February 11th, 2008
I would like to thank all the wonderful contributors for sharing their insights and experiences to help others. Especially Bimal, who has always been gracious to lend a hand to anyone with questions or concerns. Thank you so much.
Before anything else. Here’s a word of advice. Don’t Panic.
I was all ready. Finally After 1 year 4 months and some days… I was going back home. Approximately 15 days before my flight, It had to happen. I sent my passport for a wash with the rest of my laundry, dried it even. Needless to say, It came as quite the shock. I was in a daze for a bit.
A month & a lot of $$’s later and I’m back to square one, I’ll tell you what needs to be done and how.
Locate all your relevant documents and make copies of all that are needed when reapplying, If you have a xerox of the original state of the passport, That’ll come in handy.
Locate the nearest consulate. Since I live in Massachusetts, I had to travel to New York. The consulate in New York has jurisdiction over the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virgin Islands.
If its New York for you, Don’t bother trying to call. Its very unlikely you’ll get through to anyone, and if you do you won’t get much out of it.
If you are in school, you have to notify the International Students and Scholars office (ISSO) in your school, They’ll be your best friends for the coming few days / weeks. They’ll inspect your passport and will tell you exactly what your options are.
The Boston University website has a fairly informative section devoted to instructions to follow in case you’ve lost / damaged your passport. Here is the link – you might want to read this, whichever university you are from. Replacing Your I-20, Passport, I-94 or F-1 Visa
If the I-94 number is intact (Not the Date of Entry Stamp but the I-94 Unique ID which is printed on the top left), I wouldn’t recommend the steps mentioned at the BU website for replacing the I-94, Which suggest you pay 320$ and fill the USCIS Form I-102 and mail it to the Dept. Of Homeland Security with all the relevant docs etc. This is an expensive affair and it could take at least 2 months for them to send a replacement.
Instead, If you are traveling home anytime soon, or anywhere out of the country, You can still use your valid albeit damaged i-94 as the number is valid. And upon reentry you get a spanking new i-94.
Since I had to apply for my OPT soon, Waiting 2 months was not an option.
The Consulate:
You can get directions to the office and a list of all the required docs etc for applying for a new/replacement passport from the Consulate Website. Passports photo rules are clearly not very strict when applying for Indian passports here, just make sure you have enough. The fee for getting a new passport is 125$, They won’t permit you any tatkal service for a lost damaged passport when you apply at the counter (I don’t care what the website states, and evidently neither do the people working at the counters) but you have to present your case.
You should be there well ahead of time, I suggest atleast half hour before the counters open. Pick up a waiting queue slip and be prepared to idle around for a while. A long while. When at the counter, present all the documents that are needed. Have exact change. After that you’ll be stripped of all identity and be handed a little receipt with a telephone number to call in two weeks to inquire about the status of your application. Don’t run away yet, If you need it back urgently, hustle over to Information (counter 7) and ask for an appointment, you’ll be handed a form and if you’ve been lucky and are able to hand in this form before 11 am. You should be alloted an interview slot soon. Or atleast after the lunch break :1:00-1:45. When called for the interview have any documents that will expedite the process, handy, If you have a flight to catch, have your ticket ready. If all goes well, you should be asked to collect your passport Friday at 4:30.
Take a deep breath.
Note: I’ll keep updating, adding to this post as I find the time. You probably want to book mark this page.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
this post is very very help ful…..but one more thins…..what abt the visa…..i am going for the new passport day after tomorrow
March 10th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
ripjeet,
You’ll be fine as long as you have your passport and any other supporting documents (For students that would be the I-20). You wouldn’t need to provide a valid visa until you seek reentry into the US.
Since you can only procure a new US visa abroad, the next time you travel overseas or back home, you will need to visit the American Consulate and they will asses weather you need a replacement visa or if the one you have is valid.
Since I was traveling back home, I checked with the US Consulate in New Delhi regarding my damaged US Visa (as per the instructions on their website), and was asked, unexpectedly, to reapply as they found its condition unsatisfactory for reentry.
If you need the visa urgently, Find out sources who can verify the validity of your damaged visa and act accordingly. You would need to travel outside of the US to get the visa in any of the cases.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:31 am
thanks a lot. But can you tell me that where in new delhi did you get the visa checked. Is it US embassy or the counslate in Nehru Place……are you aware of any place in US where i can get that validated.
anyways thanks a lot….i will be going to New York tomorrow….i’ll reach the embassy by 8:30 morning…..Is it OK or do i need to go earlier
March 11th, 2008 at 5:41 am
I think the Nehru Place location is just a VFS distribution center, You’d have to go to the US Embassy in Shantipath, Chanakyapuri.
I’m afraid I don’t know where exactly you would have to inquire about the visa, but since this is an Immigration issue, You might want to find out from the airport in New York and take it from there.
And 8:30 is good, All the Best!
March 11th, 2008 at 6:28 am
thanks a lot……I’ll go to the airport and get it checked…..
March 13th, 2008 at 9:01 am
man….ur blog was really helpful……got my passport……and followed all your instructions……thanks a lot
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
does anyone knows if there is any other information about this subject in other languages?
March 29th, 2008 at 11:08 am
no idea…..which language do u need
June 6th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Can I send my passport by mail? I live in Dallas and am working cant go to Houston. The website says I can mail but is it reliable enough?
