Renewing an expired Indian passport

akak · Aug 8th, 2009, 06:15

Hi, I checked the forum and couldn't find any comments on this situation. I was wondering whether anyone has had any experience getting an expired Indian passport renewed while in the U.S. Mine expired more than 6 months ago, and per the San Fran Consulate website, that means it will not be issued in the normal 10 business day time frame for other passport/visa applications. Does anyone know how long I can expect it to take? I want to travel in about 7 weeks.
Thanks

Haylo · Aug 8th, 2009, 19:08

As far as I can work out, you are in one of two situations, neither of which would allow you to legally renew an expired Indian passport in the US?

1. You are in the US on another passport, in which case your Indian citizenship no longer exists, and you have no right to renew your Indian passport.

2. You are in the US on an expired Indian passport, but a valid US visa - but I thought that visas were only valid if you had a valid passport, and your passport expiring would negate your visa and make you an illegal immigrant.

Sorry if I am missing something obvious!

nayan · Aug 8th, 2009, 19:30

US visa(and I-94) validity can be beyond the expiry date of the Indian passport.

Alak,
trying to contact the consulate itself will be your best bet.

Nick-H · Aug 8th, 2009, 20:19

Nayan, does that still apply if a person doesn't have a valid passport at all?

I know that it applies in the sense of carrying your old passport with the still-valid visa, along with your new passport.

capt_mahajan · Aug 8th, 2009, 20:24

You need a valid Indian passport for the US visa (or any other, for that matter) to be valid, I think.

nayan · Aug 8th, 2009, 20:37

Ithink the case here is that he got the visa when his passport was valid(US consulate asks for 6 months validity when granting most types of visa). After he entered the US(may be on a 2-3 year visa) his passport expired.

Some countries donot grant a visa beyond the validity of ones passport, some countries do(like US).

Offcourse, without a valid passport his visa is not valid either.

Quite a few people get into this mess as once you are settled and working in the US there is no need to use your Indian passport for any ID. Usually the US driving licence acts as an ID. They forget about the passport renewal.

akak · Aug 9th, 2009, 04:42

Thanks for the responses. To clarify, I have had a U.S. Green card since 2005. And I have contacted the consulate, but no response yet. They say that they won't respond to most queries.

The consulate website just says that the 10 business day time frame does not apply to renewal cases when the passport has been expired for more than 6 months. Which would logically mean that they do renew them, just at their own leisure. I don't know whether this means they do a police check again, etc.

Nick-H · Aug 9th, 2009, 04:43

All the best: let us know how you get on.

akak · Aug 9th, 2009, 04:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayan

snip
Quite a few people get into this mess as once you are settled and working in the US there is no need to use your Indian passport for any ID. Usually the US driving licence acts as an ID. They forget about the passport renewal.

This is pretty much what happened to me. Coupled with a little stupidity on my part... I came to the U.S. in 1999, and at some point convinced myself that my 10-year passport was expiring in 2009... forgetting that I had actually got it in 1998, when I was sitting for the GRE.

edwardseco · Aug 9th, 2009, 14:35

So how would you resolve this? Using an address drop in India with a relative? Interesting circumstance..

namaste_cat · Aug 9th, 2009, 22:32

akak - I know 2 people who have been in the same boat as you. In one friend's case, it took 6 months to get a new Indian passport, and in the other he went in person and got it the very next day.

The party line is it will take longer to issue a new passport. Most of my dealings have been by mail for my own passport renewals in the past, visas for my family, and PIO, OCI, etc. but I've found the Consulate folks to be particularly nice and helpful if one goes in person.

I'd suggest you go there rather than try to do it by mail. Throw yourself at their mercy appearing suitably contrite at your lapse, and appreciative of any help from them

Make sure you're there by 8 a.m. right when they open. Never know, you might not have a problem at all getting this issue resolved quickly.

Good luck! And let us know how you get on so it helps others in the same predicament.

akak · Aug 10th, 2009, 02:30

Thanks namaste_cat.
Six months? Oh dear, I guess I'll have to do the 7 hour drive. I've already mailed it in though. So can I still go, maybe after a few weeks, as my travel date nears?

Quote:

Originally Posted by namaste_cat

akak - I know 2 people who have been in the same boat as you. In one friend's case, it took 6 months to get a new Indian passport, and in the other he went in person and got it the very next day.

The party line is it will take longer to issue a new passport. Most of my dealings have been by mail for my own passport renewals in the past, visas for my family, and PIO, OCI, etc. but I've found the Consulate folks to be particularly nice and helpful if one goes in person.

I'd suggest you go there rather than try to do it by mail. Throw yourself at their mercy appearing suitably contrite at your lapse, and appreciative of any help from them

Make sure you're there by 8 a.m. right when they open. Never know, you might not have a problem at all getting this issue resolved quickly.

Good luck! And let us know how you get on so it helps others in the same predicament.

akak · Aug 10th, 2009, 02:32

Not sure what you mean. I think I wouldn't be able to get on the flight to India without the passport. They do ask for an address in India - I gave my father's, which is the one on my old passport.

