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Indian passport renewal in the USA

An adult 36 page Indian passport re-issue from the United States costs $146 in total: $125 to the government, $2 to the Indian Community Welfare Fund and about $19 to VFS Global. Paying by card adds 3.75%. Officially it takes three to four weeks, and most people report four to six.

The official form calls it a re-issue. Almost everyone searching for it calls it a renewal. They are the same thing.

What it costs, itemised

Here is the whole stack for each case, so there is nothing to discover at the counter.

Passport re-issue, 36 pages, normal

Government fee$125
Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)$2
VFS Global service fee
Reported as $15.90 by the Washington DC centre — the two figures genuinely disagree.
$19
Total you pay the government and VFS$146
Add 3.75% if you pay by card. Checked 2026-08-19 against the official fee schedule.

Passport re-issue, 60 pages

Government fee$175
ICWF$2
VFS Global service fee$19
Total you pay the government and VFS$196
Checked 2026-08-19 against the official fee schedule.

Passport for a minor under 15

Government fee$90
ICWF$2
VFS Global service fee$19
Total you pay the government and VFS$111
Checked 2026-08-19 against the official fee schedule.

Lost or damaged passport

Government fee$250
ICWF$2
VFS Global service fee$19
Total you pay the government and VFS$271
The full range runs $250–$425 depending on the case. Checked 2026-08-19 against the official fee schedule.

Tatkaal adds $125 on top. Tatkaal is not available for a lost or damaged passport, or where major particulars are changing. It only applies to a like-for-like renewal where your US status is valid.

What we charge to prepare it

Our fee for this$99flat
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Both portals, the personalised checklist, photo pre-check and the courier pack.

  • Both portal forms completed for your case
  • Your photo checked before you print it
  • A checklist built for your situation
  • The packet reviewed before you post it

Government and application-centre fees are separate and paid by you directly. See all prices.

Which portal do I use, Passport Seva or VFS Global?

Both, in that order, and getting this wrong is the single most common reason a file comes back. VFS Global is the application centre. It is not the consulate, and it does not decide anything.

  1. Complete the application on the government portal first. Since 28 October 2025 this is GPSP 2.0, the global Passport Seva portal.
  2. Upload your photo, your signature and your supporting documents there, before you print anything. Since the portal migration, an application printed without the photo and signature on it is rejected outright.
  3. Print the completed application and send it, with your documents, to VFS Global.

Applications printed the old way, with a photo pasted on by hand, are being returned. We check this before anything is posted.

What documents do I need?

The base set for a straightforward renewal with nothing changing:

  • Your current Indian passport, plus copies of the first and last pages
  • Proof of your US status: visa, I-797, green card or citizenship document
  • Proof of your US address
  • The printed application from the government portal, with photo and signature already on it
  • The VFS checklist, filled in
  • A self-addressed prepaid return envelope

What changes the list is your case. A name change, an address change, a damaged or lost passport, a minor applicant, or a gap in your US status each add their own documents, and each has its own way of going wrong.

Changing your surname after marriage

You do not need a marriage certificate or a court order. The official name change affidavit states that a woman changing her surname after marriage, adding a spouse name, or reverting after a divorce needs only a notarised affidavit.

Will police verification be triggered?

Usually not, if you are renewing within three years of expiry, nothing on your passport is changing, and there is already a clear police report on file. A change of address always triggers it.

When it does happen, the police visit in India takes up to about two weeks on top of everything else, and it is checked against your Indian address. If nobody lives at that address any more, this is where applications stall. Tell us early if that is your situation so we can plan for it rather than discover it.

How long does it take?

The clock nobody explains. Every official timeline below starts when your application reaches the mission, not when you put it in the post. No government page tells you that, and it is the single most common reason people think their file is late when it is not.
ServiceOfficiallyWhat people actually report
Passport re-issue, normal3 to 4 weeks4 to 6 weeks, longer if police verification is triggered
Passport re-issue, Tatkaal3 to 5 working days8 to 10 business days
OCI, new registrationabout 1 month5 to 8 weeks, because the file goes to the Ministry in India
OCI re-issue / miscellaneousabout 1 month4 to 6 weeks

Which consulate handles my application?

It depends on the state you live in, and the map changed. Since 15 July 2025 there are nine Indian missions in the United States, not six. Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle were added, and a further eight VFS application centres opened on 1 August 2025, bringing the total to seventeen.

  • Embassy of India, Washington DC
  • Consulate General, Atlanta
  • Consulate General, Boston
  • Consulate General, Chicago
  • Consulate General, Houston
  • Consulate General, Los Angeles
  • Consulate General, New York
  • Consulate General, San Francisco
  • Consulate General, Seattle

Guides written before mid 2025 send people to the wrong mission, which is a wasted courier run and weeks lost. We confirm your jurisdiction before anything is posted.

The photo is what fails most often

There are two different photos in this process and the gap between them is where people lose an afternoon. The printed photo is 2 by 2 inches on a plain white background. The photo you upload to the portal has to be 630 by 810 pixels, which is a rectangle. US photo counters hand you a square, and stretching a square into a rectangle trips the portal’s distortion check immediately. You get roughly twelve attempts before it locks you out.

The full photo guide is here, with the error messages and what each one actually means.

Where these numbers come from

We re-check every fee and rule on this page monthly. If you find something out of date, tell us and we will fix it the same day.

Get it done quicklyPrepared the same day you send it.

Indian passport renewal in the USA, answered

What documents do I need to renew an Indian passport in the USA?
Your current passport, proof of your US status (visa, I-797, green card or citizenship document), proof of your US address, the printed application from the government portal with your photo and signature already on it, and the VFS checklist. What changes the list is your case: a name change, an address change, a damaged passport or a minor each add their own documents.
How much does it cost to renew an Indian passport in the USA?
A normal 36 page adult re-issue is $146 all in: $125 to the government, $2 to the Indian Community Welfare Fund and about $19 to VFS Global. A 60 page passport is $196 and a passport for a child under 15 is $111. Paying by card adds 3.75%.
How long does Indian passport renewal take in the USA?
Officially three to four weeks for a normal application and three to five working days for Tatkaal. Most people report four to six weeks. The official clock starts when your file reaches the mission, not when you post it, which is why so many people think they are late when they are not.
Do I apply on the Passport Seva portal or through VFS Global?
Both, in that order, and getting this wrong is the most common reason files come back. You complete the application on the government portal first, upload your photo, signature and supporting documents there, then print it and send that printout to VFS Global with your documents. VFS is the application centre. It is not the consulate.
Will police verification be triggered on my renewal?
Usually not, if you are renewing within three years of expiry, nothing on your passport is changing, and there is already a clear police report on file. Any change of address triggers it. When it does happen the police visit itself takes up to about two weeks, on top of everything else.
Do I need a marriage certificate to change my surname after marriage?
No. The official name change affidavit states that a woman changing her surname after marriage, adding a spouse name, or reverting after divorce does not need a marriage certificate or a court order. A notarised affidavit on its own is enough. Plenty of paid services will tell you otherwise.
Which consulate handles my application?
It depends on the state you live in. Since July 2025 there are nine Indian missions in the United States, not six: the Embassy in Washington DC and consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle are the new ones, so older guides send people to the wrong place.
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