June 7th, 2008 at 6:51 am
@Rahul – Yes you can and it should take you between 10-15 days tops. As for reliability its sent via USPS certified mail if I’m not wrong, So the postage is as reliable as that. Try an stay in contact with somebody about your case.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thanx for d quick reply!!
July 14th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Really helpful……
What if the photo is slightly damaged because of water(not that it damaged the full identity ) and all other information in the VISA page is clearly visible not damaged.
Is there any issue in this kind of situation.
Can any once clarify this point please.
July 29th, 2008 at 6:24 am
@sriram
if you got answer to your question can you help me with it ..
@everyone else (inclusive of sriram)
i have a F1 US visa and am about to start my education this fall (flying in next 15 days). My passport’s lamination (photo page) is starting to come off from the edges (on one side the passport number’s first 3 letters are exposed). People are saying that this is also considered as a “damaged passport”. I am going to go to the RPO for verifying that but if they say that this is damaged and i need to get a new one issued, i would have to give it to them … what i wanted to know was that what happens to the VISA(s) … will they keep my old passport, will i have to get a new VISA (even if they give back the old passport)… some one please help me with this .. mail me at pranshus gmail com if you need to..
btw great blog … cleared many of my initial doubts.
regards,
Pranshu Sharma
August 10th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I have the same problem as Sriram has..!! The photo on the front page has got smeared and is not clear..however, rest of the info are quite ok..!! Moreover, I’ve got the B1 US visa stamped on the same passport..!! I don’t know what to do..Can someone help me out on this??
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:14 am
like will d passport number change if i pply for a replacement for my water damaged passport if i produce all required documents. like if they change d number will tere b d old number also nentioned on it . plz let me know soon
September 6th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hi All, thanks for who so ever will reply this – i am visiting USA for 3 months, and by accident i washed my Passport, now i have 15 days in hand with no passport, i am in Denver,co
how can i mail my damaged passport and reissue a new one via mail, will the embassy mail be back my passport or i will have to go in person to apply and pick up in couple of days, how about do i have to get a new USA visa stamped or i will not need one to get back to India.
Thanks guys
September 6th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Can someone help me please? I am married to an American citizen, living in America, but I’m out of status and now I’ve lost my passport. What can I do? I’m terrified that I’ll have to leave the country and it’ll take me years to get back in, and I don’t want to leave my family here.
Please Help ! Thanks !
October 21st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
This blog has at least given me some relief from my pre-appointment anxiety. I have an appointment at the Embassy in DC. THe information I need is pretty exhaustive but it would be great if you could answer a few more questions.
1. DO I need to give my original documents too??
2. DO you mean to say that if I manage to make a good case they will expedite the process?? What would be a good reason to tell them..like an example? :–)
Thanks,
Aashka.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 am
@Aashka: Q1. You do not need to give your original documentation. But it is a good idea to have them handy with your copies at the time of submission.
Q2. Yes, If you have a genuine reason they will help you out.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 am
@bb: Go to the consulate and seek help! ASAP!
@ab: I believe you can do the process via mail at NY but you should confirm at the the website for the consulate for your jurisdiction.
Please read above mentioned details (also in comments) regarding a replacing visa.
@kartik: Your old passport is canceled. Your new one will have a stamp saying that the old one with #### number was lost/damaged and was canceled and returned.
@pranshu sharma & Siddhartha & Sriram: You have to change the passport if lamination is worn. Soaking passports is a trick used in forgery, Not to be taken lightly.
The Visa is valid if that is not damaged.
Sorry for the late replies. I hope everything worked out.
October 25th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Hi,
I’m on F1. It’s been two months since I entered the US. My wallet was stolen and it had my passport in it. The Chicago embassy said I had to travel to to Chicago apply for a new one. I’ll be going there next week… Can you tell me if I can get it soon enough to go to India during winter break to get a new visa? Also, my school ISS guys told me that I need not apply for an I-94 right away; that either I can get it at the airport while leaving for India at no charge if I’m lucky or I will be asked to pay for it then.
Please tell me anything in this regard you know… Thanks a lot…
October 26th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Hi,
I am doing my PhD in India and have to leave for a conference to US in 10 days. I soaked my passport through in the rains yesterday. Upon drying and checking, I see that the passport itself is intact, no lamination coming off, no blurring of information or photo. But the US visa itself (B1/B2) has run color from one side and the lower half of my photopgraph on the visa is yellowish. No printed details, control number, bar codes have become damaged. Where does this leave me? Thanks!!
November 8th, 2008 at 5:59 am
Hey,
This is Abhijeet. I am on f1 status and lost my passport and this blog is really gonna help getting my passport back. I am going to India in a month. I know that I may get my passport back and there will not be any problem with the visa because I will have to get it when I get back to India. I had the I-94 in it too. Even if I spend $320 for the application I will not be getting my I-94 before I leave for India. I have the photocopies though. What should I be doing in this case. Please hep me out. I am in a clueless and terrified right now.
November 8th, 2008 at 7:02 am
@Abhijeet: don’t worry. You need have your I-94 number only. Please confirm with the airline.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
This is satish.My passport was damaged in the laundary, when i have 13 left to leave US to india.
Since i was in dallas,indian consulate was in houstan.I wanted to get some suggestion from them.
So i tried calling them but they never pick up the call.Its same case with other consulate.
