Question: Where is the Indian Consulate in San Francisco located? What is the address of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco?
Answer: The Consulate is located at 540 Arguello Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118 (cross roads Geary and Arguello)
Q: Does the Consulate have parking facilities? Where can I park my car when I come to the Consulate for consular services?
A: The Consulate does not have any parking facilities. You can park your car at a public or metered parking.
Q: What are the timings of the Consulate? When can I come to the Consulate to have my documents processed?
A: The Consulate is open to the public from 9.00 am t0 12.00 noon on all working days from Monday through Friday for accepting documents for consular services.
Q: Is the Consulate open on weekends? Can I come on a weekend to have my documents processed?
A: The Consulate does not function on weekends.
Q: Can I bring my personal belongings – laptops, cellphone, etc. - inside the consulate? Does the Consulate allow personal belongings like laptops, cellphones, backpacks, etc. inside the consulate premises?
A: For security considerations, personal belongings that you have mentioned are not allowed inside the Consulate premises. The Consulate does not have any facility to store these items. If you bring these items, you have to leave them outside at your own risk.
Q: How can I pay the fees for the different consular services? Does the Consulate accept cash/credit cards/personal cheques?
A: The Consulate accepts payment through cashier’s cheque or money order drawn in favour of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco. If you are, however, applying in person, in addition to the cashier’s cheque/money order, you can also pay by Debit Card. The Consulate does not accept payment in cash or by Credit Card or by personal cheques.
Q: Does the Consulate conduct any camps anywhere?
A: The Consulate does not organize any camps anywhere.
Q: I have tried calling the consulate by phone but I am not able to get through. What is the best option to reach you?
A: Our incoming traffic of telephone calls is extremely heavy. When you call, it is possible our executives are answering other calls. It is, therefore, advisable to send us an email. We endeavor to answer all emails within 24 hours.
Q: Can you send me application form for passport renewal by fax or email?
A: The Consulate is obliged to issue Machine Readable Passports. You are, therefore, required to complete the online application available on our website www.cgisf.org > passports > forms. Hence, application for passport renewal cannot be sent by fax or email.
Q: Can I come before the date of my appointment?
A: The appointment date generated on the passport is for providing smooth and efficient services to the applicants. You can come before the appointment date. You will, however, be required to pay a fee of $ 150 for jumping the queue
Q: How can I cancel my previous appointment as I am unable to come because my forms are filled wrongly?
A: You do not need to cancel the appointment. Complete the online application again and come on the date generated on the form.
Q: Do I have to wait until my appointment date to mail my application?
A: You do not have to wait until the appointment date to mail in your application. You can mail the application as soon as you have completed the application, irrespective of the date generated.
Q: Do I have to mail my application and then submit all the documents in original or do it all together?
A: The application and all other documents should be submitted together.
Q: My passport is damaged. What should I do with the visas now?
A: You must first apply for a fresh passport. After you receive the passport, you have to approach the INS in the USA and/or other consulates if you have obtained visas from them to transfer your visas to the new passport.
Q: Why is not there an ECNR stamp on the new passport?
A: In the new passports, ECNR is by default and, hence, no ECNR stamp is required.
Q: Will you return my old passport along with the new one?
A: Of course. We will cancel the old passport and return it to you along with the new one. We do not cancel the visas.
Q: On issue of new passport, will you cancel my visa?
A: No, we do not cancel the visas.
Q: I have valid visas on my old passport. Should I carry both my cancelled and new passports?
A: Yes. You should carry both the old cancelled and new passports.
Q: What is procedure to notarize photo for passport application?
A: Present yourself before a notary public.
Q: Do I need to enclose the passport in original?
A: Yes please.
Q: While applying for child’s passport can notarized copy of parent’s passport be submitted or do have to send original passports?
A: Passports have to be submitted in original. And when the passports are being submitted in original, there is no need to notarize the photocopy of the passports.
Q: Does the child need to put his thumb impression or can I sign on his behalf?
