They will print the address that’s listed on your Aadhar card.

This is the message that many users have received from VFS in the USA:

VFS has not provided any official consent letter format as of now.

We have created this sample consent letter which you can use for your passport renewal.

How to Create Consent Letter Online

The app takes care of creating the PDF for you and sends you the properly filled consent letter affidavit to your email address securely.

It will only take 2 minutes to generate the letter.

Create all affidavits and annexures required for Indian passport renewal in one go with our easy-to-use app.

A user log-in is required and the app will save your information to generate the affidavit again anytime later from any device including your iPhone, Android, or Samsung mobile.

#1 Enter Your Details

Enter your full name, select your Gender, and fill in your father’s name as per your current unexpired Indian passport.

The gender is used by the app to change the affidavit language to refer to ‘his/her‘ and make it unique for your case.

The app will flash an error if there are any missing fields to make sure you do not miss anything on the affidavit.

#2 Address

The self-sworn affidavit needs two types of addresses:

• Indian Address: This can be your parent’s address, relatives, or any neighbor in India.
• Non-Indian address: This should be your current active residential address outside India.

We strongly recommend providing your current foreign country address.

For example, people living in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, etc. should enter their current address that matches the address proof.

We have entered a sample New York address here:

#3 Date of Leaving India

The app considers the date of your leaving India as 5 years from today as the default date. This means that if you do not enter or select the actual date that left India, the app will assume it has been more than 5 years.

This affects the language in the affidavit. There is no need to worry even if you do not select the date as the Indian government just wants to make sure that you are living outside India for more than 5 years.

If you do select the actual date, the app will automatically calculate the years and days and will print on the affidavit PDF to make it easier for you.

VFS Sample Consent Letter for Indian Address

You can fill out this template, print and submit it to VFS.

FAQ

The post VFS Consent letter for Printable Indian address On Passport Renewal Based on Aadhar card appeared first on AM22Tech.

You can fill out the affidavit by hand or on a computer or use our app to create the whole affidavit in the format accepted by the Indian embassy.

How to find out if Appearance has Changed?

On the affidavit, you have to mention if

• ‘Appearance has changed’ or
• ‘Appearance has not changed’

If you are applying for renewal after 10 years, our suggestion is to always say ‘Appearance has changed‘ to avoid delays or rejection of your application.

There is no need to worry even if you have to agree to a change in appearance. Usually, when you age, your appearance does change, which you may not realize yourself. There is no need to worry and a passport will be issued to you.

For example, if you are applying for a child’s passport, you will say that his/her appearance has changed as it always does for a growing kid.

Similarly, if you have started keeping a beard or now wear a turban, and vice versa, your appearance will be considered as changed.

Change in Appearance Affidavit Online

Create all affidavits and annexures required for Indian passport renewal in one go with our easy-to-use app.

FAQ

The post Change of Appearance Affidavit for Indian Passport Renewal appeared first on AM22Tech.

Annexure E is simply an affidavit by an Indian-origin person to declare that they are a citizen of India by birth/descent/registration/naturalization and they have neither acquired the citizenship of another country nor have surrendered their citizenship of India.

There are several other declarations that you need to make on this Annexure including but not limited to the security threats, criminal proceedings, and that you were not sent back (deported) from any foreign country at the Indian government’s expense.

Annexure E Online

You can create the Indian Embassy’s Annexure E affidavit easily using AM22Tech’s app.

Create all affidavits and annexures required for Indian passport renewal in one go with our easy-to-use app.

The service offers a full refund if the affidavit is denied by the Indian embassy.

Indian Citizenship type

Annexure E asks for your Indian citizenship type or you can say ‘How you received Indian citizenship’. There are 4 options:

1. Birth – you were born in India and hence became an Indian citizen.
2. Descent – means you were born in an Indian family.
3. Naturalization – means you applied for Indian citizenship through the official citizenship process with the Indian government and they approved it.
4. Registration – means that the Indian government gave you citizenship through a specific registration process.

You should write the correct option as to how you received your citizenship.

Multiple country citizenships

You should declare about holding multiple country citizenships. Your passport renewal may not approved if you declare wrong information or try to hide information.

India does not allow dual citizenship for its citizens.

For example, if you have received citizenship of the USA, Canada, or any other country, then you are required to surrender your Indian passport and its citizenship to the Indian embassy.