San francisco consulate replied and they told finally i have to contact houstan indian consulate to find a solution. It took me 3-4 days to decide that anyhow i have to go to houstan.I went with all the documents, and together with online application form (very important) i filled, to houstan.I submited the application for new passport.Since my passport was issued from bangalore i was expecting to get new one on that day or the next day, after citing the details to consular officer. But receptionist did not allow me to meet the officer. Though i tried a lot with all the documents and showed her my itinery ticket of the next week.I had PAN card which is a proof plus damaged passport containing all the details except it was faded little by water. I gave a separate letter to consular officer throught he receptionist with a
copy of the damaged passport. I went around 10 times to the receptionist but she didi not allow me to meet the receptionist. She simply said it cannot be done in 1-2 days ,it takes normally 7 days to get ready.I waited till 4 pm there.But failed to meet officer. It was really hate to meet them since in such situation indian consulate is denying to listen my situation, where i dont have any option there in US. Though it was my mistake my passport was damaged in wash, but it was really really shame on them when they dont listen. In the evening i catched the greyhound bus and came to dallas to join office.I told the situatio to my manager.They extended my stay booked my ticket after 10 days.I went on calling the numbers on the website to get the status of passport processing, but they never pick up.
Every day we with manger do fax, email,call them as much as possible, but they dont pick up.
After a week the receptionist picked up,fortunately when i requested about the status, she had same answer i think she used to say to everybody,that the “passport cannot be done in a week sir, it normally takes 3-4 weeks to finish”.A different answer than 1 week i got before. I got panic and frustrated. I said the manager.He extended my stay for another 3-4 weeks.I went on calling every day.One day somebody picked another person and he asked my name and said it has been registerd and it will take one more week, and gave another extension.
That ext nobody calls , i tried with extension plus and minus they had given i able to call one lady, she told next week i will get passport.Next week I called,The receptionist picked again she was ready with same answer,i told him the entire situation about my last week conversation..She checked my name and said the passport is ready and will be dispatched by weekend.I requested to dispatch it by today…She rememberd my face and said ok she will do it by today.
She done on that day i told my manager,got the ticket of next to next day,as i got pasport on next day by mail.
So never trust on indian consulate phone numbers and make the decision as possible.
They take normally 1-2 days to process passport .Its not a big deal for them as long as you have old passport damaged and issue is from metropolitan city.If one mange to meet consular officer,then it work wonders i think.And they take tatkal seva for fast processing.They did not tell anything and mentioned every where in website.I had to pay 125 $ plus 20$ mail express charge by fedex.
so take care buy….
November 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am
hi
just wanted to know what happens to pp lamination. my pp is good to go till 2013 but the lamination has come off from the front and last pages.
i have to go to ny next week but since the indian consulate is as helpful as hell, i have a couple of questions for you and i hope tha you will be able to help me out.
how much will they charge me? how long will it take? will they need ay documents?
any other info is also extrememly welcome.
thanks a lot!
priyanka
priyankapinto@gmai.com
November 26th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Hi …
Can anybody suggest on this issue …..
My mother got her passport damaged in the rains . She got a new replacement one .Now she is planning to come to US to visit me but she has lost the old Damaged passport . Though she has the new one .Will the damaged one asked to be produced at any time during the visit? I have no idea where she has lost the old damaged passport .
Will be great if any inputs on this issue .
Thanks and Regards
Laxmi
December 15th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Thanks for your nice and informative blog.
I am also in a similar situation and got my passport washed in the machine.
I have a few questions :
1. I don’t plan to return to India before 3 months. Is there a way to apply for the duplicate passport via mail ? or shall I have to personally visit the Consulate?
2. Do you need to get the form attested by notary even for a Damaged passport?
3. My photograph is still clearly visible [thank God that the passport was wrapped in a polythene while in the wash-machine] but visa page photo has faded. Will it be possible to return to India with the passport and get a duplicate out there?
Please advise. I will be waiting for your response. Thanks in advance.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:06 am
hi.. i on F-1 visa here. I hv situation that i lost my passport and I-20 both. I m travelling in 10 days. I hv got new passport but just want to know ” if i can travel to india without old stamped I-20 and I-94.”
and regarding visa do i have to get financial documents for the interview?
Do they need any other document from college??
thanks…waiting for reply……..
January 10th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I would like to add few points regarding getting a duplicate passport in the New York consulate since I got my duplicate passport yesterday.
Please try to be in the Consulate by 8:30 am. It opens at 9:15 am and you’ll be given a slip with serial number. Once inside the consular hall, there won’t be much of a line and a total chaos out there. You need to get your application verified by one of the 2 ladies in the front desk.
Once they scrutinize your application, you will be asked to submit the documents in Counter 5 or 6.
Please make sure you get your signature attested by a notary in the print-out of the on-line form. If you forget to do it, you will be asked to get it attested and then only your form will be accepted. You can get a notary in the Citibank round the corner.
While submitting the form, please request the lady at the counter to allow for an expedited processing. She would then advise you to get an appointment with an officer. You can get an application for interview with the Front-desk ladies. Fill that up and if you can submit it within 11 am, you’ll get an appointment the very same day after 12 noon.
Once in the interview room, the office will very likely tell you that you can get your passport the very same day if you pay the additional fee for Tatkal processing. If you agree, you will be asked to wait in the hall and they will call you for deposit of the Tatkal fee.