A: You cannot sign on behalf of your child. If the child cannot sign, you should put his/her thumb impression – left thumb for a male child (boy, and right thumb for a female child (girl).
Q: What is the exact size of photograph I need to send for passport application?
A: There are two sizes specified – 2 inches x 2 inches or 35 mm x 35 mm. You can send any of the sizes. For details of photographs, please visit our website www.cgisf.org > passport > photographs.
Q: Given name of surname is mentioned as FNU in USA visa. How do I change my name in passport?
A: The procedure for change of name is given on our website. Kindly follow directions on the website www.cgisf.org > passport > change of name and other cases.
Q: I have a five years passport issued on Tatkal basis. How do I renew it?
A: Follow instructions on our website www.cgisf.org > passport > extension of short validity passports.
Q: Can I apply for urgent passport service?
A: Yes, you can. The urgent service that you require is known as TATKAL. Tatkal service is available on compassionate grounds in cases of death/serious injury of a blood relative. You have to submit documentary evidence of the ground on which you are seeking Tatkal service, and a confirmed air ticket.
Tatkal service is not available for cases where references have to be initiated; lost and damaged passport cases; and in cases where the passport has not been renewed for more than six months after the date of expiry.
Q: I am submitting all the original documents do I still need to notarise the copies?
A: When you submit documents in original, there is no need to notarize the photocopies.
Q: There are no bills in name of the parents who are residing with me. What shall I submit as proof of address for their application?
A: You should submit your proof of residence stating on the photocopy the name/s of your parent/s and that they are residing in your household. Affix the photographs of your parent/s on the photocopy of the proof of residence and have the document notarized for submitting to the Consulate.
Q: What address proof shall I submit for my children?
A: Submit your address proof stating on the photocopy the name/s of your child/children and that they are residing in your household. Affix photograph/s of your child/children on the photocopy of the address proof and have the document notarized for submitting to the Consulate.
Q: How to change my Indian address in Passport?
A: Apply on Miscellaneous Services application along with a proof of the Indian address.
Q: Do I have to send all pages of my Lease agreement or only the first page mentioning my name is fine?
A: You have to submit the first page containing your name and the last page containing your signatures.
Q: I am applying for GC/I-485 adjustment status for my parents. Can we apply for their birth certificates?
A: The Consulate General of India caters to legal residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. It appears that your parents are visiting the USA on visitors’ visa for a short term. We do not provide any services to short term visitors from India or elsewhere or residents of other states in the US. However, if you have applied for a Green Card/1-485 adjustment, submit the acknowledgement of INS as proof of having done so. If we are satisfied, we will issue their birth certificates.
Q: My parents are visiting us and their passport is expiring, can we apply for renewal?
A: No please. The Consulate General of India caters to legal residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Your parents are visiting the USA on visitors’ visa for a short term. We do not provide any services to short term visitors from India or elsewhere or residents of other states in the US.
Q: I / my parents am/are US citizen/s of Indian origin and do not have a birth certificate, can I apply now?
A: You can obtain a birth certificate from us if you submit your Indian passport.
Q: I was submitting application form for renewal of passport. What are the addresses to be filled in the fields “Address to be printed on passport;” and, “Address in country of domicile.”
A: In the field “Address to be printed on passport” enter your address in INDIA. Your country of domicile is the USA. Hence, in the field “Address in country of domicile,” enter your address in the USA.
Q: I am a US citizen of Indian origin and want to give Power of Attorney
to my relatives in India. Do I have to apostille them or can I notarize the documents? Do I have to witness them before I come for attestation or can I do that later?
A: You can certainly give a Power of Attorney to your relatives in India. You should type out the Power of Attorney on a plain paper mentioning your name, your residential address and the names of your relative/s and their residential address/es. The Power of Attorney should then be witnessed by two witnesses giving their names and addresses, and finally notarized. You should then submit the processed document to the Consulate. You have to submit the document to the Consulate complete with the signatures of the two witnesses and notarized.