VFS Global Shares An Update For Indian Visa Applicants In USA (2024)

VFS Global Shares An Update For Indian Visa Applicants In USA (1)

Last Updated on Jul 10th, 2024 by Heena Ganotra, Leave a Comment

In view of the continued concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, VFS Global shared an update for VISA applicants in USA on 11 January 2022. This was regarding the submission of applications at the Indian Consular Application Centres.

The VFS clearly stated that the Indian Consular Application Centres will no longer accept in-person applications via walk-in/over-the-counter with or without appointments for Indian Visas till further notice. This is due to the spike in the Covid-19 cases.

“Owing to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments in the USA, our Indian Consular Application Centres will not be accepting any in-person applications until further notice,” said VFS Global.

VFS Global Shares An Update For Indian Visa Applicants In USA (2)

How To Submit Applications If In-Person Applications Are Suspended?

Indian Visa applicants can continue to apply via post either through the POSTAL PROCESS or through EMERGENCY VISA SERVICES.

**Please note that the emergency visa services were resumed by the VFS in December 2021.

Procedure To Apply Through The Postal Process

Registration on VFS Portal to submit your Consular application to VFS Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) is important. Apart from this, filling the consular application form online on the Government of India website is mandatory to apply by the postal process.

Please note that you will need the Application Reference Number (ARN), File number, or Application Id to start the Postal Registration process on VFS Portal.

Postal Address For Indian Visa Applicants In USA

Given below are the postal addresses for Indian Visa applicants residing in the consular jurisdictions of Consulates General of India at –

  • VFS Global San Francisco

Floor 5, 228 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA – 94108

(Include States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Island of Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Territory of American Samoa and Wyoming)

  • VFS Global Atlanta

5607 Glenridge Drive Suite 725, Atlanta, Georgia GA 30342

(Include States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and US Virgin Islands)

  • VFS Global Houston

Suite 550, 1001 Texas Avenue, Houston TX 77002

(Include States: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska)

  • VFS Global Chicago

Suite 2075, 180 North Stetson Ave, 20th Floor, Chicago – 60601

(Include States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin)

  • VFS Global New York

145 W 45th Street 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10036

(Include States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont)

  • VFS Global Washington DC

1025 Vermont Ave, N.W. Ste 302 Washington, DC 20005

(Include States: Bermuda, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia)

T&Cs When Applying For VISA Via Post

When you start the process, you will be asked –

  • To review the information filled on the Government form (s) for accuracy before starting the registration process on VFS Indian Consular Application Centre’s portal application system.
  • To not start the process on the VFS system unless you have verified the accuracy of the information filled on Govt. Portal.
  • To upload Photographs on Govt. Portal (For OCI and Visa Applications)
  • To not make any edits if you have submitted the form online on both Govt. Portal (s) and VFS Portal.

**In case of any mistakes, complete the registration process again while completing registration on Government Portal or VFS Portal.

Before making the online payment for Visa, ensure that –

  • The Application Reference Number, File Reference number, or Application Id is correct.
  • The passport number is correct.
  • The location of the VFS Indian Consular application Centre as per your Consular Jurisdiction is correct.
  • The application category chosen is correct.
  • The information matches with your passport, details on the Government form & on the VFS registration portal.

VFS VISA Payment Modes & Fee Details

VFS service fee, courier fee, or convenience fee are not refundable.

However, if you pay the fee but later decide not to send your application, you are eligible to raise a refund request. You shall then get the eligible refund of the Consular fee & ICWF fee.

Please note that the consular fee and ICWF fee are refundable only if not remitted. If the fee is remitted to the Embassy or Consulate, then there will be no refund whatsoever.

Going with chargeback will make VFS transfer the chargeback penalty and other associated amounts to you by raising an online invoice.

Paying the fee by money order or banker’s check will have the application process initiated only post realization of the funds into our bank account. This may take 2-5 business days.

In a nutshell, a service fee of US$ 15.90 (inclusive of all taxes) per application will be charged in addition to applicable Government of India fees for these services. The applicant will also be required to pay US$ 3.00 on account of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) apart from the VFS service charge and for any value-added services, like courier, etc.

Association Of Indian Consular Center and VFS Global

With effect from 13 December 2021 (12:01 AM PST), Indian Consulate Centers in USA had outsourced VISA services to VFS Global.

The appointment of VFS Global as the new Outsourcing Service Provider has been done for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport, Global Entry Programme (GEP), and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) services for the Consulate General of India.

Under this agreement, the Consulate will not accept direct visa applications and the applicant will need to submit the visa application to VFS.

Pretty streamlined, right? Well, now that you know the nitty-gritty of applying for an Indian VISA in USA, we’ll like to know that the process beyond this is also very simple. Once you apply and receive your Indian VISA, you can get in touch with MyTicketsToIndia to book cheap flights to India.