After depositing the fee, you will be asked to collect your passport at 4:30 pm.
NB : Please note that they don’t send the duplicate passport [against a damage one] by mail. It will have to be collected in person. Hence please refrain from paying the mail fee of USD 20 in the counter. I paid that but was not refunded back saying fees once paid cannot be returned even if the fault was with them [ they shouldn't have taken it at the very first place].
January 12th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Bimal, Thank you very much for contributing your important inputs.
Learning from your experience, one might be able to complete the job in one day even
January 18th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I am not sure of other consulates and Embassy, but in NY Consulate, you can get the duplicate passport on the same day if you pay the additional Tatkal fee of USD 150.
January 21st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Bimal: Are you certain that they do not accept mail applications for a damaged passport?
I am planning on going to the embassy on Friday, but if they accept the application by mail i do not see any reason i should go in person. I do not need the passport immediately since I am not travelling anytime soon.
Pls let me know so I can plan to go or not go to the embassy accordingly.
January 24th, 2009 at 6:16 am
KG : The NY consulate website clearly states that the application for a duplicate passport must be made in person. They don’t accept the application by mail.
As for the delivery of the passport, I also asked the lady in the counter to send the replacement by mail that since I don’t need it urgently. She accepted the payment of $20 as mail fee. But later I was told by the Consular officer during the interview that they don’t send the duplicate passport by mail and this MUST be collected in person.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:40 am
I had the lamination coming out of the edges.. when i landed in india they told it is damaged and needs replacement.. i had to fly bak in a weeks time and had no time to get into the red tape of ppo.. i took a quick fix used it and came back to US without any trble… this is from the horse mouth.. rest of the scare mongers who have never experienced such a situation shud stay away..
February 5th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Thanks so much for this blog…very useful…I followed the exact steps as recommended by youand received my passport today.
My pet peeve would be the amount of $$ and time I had to spend on this entire process.
February 16th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Great blog guys!!
My passport and visa were slightly water damaged…but they were minor enough that I travelled on them 3 times with out any issues….and last month when I was flying into US from India, some idiot immigration officer gave me a tough time….apparently expecting some thing in return…..but I clearly explained him that I have already travelled on it and there were no issues any where and could make it here……now, since there is no dearth for these kind of officers in India, I dont want to take a chance and want to get a new passport. I read through all the posts but got some questions…….can some one give me some clarifications to the below questions…..
1. When I apply for a new passport (in place of my damaged one) here in US, should I have to return my old passport?
If yes, how about the visa in my new passport? Will there be any note/visa evidence in the new passport saying that I already have a visa?
If I get my old passport back, will the visa on my old passport would still be valid? as they mentioned somewhere that the old passport stands cancelled….
2. US embassy in India also has a note which says that we need to approch the embassy for them to assess the damage to the visa and if they say that I have to re apply for the visa because of the extent of damage, do I have to go through the same steps as getting a new one?
Appreciae your response folks!!
February 17th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
@ kc
1. 1. When I apply for a new passport (in place of my damaged one) here in US, should I have to return my old passport? NO..YOU DON’T HAVE TO RETURN YOUR OLD PASSPORT. THEY[INDIAN CONSULATE] WILL GIVE BACK BOTH THE PASSPORTS [ THE NEW & THE DAMAGED ONE]
If yes, how about the visa in my new passport? Will there be any note/visa evidence in the new passport saying that I already have a visa? THEY WILL STAMP YOUR OLD PASSPORT SAYING ” PASSPORT CANCELLED BUT NOT THE VALID VISAS”
If I get my old passport back, will the visa on my old passport would still be valid? as they mentioned somewhere that the old passport stands cancelled…. YES. VALID VISAS WILL ALWAYS BE VALID
2. US embassy in India also has a note which says that we need to approch the embassy for them to assess the damage to the visa and if they say that I have to re apply for the visa because of the extent of damage, do I have to go through the same steps as getting a new one? YES. THE CONDITION OF THE VISA CAN ONLY BE VERIFIED BY US EMBASSY/CONSULATE. IF THEY FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE [ WHICH IS IN MY CASE] YOU NEED TO REAPPLY FOR VISA STAMPING ON YOUR NEW PASSPORT.
Hope this helps
February 17th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
It sure does dude…..thanks a lot man!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Update on my damaged visa:
I checked with travel desk of my company and they confirmed with Consulate that my damaged visa needs a re stamping.
Hence I applied for a new visa [ following the whole process all over] and I had my interview at Kolkata Consulate today. They granted a new visa stamping on my new passport ..
March 27th, 2009 at 2:16 am
My wife’s passport lamination on the photo page pealed off. Just now she got the visa for family joining in the passport number to Oman.
Please let me know the procedure to get another passport and weather same visa can be used?
Samuel
April 6th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
@ Samuel :
First let us know if your wife is in India or abroad.
If in India, she can get a duplicate passport from any of the passport offices whose jurisdiction she belongs to.
If she is abroad, she need to contact the nearest Indian mission/consulate/embassy and follow their procedure to get a duplicate passport.
Please note that the Visa in her old passport will still be valid. She will just need to carry both new and old passport[ with the valid Visa on it] when she travels.