For Indian-origin people, you can apply for an OCI card to visit India without an Indian visa. Please note that you will need an Affidavit of an additional particular form to apply OCI card.

FAQ

The post Create Annexure E for Indian Embassy Online appeared first on AM22Tech.

SFO embassy (San Francisco) requires Apostille by US state before attestation while New York, Washington DC, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago may or may not require Apostille.

• Attestation of power of attorney is NOT the same as registration of power of attorney.
• Attestation is a pre-requisite to registration if you are outside India – NRI (non-resident Indian).

Documents Required

1. Miscellaneous services form. Each Indian embassy their own Misc Services form format – New York, Washington DC, Houston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago.
2. Original Passport + Copies of all non-blank pages including first and last page.
3. Copy of Address proof in USA – 1 address proof is required – US bank statement, driving license, utility bill, Home lease agreement, etc.
4. Valid Visa copy – Valid H1B, H4, L1, etc. Remember that B1/B2 is not considered valid for creating POA.
5. Original Visa petition – approval notice i797 or USCIS issues receipt number for extension filing.
6. Original i94 + Copies – In the case of electronic i94, just take the print-out with you.
7. Two (2) passport-size photographs to be affixed against your name on POA.

NOTE: It is advised to carry the original version of the documents with you for verification, in case the consulate asks for it.

The process of registering the POA does NOT require ‘attestation‘ if you are still in India and planning to leave soon. i.e. you are about to leave and want to give power of attorney to someone in your family or a friend.

#1 Notarize Power of Attorney

2 witness signatures are required for attestation of Power of attorney. 

A witness can be anyone holding a valid US ID proof with an address and photo.

Witnesses should preferably be other than immediate family members.

• Witnesses CAN go to Indian Consulate with you? There is NO need to get the notarization.
• Witnesses CANNOT go to Indian Consulate with you? Take signatures of 2 witnesses on this POA in the presence of Notary.

A Free notary is available in most towns’ libraries, banks like Bank of America (Free if you have an account with them), and your own office would have one.

Paid notaries are available at USPS offices/shops too.

Online notaries are also available in the USA now:

• DocVerify
• Notarize
• NotaryCam
• Pavaso
• Safedocs
• SIGNiX

You should NOT sign the POA yet. It is to be done in front of the Indian consulate.

If the notary insists on your sign, then you can sign. You will be required to sign once again in Indian Embassy.

#2 Apostille PoA

You may or may not need Apostile based on your current Passport and the Indian Embassy you are applying at.

If you need Apostille, check the US secretary of state office website for the process. Supporting documents do not need Apostille.

#3 Attestation at Indian Embassy

An in-person visit to Embassy

You should either have 2 witnesses travel with you to the embassy or have the notarized POA.

Each embassy office has a time window normally between 9 AM to 11 AM to accept in-person attestation requests.

If both you and your spouse have been named as executant in POA, then both of you need to be present in Embassy physically with your original passports.

Documents required here:

• Your original POA,
• a photocopy of this POA and
• Original passport

You would be asked to sign in front of the officer on the POA to verify your signature.

Deposit the fees and you will most probably be asked to come back after 12 PM (afternoon) to collect the attested PoA.

Show the receipt and collect the attested POA and your passport. You are all set.

By Postal Mail

You need to get all the signatures (2 witnesses + your own) notarized.

Get the fees cashier check or money order.

The return shipping check has to be made separately. The amount differs by each embassy. No need to send the return shipping envelope. They take care of it with the return shipping fees that you send.

Send the documentary proof (only photocopies) with an exception of the original passport to the Indian consulate.

Documents required to be sent by mail:

• Your original POA,
• A photocopy of this POA and
• Original passport

The consulate will attest and return the documents back to you within a week.

Registration in India

Registration of ‘attested POA’ can only be done in India.

Send PoA to India and then follow the steps to register this POA.

FAQ

The post Attestation of Power of Attorney at Indian Consulate – USA appeared first on AM22Tech.

This form is needed if you are applying for:

• Indian visa for travel, work, or any other purpose
• OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card
• PIO (Person of Indian origin) card

The additional particulars form is complex and you need to fill in a lot of information about your background. Indian embassy can reject your application if you hide any critical data points.