MyTicketsToIndia is a flight-booking platform that has devoted 13 years of service to its travelers; all the while making their journeys easier and hassle-free. We share the best flight itineraries after understanding the clients’ requirements and book the most affordable flight tickets. All you have to do is give us a call or join the live chat and we’ll take things forth from there.

About Heena Ganotra | View Posts

A writer by both passion and profession, Heena Ganotra is "half agony, half hope" but all heart. And oh, she has been a book lover from the start! Her love for books is what convinced her to make a career in the wonderful world of words. She loves what she does and is out-and-out a satisfied soul with a wish to spread happiness like herpes. Insight- Some say she is living the best life anyone could because she reads, writes, travels, and makes merry. They’re right because what else does one really need! :)

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VFS Global Shares An Update For Indian Visa Applicants In USA (2024)

FAQs

Why are no VFS appointment slots currently available? ›

If message “No Slots Available” is displayed, you should try again in a few days' time. You can only book one appointment per person (no duplicate appointment allowed by the system). Introduce yourself. The first thing to do in a conversation is to introduce yourself . ...

How do I know if my Indian visa is approved? ›

The status of Visa Application can be seen on the link for Visa Enquiry. The applicants are also requested to visit website of the Indian Mission concerned for detailed information about Indian visa.

Why is the VFS Global appointment not working? ›

Retry: High demand can temporarily limit appointment slots. Be patient and try scheduling again if this happens. Contact Customer Service: If the problem persists or you receive error messages during appointment booking, contact VFS Global's customer service.

How to know if a visa is approved by VFS? ›

Track an application

You can also track your visa application status online. Use the Reference Number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre along with your last name to access this service.

Can I walk in VFS without an appointment? ›

If you need to travel urgently, miss your pre-booked appointment, or simply cannot book an appointment at your preferred date and time, the Walk-in Without Appointment service, available for select countries, allows you to submit your visa application on a day you choose.

What to do if there is no available slot for a visa appointment? ›

If there are currently no appointments available, please go back to the scheduling system at a later time. Our office typically schedules additional appointment slots on a rolling basis depending on the demand for appointments. Therefore, we recommend you check the appointment system periodically for availability.

How long does it take for Indian visa to be approved from USA? ›

It may be noted that it could take up to 5 business days (longer in certain cases) for processing of the visa on receipt of the application in the Consulate, subject to complete submission of documents.

How can I fast track my Indian visa? ›

Urgent Visa Processing

Urgent Indian Visa processing fee needs to be paid for Tourist, Business, Medical, Conference and Medical Attendant Indian Visas. This facility allows you to get Indian Visa Online (eVisa India) in as short as 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours.

How long is the wait for Indian visa? ›

Tourist eVisas are usually ready within 3 working days if all your documents are correct. This timeframe can vary depending on your nationality and specific details of your application. Business, Medical, Medical Attendant, and Conference eVisas may need more time because of additional checks.

How long is the waiting time at VFS? ›

You need to have a prebooked appointment with VFS in order to submit your visa or residence permit applications. During busy times the waiting time for appointments can be long, up to 6-8 weeks. Information on how to book appointments can be found at the homepage of VFS Global.

Why can't I access VFS Global? ›

You are requested to have good internet connectivity and should you have to retry, please attempt on a single device after closing all your browser windows, disconnecting from VPN, and clearing your cache memory.

Have not received VFS Global appointment confirmation? ›

Login to your account. This link can be found on our website and is also provided in your appointment booking emails. Select 'Resend confirmation letter' or 'Print appointment letter' from the Appointment Details section of the Dashboard.

How long does VFS take to approve? ›

The processing time for Visa Application is approximately 6 Working Days.

How will I know if my visa application has been approved? ›

You can check the visa stamping status online by visiting the official website of the visa issuing authority of the country you wish to travel to. You can check the status by using your passport number or else you can even use your application or reference number.

Do you get an email when your visa is approved? ›

If you have applied for a Student Visa, you will get a letter or email to let you know that a decision has been made on your application. You will need to bring this with you when attending an international check-in appointment.

What if there are no visa appointments available? ›

If you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa and you have urgent need of travel and you are unable to schedule an appointment that will accommodate travel, you may request an expedited appointment. Please click here for step-by-step visa application instructions.

Why are there no appointments available for a Schengen visa? ›

Reason why there are no appointments is that travel visa agencies are buying up all the slots and charging people 320-400 pounds to have a visa.

How do I check if my visa slots are available? ›

You may contact the official embassy or consulate website to verify available visa appointment dates. These websites are designed to provide accurate and up-to-date information for visa applicants. By following a few simple steps, you can find the available slots and secure an appointment that suits your schedule.

How to subscribe on the waitlist VFS? ›

Waitlist Notification Process: If appointment slots are unavailable, applicants will be automatically added to a waitlist. Notifications will be sent to your registered email address once a slot becomes available for booking.

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