Hope this helps.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:36 am
hello there,
ok this is my second attempt triying to post a question hope it works this time.
well,
after a very good day of deep sea fishing, sun bathing and loads of splashes from the sea, i came back home only to realize that my Indian “water proof bag isint all that water proof at all” everything in it got wet including my precious book that i am reading these days and also my little blue book of identity.
after loosing a night of sleep and starving myself for a day i finally picked got the guts to see what i can find(i have found horrible details in the past for some other issues) online.
thanks to this blog i got most of the answer of my big list on this blog, i still have a question i would like to ask.
do i need to have a police complaint/report for this damage as i still possess my not so passport looking passport.
thanks for your answers in advance as i am sure i would have to wait for a few days to talk to someone if i dare to call them.
Shweta
April 12th, 2009 at 5:56 am
@Shweta – Atleast you took the precaution of keeping it in a water proof bag although the best advice is to keep it under lock and key. To answer your question, you will not need to file a police report if you still have the passport albeit damaged
April 15th, 2009 at 5:09 am
one more question from me.
do they do the police check and send the cops to your neighbours house for a reissue too???
thanks in advance
Shweta
April 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
@Shewta : unfortunately, they did so in my case. About 3 months after I got my duplicate passport, cops did visit my India home for a verification.
However, in case of one of my friend who also got a replacement against damamged passport in US, there was no police verification for him… so I would say it depends from state to state…
May 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
the lamination on the front page of my passport has come off totally though all information is visible and undamaged. I need to go to India in 2 weeks to take a new job, leaving US permanently. I am based in NYC. Is it possible for me to get replacement for damaged passport within that time? Please help.
May 4th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
@Pallavi : Since you’re based in NYC and your passport is otherwise intact, I think you can get a replacement on the same very day of applying. For that they charge the Tatkal fee of USD 150.
Just get an appointment with a Consular office after submitting the application and let the office know about your urgency.
All the best!
May 6th, 2009 at 8:14 am
@Bimal thank you for your reply. I submitted the online application and it gave a date/time of tomm. Is that what you would mean by appointment?
May 6th, 2009 at 8:25 am
@pallavi: As Bimal said, You need to make an appointment at the consulate after you’ve made your request. So as soon as you get a number after requesting the renewal, go to the inquires counter and tell them you need your passport urgently and your reasons, if they ask. You will need to fill a form to schedule an appointment. If you get your appointment request in soon, perhaps as soon as 11, Your interview may be scheduled the same day. Tell them your reasons and if accepted they will ask you to pay the extra charges and will tell you by when you should received your passport.
May 8th, 2009 at 3:55 am
Got my passport yesterday. Reached there at 8:30..there were about 25 people ahead of me. Got my documents verified at the reception and was given waiting queue token. The lady at the counter collected my documents and USD 125 at 9:45 and told me she would ask the officer if tatkal processing was possible and let me know. No news till 11:30. I asked her repeatedly if I had to fill out another form to take any appointment and she said no. Probably there procedure has changed. Finally, I was told that I would be granted an interview, anytime after 12 noon. They apparently follow the “first in, last out” method. I was the first one to request for interview and was the last one to be interviewed. anyway, the officer only asked me a couple of personal information questions (father’s name, visa type) and told me that they would be able to issue a duplicate passport that day itself. I paid 150 USD tatkal fee and was asked to come back to collect the new passport in the evening. Overall, the staff was polite (unlike the staff in the US embassy in Delhi), even if a little slow.
May 8th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Congrats, Pallavi for your duplicate passport!
I would support your view that the Consulate staff at NYC is really polite and helpful, although little bit slow.
May 10th, 2009 at 1:17 am
I got my permanent immigration for Australia stamped on my Indian passport through VFS global…..when the passport was finally handed over to me by blue dart courier i found the laminated page on the front and back partially peeled off. what action can i take against the courier company
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Hi ..
Got a query ..i had visited the Passport office here in Mumbai and was told that my passport is damaged.
My passport has wet look around its corners…(all the pages)!!!…
So the Officer told me to go ahead with the proceedings at my own risk or apply for a new copy.
All the Imp numbers on my passport are clear and are not erased…
Pls advice i have little time left to fly to New Zealand.
Shall i go ahead with it…or risk being thrown out of the airport by immigration guys…
May 26th, 2009 at 3:58 am
@Chaitanya : I think its better to apply for a duplicate passport. Soaking passports is a very common trick used in forgery. Hence it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
If you apply for a duplicate passport under Tatkal scheme, I think you should be able to get it within very short time [ may be 1-3 days]
Good luck!
June 16th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
hi,
my family and i lost our passport during our niagara trip. preparing document to apply for duplicate.here r my doubts
1)there r 2 application form.which is the correct one.
2)photos 6 two of then will be on forms rest atached to the application?
3)normally how many days it will take to get a duplicate passport -no tatlkal
4)can i send all my family application as a bulk and a certified cheque along with it?
thanks in advance
June 17th, 2009 at 5:48 am
@Anu : Please let us know which Consulate you belong to.
June 17th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
new york
June 19th, 2009 at 11:12 am
@Anu : Please find your answers below:
1) There are 2 forms to be filled up. One is Nationality Status Verification Form (http://indiacgny.org/appl_forms/Form12.pdf). This needs to be filled up in writing. The second is the online application for duplicate passport (http://passport.gov.in/nri/OnlineRegistration.jsp?pocode=USAN) . once you fill the online application up, you need to take print-outs and submit them in the consulate after completing up the ‘hand-written’ columns
2) Yes.. you can handover the rest 4 photos to the lady in the counter while submitting the application.
