BIG US Visa Update For Indian Applicants! Collect Your Passport On Your Own Or Pay Rs 1,200 For Delivery

US Visa Update For Indian Applicants: Indian US visa applicants won't be able to send anyone else on their behalf to collect passport on their behalf. The US Embassy in New Delhi, from 1 August, has discontinued handing over passport to third-party individuals or representatives of visa applicants. Applicants can also opt for home delivery of passports by paying Rs 1,200 for the facility.

The change in US Visa applicants' passport collection norms will improve the safety and security of their passports and documents. This change affects every category of visa applicant and prohibits third-party collections entirely.

Under the revised guidelines, representatives are no longer allowed to pick up passports on behalf of applicants. The responsibility now lies solely with the individual applicant to retrieve their documents from the specified location.

US Visa Guidelines: Exception For Minors in Passport Collection

An exception exists for minors under 18 years old. In these cases, a parent or legal guardian is permitted to collect the passport. However, they must provide an original signed consent letter from both parents. Digital or scanned copies of such letters will not be accepted.

What is Passport Paid Delivery Facility?

To assist with this transition, the embassy offers a paid delivery service for passports to applicants' home or office addresses. This service costs ₹1,200 per applicant.

How to Opt For The Facility?

Interested individuals can opt for this by updating their Document Delivery Information on the official U.S. visa website (ustraveldocs.com).
To opt for passport delivery service, US visa applicants in India can follow the below mentioned steps.

-Visit the official US Embassy website or login to your profile at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/
-Navigate the home section, go to the 'Visa Application Home page'. Now click on the 'Document Delivery Information.
-Select your name.
-Choose your delivery method.
-Make the changes and submit your request.
-Log out from the page.

If applicants encounter technical difficulties while updating their delivery preferences, they should use the "Feedback/Requests" feature within their profiles. They need to attach a screenshot of the issue and specify where they want their documents delivered.

The embassy advises against contacting the call center for inquiries related to document delivery issues. Instead, applicants should use official online channels or the "Messages" section on the Visa Application Home page for communication.

This policy shift marks a significant change in how U.S. visa-related documents are handled in India, aiming to streamline processes and ensure security in document collection.