The sample form is available on the VFS global website here and you can fill it out yourself. If you would like to use our app to fill and validate everything, you can use it here:

The app validates all the data makes sure that no information is left unchecked and helps avoid denials by the Indian government.

The post Indian Additional Particular Form for Visa, PIO, or OCI card appeared first on AM22Tech.

Annexure D is an affidavit by parents of an Indian-origin child to declare that they are a citizen of India and the child is maintaining his/her Indian citizenship.

Annexure D Online

You can create Annexure D online by using AM22Tech’s app. The app validates and fills the affidavit as per the Indian government format.

Create all affidavits and annexures required for Indian passport renewal in one go with our easy-to-use app.

FAQ

The post Annexure D for Child Indian Passport Renewal – Parent sign required appeared first on AM22Tech.

People who select the wrong jurisdiction get their applications rejected.

Passport Renewal Rejection

Many people who are selecting an Indian embassy that has no control over their residence address are getting passport renewal denials from VFS Global Services.

Note that your fee is not fully refunded if your application is returned due to the wrong embassy.

The Indian government’s website does not auto-select the correct embassy based on your address. The responsibility of finding the correct consulate is with you.

Power of Attorney

The selection of the correct Indian consulate is required for all purposes including attestation of power of attorney, police clearance certificate, or any other document signing requirement.

The Indian embassy accepts attestation requests by mail.

Hence, it becomes extremely important to select the correct address. They will cross-check it with your residence proof like your driver’s license or most recent utility bill.

Multiple Address?

If you have multiple addresses like a holiday home or a university dorm/hostel address in addition to your primary home, we suggest using the address printed on your unexpired driver’s license or the most recent utility bill to find the correct Indian embassy.

The post Indian embassy By Zip Code – Passport Renewal in USA appeared first on AM22Tech.

In the Netherlands, the same Affidavit F is known as Annexure L.

This affidavit declares the details of how the passport was lost or damaged. The format of the affidavit varies a bit by the Indian embassy in the country where you are applying for a passport.

We have an app that you can use to create this Affidavit without worrying about the format. It automatically picks the correct format based on your country.

You will need to declare your last 3 addresses and the page numbers of the entry and exit stamps if you are an NRI (Non-resident Indian).

Annexure F/L Lost Damaged passport online

The app creates a pre-filled PDF file with all the required information for Annexure F. You can then upload it or send it with your passport renewal package.

What is TR Concession?

The TR concession on Annexure F means ‘transfer of residence’.

Transfer of Residence is an option to save Indian customs duty if you want to move to India after a stay abroad of at least two years. You can take most personal and household items without paying Indian customs duty with some exceptions.

The question on the Affidavit “Have you availed TR concession” can be answered as No if you have not used this transfer of residence option anytime in the past.

FT Allowance Meaning?

FT allowance on Annexure F means ‘Fund Transfer’ allowance.

Normally, when you travel abroad from India, you buy foreign currency for travel needs. This is usually mentioned on the last pages of your passport by the bank or the agent who gave you the money.

If something like this was mentioned on your passport, then please select ‘Yes’ and provide details.

FAQ

The post Annexure F/L for Lost/Damaged Indian Passport Renewal appeared first on AM22Tech.

In USA, VFS instructions are a little different:

1. Paper printed photo size: 2×2 inch
2. Upload Photo size: 35×45 mm

Many applicants face delays or rejections because their photos do not meet Indian gov standards while uploading it on website.

Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help you get your photos right the first time as per Indian gov photo guidelines for passport or OCI.

Indian Passport Photo Requirements

To avoid delays and rejections, your application photos must strictly follow the official Indian government photo specifications.

• Size: 45 x 35 mm
• Head Position: Head height must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair.
• Background: A plain light gray background is required, with no patterns or shadows.
• Expression: Maintain a neutral facial expression or a natural, subtle smile. Both eyes must be open and visible.
• Eyewear: Glasses are not permitted in the photo, except in rare instances of medical necessity with a signed doctor’s statement.
• Print Quality: Photos must be high-resolution, printed on photo-quality paper (matte or glossy), and free of smudges or creases.
• Quantity: Unless specified otherwise on your form, you must submit two identical photos.

Important: Do not use selfies, casual snapshots, or heavily filtered photos. Ensure the lighting is even and there are no dark shadows on your face or the background.

Where to Get Indian Passport photo Clicked?