3) Nontatkal takes around 1 week. [ as far as I know]. However, you would have to come in person to collect them again.
This essentially means two visits to the consulate. For someone coming from a far away place, it still makes sense to pay the Talkal fee to avoid the inconvenience and cost associated with 2 travels.
4) All of your family members would have to visit the consulate IN PERSON. They don’t accept application for duplicate passport by post.
Hope it helps.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
thanks a lot for all these useful information….
July 15th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Hi.. I had gone through this blog which provides very good information on cases where the passport got damaged the experiences in getting them fixed… I had a small issue with mine.. The lamination on the inner side of cover page was slightly coming off from the corners.. Yesterday I went to the Chicago consulate at 9 to get it fixed… They didnt ask any documents.. Took the passport.. checked it… Asked me to sit in the halll.. But the time I settled myself expecting a long wait..they called me… I went to the counter..It was done.. Seems like they ran it on the lamination machine … The passport was pretty hot… I was out of there in and out of the consulate 15 mins total.. pretty quick service… surprising…
July 16th, 2009 at 6:43 am
Thanks Anson for your input .. it surely will help lot of people who face similar issue.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:45 am
Well the photo on my visa got some stains recently……my photo is recognizable but got some marks on my forehead and my cheeks…….what should i possibly do?
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:35 am
@ Sulav : If this is US visa and you’re in US now, the best thing to do is probably a visit to the nearest CBP port [http://www.cbp.gov/] and let them verify the condition of the Visa. And as long as you’re in US and not going out, I think you don’t need your visa as such. You can get a new Visa only in any of the US Embassies/consulate outside of US
August 8th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Even i am facing the same issues as Sulav. My photo on the visa is not clear.I need to travel to US on 15 th can any 1 reply quickly on this issues —should i go for restamping of visa if yes can i can my visa before 14 th .
Please reply ASAP e-mail add karthik.kodandapani@gmail.com
Thanks in advance
August 8th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Even i am facing the same issues as Sulav. My photo on the visa is not clear.I need to travel to US on 15 th can any 1 reply quickly on this issues —should i go for restamping of visa if yes can i get my visa before 14 th of aug 2009 .
Please reply ASAP e-mail add karthik.kodandapani@gmail.com
Thanks in advance
October 30th, 2009 at 5:52 am
the lamination on the front page of my passport has come off from the corners. I am visiting Indian embassy on Nov 3, I got my 2nd H-1B extention approved and will be going to India for stamping. I am very thankful to this blog regarding the information. I am planing to take some action beforehand to avoid trouble but also didn’t want to create more trouble fo myself.
I am trying to get some answers or comments from someone who has already been in the same situation.
1) Will the passport # change for the duplicate passport. If it changes will that be an issue for visa stamping. ( My visa extention is based on old visa, I don’t need guarantees but just want to know if somebody had a similar experience and what was the outcome?)
2) Applicatin form for the passport application has photo size of 2″ X 2″ to be attached as a note. But the size indicates for 3.5cm X 3.5 cm on the form. What did you guys get in the form?
Thanks in advance.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:54 am
just a correction to my previous posting
1) Will the passport # change for the duplicate passport. If it changes will that be an issue for visa stamping. ( My visa extention is based on existing passport, I don’t need guarantees but just want to know if somebody had a similar experience and what was the outcome?)
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Hi,
What are the documents that you submitted in case of a damaged passport. My passport’s lamination is coming off but all the information is intact. I do not have an Indian photo ID like driver’s license or PAN card. Is that fine?
November 7th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
@Vikpb :
1) The Passport number will get changed for the duplicate passport. I don’t know if this will be an issue for your visa stamping as I don’t have that experience.
2) From my experience, I feel that photo size is not very important to the Consulate people. You can get either size pasted on the form.
Hope it helps!
November 7th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
@ Sriram :
I believe you should approach the Consulate official with whatever documents you’ve apart from any Indian Photo ID. They should be able to help you. If required, try to get an appointment with one of the Consular Officer and explain your situation to him/her.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Can you help me please? I am in US on B1 visa. I got my passport wet in the rain. The photo is intact but the visa page is a bit faded. Also on the front page, the signature of the passport officer is faded. The lamination on one side is peeled a bit. Luckily I94 was not with the PP. Now I have to go back to India in next 6 days. My colleagues says returning to India is not a problem with this passport. Please suggest can I return to India with this?
December 15th, 2009 at 2:16 am
My case:
My passport + visa suffered some water damage. The front page of the passport had some water stains along the edges but the lamination was intact. The stamps of the passport officer and other stamps were smudged. The picture on my visa was half way damaged but the information on it was readable.
I scanned the visa page and emailed it to the consulate (In my case it was US consulate Mumbai). They asked me to apply for a new visa when I come back to India.
What I did:
I traveled from US to India with the same passport. Since there was water damage on my passport front page, the officer double checked it under ultraviolet light of something.
