General instructions for Miscellaneous Services

Owing to the growing spread of COVID19, it has been decided to stop the walk-in Miscellaneous Consular Services at the Embassy of India with effect from March 16, 2020. The services will continue to be provided through Postal mail/shipping.

Applicants while forwarding applications by postal mail for all kinds of consular services may send only notarized copies of Passport and address proof. No originals required to be sent by post. However, for death documentation the passport in original of the dead person must be presented. The rest of the directions may please be seen in the relevant links of the respective services

Applicants for Miscellaneous Services listed below may visit/MAIL the Consular Wing of the Embassy of India at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 on any working day (except declared Holidays) between 10.00 AM - 12.30 PM. There is no need to take an appointment and the service will be on first come first serve basis.

Before the visit to seek the required service, applicants must be ready with complete application form and the required documents, as listed under each service category.

Applicants can submit their Miscellaneous Applications in person or send it by Mail at the given address.

The Embassy reserves the right to reject attestation of documents, the contents of which are objectionable or contrary to the Rules.

Please apply strictly as per the jurisdiction for which applicants have verifiable proof of address. Following is the Consular jurisdiction of the Embassy/Consulates: Washington DC, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, New York.

The Embassy have no Agents for rending these services and applicants should approach the Embassy directly, either in person or through mail.

There is no parking space available at the Embassy for applicants coming to seek consular services. Visitors arriving by car may have difficulties finding a parking place in the area. Therefore, the use of public transport is recommended. Dupont Circle is the station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro which is the nearest one to the Consular Wing.

"Please note No Commercial Documents are attested by the Embassy. The same should be apostilled from US Government Authorities for presenting in India."

Apostille Convention: The Hague Convention, to which India and USA are signatories, abolishes the requirement of legalization for Foreign Public Documents. With the certification by the Hague Convention 'Apostille', the document is entitled to recognition in India and vice versa and no certification by the Embassy of India is required. The Convention applies to public documents which have been executed in the territory of one Contracting State and which have to be produced in the territory of another Contracting State. 

The Embassy does not attest any document issued by authorities in India. If any document issued by authorities in India such as birth and death certificates, affidavits, educational documents/diplomas, marriage certificate, Driving License etc. are required to be presented to authorities in USA, those should be apostilled in India. For details, please check the website “Legalization of Documents” at http://www.mea.gov.in/apostille.htm.

It is mandatory for the documents issued by the US Government authorities to be apostilled by the relevant authorities in the USA before presenting the document for attestation at the Embassy.

General Guidelines for Miscellaneous Services:

• When applying in person, please carry original and one photocopy of specified supporting documents along with filled up Miscellaneous Application Form.

• When applying by mail, please ensure to send original and one photocopy of specified supporting documents along with Miscellaneous Application Form and a track-able pre-paid self-addressed return mailing envelope. Note: Bank/credit card/mobile phone statements are not accepted as residence proof. In case the Embassy receives applications with incomplete documentation, the same would be sent back unprocessed in the return envelope indicating the requisites to complete the application.

• Fees: when applying in person, specified fees can be paid either in Cash or as Money order/ Cashier's check drawn in favour of Embassy of India, Washington DC.

• When applying by mail specified fees must be paid only as Money order/ Cashier's check drawn in favour of Embassy of India, Washington DC.. All fees specified and the payment of additional fee of $2.00 (Two Only) towards Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) must be drawn as a separate Money order/ Cashier's check. Payments of all specified fee and fee towards ICWF when made must be either in cash or as Money order/Cashier's check drawn in in favour of Embassy of India, Washington DC.The whole payment must be in the same mode and cannot be done partly in cash and partly as Money order/ Cashier's check. ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. PERSONAL CHEQUES, CREDIT CARDS, DEBIT CARDS OR OTHER BANKING INSTRUMENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

• For any queries relating to the Miscellaneous Services, you may send email to cons1.washington@mea.gov.in . Your mails will be responded to at the earliest.

• Embassy provides the following Miscellaneous Services. Documentary requirements, are listed in the specific links below: 

• LIFE CERTIFICATE

• MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

• POWER OF ATTORNEY / AFFIDAVITS RELATING TO PROPERTY OR FINANCIAL MATTERS

• REGISTRATION OF BIRTH

• ATTESTATION OF WILL

• ATTESTATION OF DOCUMENTS SUCH AS PAN FORM, BANK STATEMENT, SALARY STATEMENT, COPY OF INDIAN PASSPORT, COPY OF A DOCUMENT ISSUED BY US AUTHORITIES (US PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE, ETC.)

• BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR NON-AVAILABILITY OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE

• AFFIDAVIT FOR CHILD’S PASSPORT TO BE ISSUED IN INDIA

• NRI CERTIFICATE

• POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE INDIAN NATIONALS (PCC)

• POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE NON-INDIAN NATIONALS (PCC)

• NO OBLIGATION TO RETURN TO INDIA (NORI)

• NOC TO CARRY MORTAL REMAINS/ASHES/ATTESTATION OF DEATH CERTIFICATE

• EMERGENCY TRAVEL DOCUMENT (EMERGENCY CERTIFICATE-EC)