PASSPORT FOR A MINOR CHILD

GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS

All minor children need to have a separate passport. Their name can no longer be included in the parent's passport. Passport of the minor child will be valid for five years from the date of issue or till the child attains the age of 15 years whichever is less. In case of a child above 14 years of age but below 15 years, normal validity passport will be issued against the normal fee of $40.

Application form is to be made from April 1, 2008 only online on the prescribed application form. It should be submitted to the Embassy or Consulate General in whose jurisdiction the applicant resides.  Embassy will not accept non-online applications after April 1st. 

This application form will enable the applicant to register online. The applicant should ensure that all fillable items are entered correctly. For all correspondence to the Embassy regarding the application please quote your temporary registration number. The application may either be sent by mail or submitted at the Embassy on the date indicated in the application form. It should be submitted to the Embassy or Consulate General in whose jurisdiction the applicant resides. 

ONLY ONLINE FORMS downloaded from the Embassy's website would be accepted. Photographs should be pasted (not Stapled) and application should be signed.

The following documents and fee are required to be submitted with the application: 

· After having filled the application online, print a copy. 

· Affix photograph as per specification in the box (do not staple photograph)

· Duly completed application form for an Indian passport;

· Four 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;

· Birth Certificate; 

· Submission of Registration of birth at the Indian Embassy / Consulate if child is born in the USA. If the child's name is endorsed on either parent's passport, then the original passport of that parent is required to be submitted. (Passport in this case would be issued to the minor child only after deletion of child's name from the passport of the parent);

· 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;

· Attested copies of the passport of both parents;

· Consent of both parents in the form of a sworn affidavit in a prescribed proforma;

FEE

A non-refundable fee of US$ 25 which 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. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted. If delivery of documents is requested by mail, applicants must include US$ 20 for Express Mail or US$ 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. 

ATTESTATION OF AN AFFIDAVIT FOR ISSUE OF CHILD’S PASSPORT: This is required when one parent of the child is staying abroad and passport is to be issued to the child in India afresh or after deletion of the child’s name in the passport of the parent residing in India. An affidavit in the prescribed proforma has to be submitted, in duplicate, along with the passport of the parent staying abroad with a fee of US $10. 

Please note that even if the requirements mentioned above are complete in all respects, the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for any necessary original documents at any stage. These documents are required to be presented by the applicant for scrutiny and satisfaction of the Consular Officer before service is rendered.


Processing time:

Applications are received at the Consular counter on all working days between 9.30 am to 12.30 pm (local time); 

Serviced documents are delivered on all working days between 4.30 pm – 5.30 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. 

Note: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be 30 working days.  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 between 4 to 7 working days, excluding the time taken in mail.

NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be 30 working days excluding the time taken by mail.

The applicants are advised to refrain from making telephonic or written enquiries about the status or their application during the normal processing time. 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, Bermuda. 

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,
1990, Post Oak Boulevard,
# 600, 3 Post Oak Central,
Houston TX 77056

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) Assistant Consular Officer Phone: (202) 939-9838 (ii) Attaché (Consular) Phone: (202) 939-9832 (ii) First Secretary (Consular) Phone: (202) 939-9845 It would be preferable for the applicant to address their passport related queries through email.  Personal Cheques/Credit Cards are not accepted.