Since the lamination of the passport was intact, I did not apply for a new passport. However, since my visa was damaged, I had to apply for a new one. I scheduled my visa appointment with Mumbai consulate (paid fees at HDFC and booked a date online). At the consulate, they took the fingerprints, passport and current I20. Since I had 1 more semester to go, they gave me a new visa without an interview. They even extended the expiration date of the new visa by 2 years
. They stamped a big “cancelled” stamp on my old visa.
Good Luck!
December 15th, 2009 at 2:18 am
This blog helped me a lot!
December 15th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Thanks Malvika for your help
December 16th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Thanks Bimal. I went to the Washington DC embassy on Monday. They just re-laminated my passport’s front side. No application form was required, no documents required and it is a free service.
December 25th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
@ Sriram , Malvika : It’s really good to know that your problems have been solved.
@Naresh : please let us know whether you reached India without any problem.
We should all thank Dinesh who started this wonderful blog. It really helped all of us
December 29th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
What blog script do you use on your site ?
January 21st, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Hi,
I too did manage to get my passport washed and freaked out until i came across ur blog. Must say am bit relieved now. I am here in US on B1 visa and belong to the Houston consulate as I stay in Alabama. The lamination on both the front and back page of my passport has come off, though the print and photographs are clearly visible. The signature of the issuing authority has been washed off. I have managed to collect the following docs, but need help to let me know if am missing anything.
- old damaged passport
- PP photos
- copy of 1st and last page of passport
- Copy of the visa taken after water wash..yeah forgot to take a copy before..
- Pan card copy
- company letter stating current residence address
- Port of Entry letter copy
- Letter detailing damage of passport
Is this sufficient or am I missing anything???
Also I have a few questions:
- Do i need to submit 6 copies of personal particulars proforma?
- Houston consulate website says I can mail documents for new passport. But is it mandatory to notarize all these documents and if YES then who does it?
- How many days will they normally take to mail the new passport back?
Kindly help…
February 15th, 2010 at 2:05 am
Hi,
First of all kudos to this blog!.. i am suffering the same issue as my passport got drenched in rain even though when i kept it inside my bag!.. but all the information, photo and my H1B visa stamping data is all intact and clearly visible. I stupidly tried to iron the edges of the passport as the lamination was peeling off.. but it didnt stick around for long.. now i have finally decided to apply for damaged passport. I have filled all the details and I have all supporting documents to apply for.. I stay in Seattle Wa and i believe SFO Indian consulate is my place for applying for a duplicate passport.
I understand my stupid act can be considered as forgery.. but i wish to know if any precautions i need to take as I am thinking to send the damaged passport along with all supporting notarized documents in courier USPS services?
Also do I have to lodge any complaint for my damaged passport?
As I can see that once its ready i need to collect the passport in person.. is that really necessary because I can see they mentioned it will be sent back in mail.
Please suggest. Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Nithin
February 21st, 2010 at 1:24 am
This blog is great! You guys are very helpful!
I have a small question. My US Visitor visa’s photo has got a small blot on the chin area. Otherwise, the visa is in perfect condition! Will this be a problem? I am trying to get in touch with the consulate here about this but if someone has any thoughts, please let me know.
Thanks so much!
February 21st, 2010 at 1:26 am
Btw, I got it checked from an agent and they said it’s fine as long as the control number on the visa is clear.
March 10th, 2010 at 7:17 am
This is a very helpful blog indeed and hope I can get some help. I need to apply for my OPT in a month. I had submitted my passport for renewal 2 months back but no response yet.
Would you suggest that I make a personal trip to DC and if they cant renew my passport pending more delays, would I be eligible for the tatkal service? What docs would I need to show to prove the urgency? I read somewhere that students currently studying in the US are eligible for the tatkal service but I am not absolutely sure about this.
Any insight would be greatly helpful to me! Thanks.
March 20th, 2010 at 2:07 am
I have lost my passport and yet to apply for duplicate/new one.. I would like to know will it cause any issues to get an US visa. I am working in a corporate and trying to get B1 visa thru my company.
March 31st, 2010 at 8:21 pm
@ Deepa : For applying for any Visa, you need your passport. This is the first & foremost requirement!
March 31st, 2010 at 8:24 pm
@ Srinivas : I think they don’t need any documentary proof for your urgency. You can visit the embassy and take an appointment with a Consular officer. Please explain your situation to the officer and request for tatkaal. Usually they try to give it.
Hope it helps.
March 31st, 2010 at 8:32 pm
@ Nithin : Please refer to the SFO Consulate website : http://www.cgisf.org/
It has all the information that you asked for. If you expect them to send back your passport by mail, please make sure you send a return envelope of FedEx, UPS or USPS.
April 17th, 2010 at 10:26 am
I have a green card. My dog chewed up the corners of my Indian passport. All details like the passport number are intact. I am travelling to India next month. Can I use the same passport or would need a new one.
April 26th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Firstly, thank you for the information posted here. i found it very useful in getting my duplicate passport last week quiet smoothly. I was at consulate around 8.30am and stood in line, the consulate was opened at around 9:20 am and when i went inside they gave me token and i waited for my chance and submitted the documents in the counter and asked the lady in the counter for expedited processing. She agreed and asked me to wait for 10 min to get clearance for my place in india. Even before 10 min she asked to pay for tatkal fee and asked me to collect the passport at 4.30 pm. That is it. No interviews and no more filling additional forms.
