At the time of scheduling a visa appointment, you can choose from two options for getting your passport back once your visa is issued:
- Pick Up Option
The consulate will deliver your passport to the collection location by courier. As the cost to hold your passport at a pick up location is already included in the visa fee, you don’t have to pay anything additional for the same.
You pick up the passport from US visa collection locations in India.
This option will not deliver the passport to your home, office, or any other personal address.
In case you have an urgent travel need, selecting the courier location closer to the interview location may result in faster pick-up time. - Premium (Home) Delivery Option
For an additional fee of Rs. 500 per applicant, you can get it delivered by courier to your home.
FAQ
You will receive one passport per envelope as separate tracking of every passport is required due to security and safety rules. There is no discount for multiple passport/envelope delivery, either.
Tracking Your Passport
There are various options to track the delivery of the passport:
- Online:
You can track your passport’s delivery status using the ‘CGI Federal portal’ link, login using your email id and password.
Your passport status will get updated in the last block as you see in the below image.
To know various status please check the ‘CGI Portal‘ link.
- Usual Passport Status:
“Your passport is being delivered to post”: The passport is yet to be delivered to the Embassy/Consulate from the Dropbox location.
“Your passport is still with the US Embassy/Consulate”: The passport has been delivered to the Embassy/Consulate now it is under process.
“Passport has been received from the consular section, and is currently being processed for delivery”: Passport is ready for shipping to the registered mailing address or to the passport pick up location. If this message hasn’t changed for more than 2 or 3 days then it is wise to visit the passport pick up location in person with the UID, which can be found in the Appointment History section in the ‘CGI Federal portal’. Click the little rounded plus icon on the left of the recent appointment to view the UID it is a 8 digit number which can be used to check at the pick up location. - To check the visa status:
Visit “U.S. Department of State Consular electronic application center” website choose Non Immigrant Visa as the Visa application type. Enter your DS-160 Case number and know the status. - Email:
Send an email to [email protected].
Enter a valid passport number (exactly as it was entered at the time of scheduling an appointment) in the subject and/or body. Do not include any additional text.
You will receive an automatic response with the status. - Phone: You can track your passport via 24×7 IVR.
Meaning of Tracker Messages
- “The current status of your passport is In Transit To Post.” = CGI is yet to deliver your passport to the Consulate. It is in between the CGI location and the consulate.
- “The current status of your passport is Delivered To Post.” = CGI has delivered your passport to the consulate.
- “The current status of your passport is Origination Scan.” = The US Consulate has filled in your courier slip but is awaiting the courier company to pick it up / the courier company is in the process of issuing an AWB/Reference code.
- “The current status of your passport is In Transit From Post.” = The passport with or without the visa is now being transported by courier to the pick up location that you specified at the time of creating the appointment. Please check the location of pickup on your US Consulate appointment invitation letter.
- “The current status of your passport is Ready For Pickup.” = It has arrived at the pickup location. For some, it may be the Facilitation Center.
- “The current status of your passport is Picked Up.” = You (or your authorized person) picked up the passport.
Modifying the Courier Address
If you have already scheduled an appointment online, but wish to modify your document delivery address, you can do so by visiting the CGI web site. You may change your document delivery address or document pick-up location at any time prior to 11:59 p.m. on the day of your interview at the embassy or consulate. Click on the “Modify Courier Address” link. Alternatively, you can do it through their call center.
Correction of Details on Visa
Details here.
What If My Passport Does Not Arrive?
If you have not received your passport within 7 business days after your interview, you can either call or visit the nearest visa application center.
Unavailable for Taking the Delivery
If you don’t take the delivery of the passports within 10 business days, they will be returned back to the embassy / consulate where you were interviewed. If this happens, please contact the call center for further assistance.
