case of passport requests for minor children,
the application should be signed by both the parents.
However, in the boxes provided for specimen signature
of the applicant, the signature or thumb impression
of the child should be put.
Your passport is a valuable document. It should always
be kept either in your own custody or in the custody
of a person duly authorized by you. If lost or destroyed,
the fact and circumstances should be immediately reported
to the nearest Indian Mission and the local police.
Your passport must not be altered or mutilated in any
way nor any endorsement made on it by any person other
than a duly authorized official of the Government of
India.
The maximum life of an Indian international passport
is ten (10) years. Please ensure that you obtain a fresh
passport a few months before its expiry.
A)Passport Fee for issue of a new Indian passport for
ten years (36 pages) is $40.00. B) New passport for
ten years (60 pages) is $50.00 C) Passport for minor
children under 15 years of age (5 years validity) $25.00
D) Additional Booklet (36 pages) $20.00 E) Additional
Booklet (60 pages) $25.00 F) Duplicate passport $125.00
G) Renewal of passport : No fee H) Emergency travel
document $5.00 I) Renewal of emergency travel document
$5.00
Out of turn Passport Service : $90.00
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LOST OR DAMAGED PASSPORTS:
Fee for issue of a new passport in lieu of a lost or
damaged passport (36 pages) is US $125.00. Duplicate
passport (60 pages) $140.00 If you are applying for
a new passport in lieu of a lost or damaged passport
please submit a letter explaining circumstances of loss
or damage to passport. A police report and six copies
of enclosed personal Proformae duly filled in and seven
passport size photographs will also be required in LOST
passport cases. At the request of applicant a telex
reference can be made to the original passport issuing
authority at an additional charge of $25.00. The applicants
for dulicate passport may be called for interview by
the consular officer.
NOTE :There is a separate application
for change of name, birth/life/marriage, police clearance
certificate and endorsement for emigration clearance
not required etc. and these are considered miscellaneous
services.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES RENDERED
AT THE CONSULATE:
Identity Certificate (Fee $12.00)
Renewal of identity certificate (Fee $5.00)
Endorsement on identity certificate (Fee $5.00)
Deletion of child's name (Fee $10.00)
Observation/Endorsements in the passport e.g, change
of address, ECNR, name of spouse, etc. (Fee $10.00)
Emigration Waiver Certificate (Fee $8.00)
Attestation of pension papers, life certificate pertaining
to pensioners (Fee Gratis
Attestation of Affidavit/documents for Property (Fee
$20.00 for each document)
Attestation of Affidavit/documents not related to property
matters ($10.00)
Attestation for Commercial Documents (Fee $50.00 for
each document)
Attestation for documents for sale, purchase, mortgage,
transfer of vessel or transfer of one's interest in
merchant vessel (Fee $260.00)
No Obligation to return to India for J1 visa holder
(Fee $66.00)
Life certificate / Police certificate (Fee $11.00)
Birth / Marriage / Death certificate ($20.00)
Registration of marriage ($50.00)
For affixing Consular officers signature and seal for
declaration of pay or pension (Gratis)
Additional charge for each service provided during visa
camp ($10.00)
Cancellation of Indian passport of any Indian national
who dies abroad (Gratis)
Note:
1. All documents which are to be attested
should be notarized by a Notary Public
2. All documents which
are to attested are to be submitted in duplicate. One
copy would be retained by the Consulate.
3. For all services
listed above kindly fill up the miscellaneous application
form.
Note: We accept applications,
which are downloaded from the websites of Embassy of
India, or other Indian Consulates in USA (Chicago, San
Francisco, New York)
Details on Overseas Citizenship
IMPORTANT :: The
"Indian Overseas Citizenship Scheme" is presently
under revision and applications for it will not be accepted
till further notice.
The Government has since issued the
Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003 notification on 7th
January, 2004 under which the persons of Indian origin
are now eligible to apply for Overseas Citizenship and
obtain a ‘Certificate of Registration as an Overseas
Citizen of India.
Under this scheme any person of Indian
origin of full age and capacity who are
citizens of a specified country [(section 7A(1)] or
who have obtained the citizenship of a specified country
on or after the commencement of the Citizenship Act
2003 i.e. on 07.01.2004 and who were citizens of India
immediately before such commencement under section 7A(1)(b).