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardseco

So how would you resolve this? Using an address drop in India with a relative? Interesting circumstance..

edwardseco · Aug 12th, 2009, 08:24

Would it be possible to do the paperwork through an Indian address as opposed to raising the issue of your possibly having given up the Indian passport for American citizenship.?

vir · Aug 12th, 2009, 08:45

You can renew it. If it has expired for more than 6 months you have to submit an notarized affidavit (with 2 witnesses) to San Francisco consulate with a reason as to why you didn't renew it earlier.

Rest of the procedure is exactly same as if your Passport is still valid but expiring soon.

Aug 8th, 2009, 06:15	#1
akak Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: California Posts: 14	Renewing an expired Indian passport Hi, I checked the forum and couldn't find any comments on this situation. I was wondering whether anyone has had any experience getting an expired Indian passport renewed while in the U.S. Mine expired more than 6 months ago, and per the San Fran Consulate website, that means it will not be issued in the normal 10 business day time frame for other passport/visa applications. Does anyone know how long I can expect it to take? I want to travel in about 7 weeks. Thanks

Aug 8th, 2009, 19:08	#2
Haylo Structural Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Middle East and heading Easter Posts: 5,807	As far as I can work out, you are in one of two situations, neither of which would allow you to legally renew an expired Indian passport in the US? 1. You are in the US on another passport, in which case your Indian citizenship no longer exists, and you have no right to renew your Indian passport. 2. You are in the US on an expired Indian passport, but a valid US visa - but I thought that visas were only valid if you had a valid passport, and your passport expiring would negate your visa and make you an illegal immigrant. Sorry if I am missing something obvious! __________________ The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Aug 8th, 2009, 20:24	#5
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,608	You need a valid Indian passport for the US visa (or any other, for that matter) to be valid, I think. __________________ . Outside the machine

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Aug 8th, 2009, 19:30	#3
nayan Forum Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hyderabad/tokyo Posts: 1,930	US visa(and I-94) validity can be beyond the expiry date of the Indian passport. Alak, trying to contact the consulate itself will be your best bet.

Aug 8th, 2009, 20:19	#4
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,231	Nayan, does that still apply if a person doesn't have a valid passport at all? I know that it applies in the sense of carrying your old passport with the still-valid visa, along with your new passport.

Aug 8th, 2009, 20:37	#6
nayan Forum Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hyderabad/tokyo Posts: 1,930	Ithink the case here is that he got the visa when his passport was valid(US consulate asks for 6 months validity when granting most types of visa). After he entered the US(may be on a 2-3 year visa) his passport expired. Some countries donot grant a visa beyond the validity of ones passport, some countries do(like US). Offcourse, without a valid passport his visa is not valid either. Quite a few people get into this mess as once you are settled and working in the US there is no need to use your Indian passport for any ID. Usually the US driving licence acts as an ID. They forget about the passport renewal.

Aug 9th, 2009, 04:42	#7
akak Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: California Posts: 14	Thanks for the responses. To clarify, I have had a U.S. Green card since 2005. And I have contacted the consulate, but no response yet. They say that they won't respond to most queries. The consulate website just says that the 10 business day time frame does not apply to renewal cases when the passport has been expired for more than 6 months. Which would logically mean that they do renew them, just at their own leisure. I don't know whether this means they do a police check again, etc.

Aug 9th, 2009, 04:43	#8
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,231	All the best: let us know how you get on.

Aug 9th, 2009, 14:35	#10
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 5,845	So how would you resolve this? Using an address drop in India with a relative? Interesting circumstance..

Aug 9th, 2009, 22:32	#11
namaste_cat Kashmiri-Punjabi Sherni Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amreeka Posts: 943	akak - I know 2 people who have been in the same boat as you. In one friend's case, it took 6 months to get a new Indian passport, and in the other he went in person and got it the very next day. The party line is it will take longer to issue a new passport. Most of my dealings have been by mail for my own passport renewals in the past, visas for my family, and PIO, OCI, etc. but I've found the Consulate folks to be particularly nice and helpful if one goes in person. I'd suggest you go there rather than try to do it by mail. Throw yourself at their mercy appearing suitably contrite at your lapse, and appreciative of any help from them Make sure you're there by 8 a.m. right when they open. Never know, you might not have a problem at all getting this issue resolved quickly. Good luck! And let us know how you get on so it helps others in the same predicament.

Aug 12th, 2009, 08:24	#14
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 5,845	Would it be possible to do the paperwork through an Indian address as opposed to raising the issue of your possibly having given up the Indian passport for American citizenship.?

Aug 12th, 2009, 08:45	#15
vir Indori Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 268	You can renew it. If it has expired for more than 6 months you have to submit an notarized affidavit (with 2 witnesses) to San Francisco consulate with a reason as to why you didn't renew it earlier. Rest of the procedure is exactly same as if your Passport is still valid but expiring soon.