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Renewing your Indian passport in the US
Since January 2026 you apply on the new Passport Seva portal and submit at a VFS Global centre or by mail. Documents, photos, Tatkaal, police verification and how long it takes.
Start at least six months before your passport expires: you need six months’ validity for most travel, and your US visa stamp and I-94 are tied to the passport you travel on.
How it works now
- Fill in the re-issue form on the new Passport Seva portal for missions (mportal.passportindia.gov.in), live since January 25, 2026.
- Book or mail your submission to VFS Global, which handles passports, OCI, visas and renunciation for all Indian missions in the US. There are 17 centres, open six days a week (Raleigh, Orlando, San Jose, Dallas, Detroit, Columbus, Edison and Boston were added in August 2025).
- VFS sends it to your consulate, based on where you live. Check which one with the consulate finder.
Documents (adult re-issue)
- Printed application form.
- Two 35x45 mm photos with a white background, taken in the last six months.
- Your current passport, with copies of the first and last pages.
- The self-declaration annexures VFS lists for your case.
- A notarized colour copy of your US status: visa and I-797, EAD or green card.
- US address proof: driver’s licence or state ID, a utility bill from the last three months, lease, mortgage statement or tax return.
- Fees by money order or cashier’s check to “VFS Services (USA) Inc”.
Check the current VFS checklist before you send anything; it changes.
How long it takes
- Normal: about 30 working days.
- Tatkaal: about 5 working days.
- Both assume police verification (PV) in India comes back clear. Give your full Indian address with police station, district and PIN code. If PV is pending, it can take 30+ days.
Tatkaal isn’t available for lost or stolen passports, name changes, change of appearance, or corrections to date or place of birth.
Name or address changes
Done through a normal (not Tatkaal) re-issue with proof, such as a marriage certificate for a married name. Keep the same name across your passport, PAN, Aadhaar and US documents: mismatches cause problems later with green card, OCI and bank KYC.
After you get it
Your US visa in the old passport stays valid until its own expiry; carry both passports when you travel.
The good
- Tatkaal re-issue takes about 5 working days if police verification is clear
- 17 VFS centres across the US, open six days a week
- You can submit by mail if you don't live near a centre
The hard
- Tatkaal isn't available for name changes, lost passports or corrections
- An unclear police verification can add weeks
- Photos are 35x45 mm, not the US 2x2 inch size
Sources
- VFS Global: Indian passport adult document checklist (2026)
- Consulate General of India, Houston: new Passport Seva portal (from Jan 25, 2026)
- Consulate General of India, San Francisco: Tatkaal passport services
- Consulate General of India, San Francisco: Passport FAQs
- Embassy of India: Outsourced services through VFS Global
- Embassy of India: 8 new VFS application centres (Aug 2025)
Rules change often. If something here looks out of date, it probably is; check the official source and talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.