Note: The lady in information desk told, i need to fill additonal form, if my visa was expired and notarize the form to get the passport. but i gave a try by submitting my documents with out those documents. since i have a valid I-20 from my school they issued me the passport.
Thanks again for the help.
May 27th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Dear All,
Pre-thanks for help if someone.
I am in China and got my passport washed in washing machine. The working visa which I have is still clear.
Please suggest:
1.If I go to India from China is there any problem at custom.
2. Back to China from India, I will issue a new passport but is it possible to get one month tourist visa on that as I had working visa on my washed passport which is still under validity period.
July 6th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Hi All, I washed my passport and now i need to apply for a duplicate. I live in Memphis,TN and the embassy that i need to apply for is in Washington DC. It is a 15 hrs drive from here.
1)Can i mail the documents to the embassy?
2) If yes, do i need an approval from the consular officer?
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance for your help
July 26th, 2010 at 12:50 am
Hi All,
This is a very informative blog, like most of the cases I have washed my passport too and now struggling to fill the form. I really need some assistance in filling the form now I am facing difficulty to answer a few questions in the form.
I live in Redmond WA area if anyone can help me please send me your contact number or email id on which I can contact you. I come under SFO consulate and planning to travel in person to apply for a new / replacement passport.
Also I had a few questions apart from my passport questions.
1. Will tatkal request be accepted if I request in the consulate ?
2. I am planning to submit Driver licence, Lease aggrement and Water Bill as part of address proof. Are these sufficient ?
3. I do not have my Degree cirtificate with me, the originals are at home back in India how can I get my new passport ECNR stamped ?
Below are the questions in my form which I am having difficulty in answering
1. WHEN DID APPLICANT FIRST LEAVE INDIA ?
Before coming to US I have also travelled to Singapore and Indonasia on a travel Visa so what answer should I fill for this question
2. How long has the applicant continuosly resided abroad ?
Should I fill how long I have lived in US?
3. Local Car Driving Licence No ?
Should I mention the Washington State Driving licence Number or India Driving licence Number?
4. Name and Address of two reletives/friends ?
Should I mention my relatives/friends living in US or india ?
5. Is applicant registered with Indian Mission/Post ? If not, is he a member of any Indian Organization?
What should I mention here what is India Mission/Post mean?
Please guys help me find answers for my above questions, I will be really thankful. I have my interview on 18th August 2010. Please Please help.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:31 am
Farooq :
I will try to answer your questions as far as possible :
1. Will tatkal request be accepted if I request in the consulate ?
2. I am planning to submit Driver licence, Lease aggrement and Water Bill as part of address proof. Are these sufficient ?
3. I do not have my Degree cirtificate with me, the originals are at home back in India how can I get my new passport ECNR stamped ?
1. WHEN DID APPLICANT FIRST LEAVE INDIA ?
Before coming to US I have also travelled to Singapore and Indonasia on a travel Visa so what answer should I fill for this question
2. How long has the applicant continuosly resided abroad ?
Should I fill how long I have lived in US?
3. Local Car Driving Licence No ?
Should I mention the Washington State Driving licence Number or India Driving licence Number?
4. Name and Address of two reletives/friends ?
Should I mention my relatives/friends living in US or india ?
5. Is applicant registered with Indian Mission/Post ? If not, is he a member of any Indian Organization?
What should I mention here what is India Mission/Post mean?
Hope it helps – All the best!
July 27th, 2010 at 3:33 am
Farooq :
I will try to answer your questions as far as possible :
1. Will tatkal request be accepted if I request in the consulate ? ( This usually varies from Consulate to Consulate – but in most cases they agree to process in Tatkal provided you’re ready to pay for it )
2. I am planning to submit Driver licence, Lease aggrement and Water Bill as part of address proof. Are these sufficient ? ( Yes, they are more than sufficient! In my case, they didn’t even bother to look at those and scolded me for attaching 10 page long lease agreement! LOL )
3. I do not have my Degree cirtificate with me, the originals are at home back in India how can I get my new passport ECNR stamped ? ( You don’t need your Original Degree Certificate for ECNR stamp – it will be done automatically based on the status of your damaged passport )
1. WHEN DID APPLICANT FIRST LEAVE INDIA ?
Before coming to US I have also travelled to Singapore and Indonasia on a travel Visa so what answer should I fill for this question
( I would advise you to write your date of first travel to Singapore/ Indonesia here )
2. How long has the applicant continuosly resided abroad ?
Should I fill how long I have lived in US?
(Yes)
3. Local Car Driving Licence No ?
Should I mention the Washington State Driving licence Number or India Driving licence Number?
(I would think you should mention WA State Driving license details here )
4. Name and Address of two reletives/friends ?
Should I mention my relatives/friends living in US or india ?
(Please mention friends/relatives in India – preferable from your locality – in my case, the local police contacted them for verification)
5. Is applicant registered with Indian Mission/Post ? If not, is he a member of any Indian Organization?
What should I mention here what is India Mission/Post mean?
( I would reply NO to both )
Hope it helps – All the best!
August 23rd, 2010 at 6:13 am
Hi, I had kept my passport in a leather bag and somehow there was some water spill due to which there are stains on the edges of the passport and they have gone to the pages also but not on the entire page…maybe the top edges. My photograph and everything is clearly visible (name etc) but I am afraid if the immigration officer in India will not allow me to fly considering that the passport is damaged. I need to travel in end of Sept.