The minors of persons mentioned above are also eligible
for Overseas Citizenship (section 7A(1)(c).
Details
Full text of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003 and
the Citizenship (Second Amendment) Rules 2004 is available
on the http://www.mha.nic.in/citi.htm.
Persons of Indian origin residing
in the following 16 countries are eligible for Overseas
Indian Citizenship:
1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. France
5. Greece
6. Ireland
7. Israel
8. Italy
9. Netherlands
10. New Zealand
11. Portugal
12. Republic of Cyprus
13. Sweden
14. Switzerland
15. United Kingdom;
and
16. United States
of America
Fees
The applicant will have to submit his/her application
at the Indian Mission/Post in person and sign a declaration
in the presence of Consular Officer in the Mission.
He/She will be required to submit a sum of US$ 275.00
alongwith his/her application out of which US$ 25.00
is non-refundable as processing charges while US$ 250.00
will be refunded in case the application is not accepted.
The fees will be collected only in US dollars.
Requirements for an application
Note: The application can not be sent by mail and has
to be submitted personally by the applicant to the Consular
Officer at the Consulate/Embassy/Visa Camp Centers.
1. Application in
quadruplicate in following prescribed format:-
a) For registration
under Section 7A(1)(a) – Form XIX
b) For registration
under Section 7A(1)(b) – Form XIX-A
c) For registration
under Section 7A(1)(c) – Form XIX-B
2. 1 copy each of
Indian passport and American passport (page showing
photograph and personal particulars) in each set of
application.
3. Furnish details
of records of civil or criminal cases against the applicant.
4. Furnish details
of description of immovable property, business interests
and other details as mentioned in Form 19-A or 19-B.
5. A declaration and
oath of allegiance duly attested by the Consular Officer
at the Consulate/Embassy.
6. Four copies of
applicant’s latest passport size photograph.
Along with an application
for a minor in form XIX-B, the following particulars
are also required:-
a) a statement whether
the applicant is a parent or guardian of the child and
if he is a guardian, how he became the guardian;
b) a statement showing
whether the child was adopted by the applicant and if
so, documentary evidence to this effect;
c) a statement indicating
reasons for which the child is required to be registered
as an overseas citizen of India.
Processing Time
The time for processing an application,
from the date an application is received, completed
in all respects at the Consulate/Embassy and despatch
of the Certificate of Registration as Overseas Indian
would be about six months.
Period of Validity
The Registration Certificate will be
valid for life unless renounced or cancelled.
Facilities
i) An Overseas Citizen
of India will enjoy all rights and
privileges available to Non-resident Indians (NRIs)
including investment in agriculture and plantation properties,
which is currently not available to PIO card
holders.
ii) There would be
no visa requirement for travel to India. The person
would
have to carry his/her existing foreign passport alongwith
Registration
Certificate.
iii) The person so
traveling would not be required to complete
registration formalities for his/her stay in India (no
need for
registering with the FRRO, if the stay exceeds six months).
iv) All facilities
as available to children of NRIs for getting admission
to
educational institutions in India including Medical
and Engineering
Colleges, Management Institutes etc. under the general
category and
membership of various housing scheme etc. will be open
to holders of
Certificate of Registration.
The Overseas Citizens, however,
will not enjoy the following Rights:-
(a) Right to Vote;
(b) Right to hold
Constitutional Offices (Member of Lok Sabha, Rajya
Sabha, Legislative Assembly or Council, offices of President,
Vice
President, Judge of Supreme Court & High Court etc.);
(c) Appointment to
Public Services (Govt. Services)
Status of PIO Card
A person already holding a PIO Card
can also apply for Registration Certificate. The fees
paid in respect of PIO Card will not be refunded or
adjusted against the cost for the Registration Certificate.
Persons with Dual Passports
Persons having the passport of the
country
concerned, (one of the sixteen countries listed) and
that of a third
country, can also apply for a Certificate of Registration.
Overseas Citizenship is not Dual Nationality
It may kindly be noted that Overseas
Citizenship is not a full citizenship of India and,
therefore, does not amount to dual citizenship or dual
nationality.
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