You can visit Walmart, CVS or Walgreens to get your photos clicked for Indian passport renewal.

At some locations, even Costco and Sams club also offer reasonably priced passport size photos. They can also edit the photo as per Indian government’s 45×35 size requirements.

They usually charge upwards of $14.99 for two pictures.

The other option is to click the photo yourself using the mobile phone camera or your digital camera. There are softwares and websites available online which can help you edit your photos to exact specifications.

You should remember that editing is complex as the final edited image should print to exact measurements of 2 inch x 2 inch on paper. The image’s DPI (dots per inch) also matter as they control the quality of the final printed output.

Indian government requires the image to be high resolution which can be attained if you click the image by your iPhone and then edit it to at least 300 DPI. AM22Tech’s AI photo editor takes care of checking the photo resolution and edits it to minimum 300 Dots per inch thereby making it extremely easy to satisfy government requirements.

If you would like to click them yourself to save money, here is how to take Indian passport photo at home.

Step 1 of 4

Lighting

How to Take Your Passport or Visa Photo at Home

Save time and money by capturing a professional-quality photo right from home. All you need is a smartphone and a few minutes. Follow these steps for the perfect shot.

1 Right Lighting

Stand against a plain white or off-white wall. Face a window for natural daylight to ensure even lighting and avoid harsh shadows.

2 Set Up Your Camera

Use a tripod or ask a friend. Keep the lens at eye level and about 2 to 4 feet away. Always use the back camera for sharper quality.

3 Strike the Correct Pose

Look directly at the camera with a neutral expression. Keep your head straight, shoulders relaxed, and ensure your full head and shoulders are visible.

4 Capture & Upload

Take the shot and upload it to an AI photo editor. It will adjust background, crop correctly, and produce a high-resolution photo that matches government standards.

Expert Tip

Avoid using a flash. It creates glare on skin and glasses. Natural light is your best friend!

Making Your Photo Indian Gov-Ready

Even with a perfect shot, technical details like resizing, cropping, and cleaning the background can be a headache. Indian government is very strict and will reject photos if the head ratio or dimensions are even slightly off, leading to frustrating delays.

The Final Editing Steps

• Crop and center the head to the exact specifications.
• Ensure precise 45x35 mm dimensions.
• Professionally remove background shadows and ensure a light-gray background.
• Generate print-ready files (JPEG/PNG) for easy printing at home or a store.

FAQ

The post Indian Passport Photo Online in USA – Gov & VFS Guidelines [Avoid Rejection] appeared first on AM22Tech.

The simple answer is YES, you are eligible to get your social security amount monthly after you turn 62 (retirement age) even if you are outside the US physically.

Eligibility

1 SSN credit is given for 1 quarter of social security tax contribution.

40 credits mean 10 years of contribution if you keep working and contributing without any break.

The 40 credits can be achieved in breaks also.

SSA.gov has a tool to test your eligibility for payments outside the US.

Example:

An H1B worker comes to work for Infosys in the USA. He pays social security tax for 6 years and then returns to India for offshore work. Infosys has an approved i140 for this employee.

He then changes his employer in India and joins TCS (Tata Consultancy Services).

TCS applies for his H1B transfer using Infosys’s approved i140 after 2 years in India and sends him again to the US for a long-term onshore assignment.

As soon as the person joins the TCS in the USA, the payroll starts again, and social security tax is automatically deducted before in-hand pay.

He has worked for another 5 years and continues to contribute to Social Security.

How to check my Credits?

You can register on the Social Security website for a free account and connect it with your SSN.

The website is pretty user-friendly and will show all your contributions irrespective of your work breaks.

You can even use your social account login like Facebook or Google to create an account on the SSA.gov website.

How to Apply for Social Security outside USA?

If you are living outside the USA and want to claim social security, you need to apply for it explicitly in the Social Security office located in your country.

If your country is not listed on the SSN website for an office location, then you should contact the US embassy in your country for the next steps.

Example:

If you are in India, you will need to visit the SSN office in Manila. You will need to visit the office 3 months before your retirement age i.e. 62 and apply for receiving benefits.

Once your application is approved and you are eligible (have 40 credits), you will start receiving your money in India.

How Much Money Will I Get As Social Security?

The amount of social security is calculated based on several factors. You can check an estimate of how much money you are eligible for by entering your average salary in the calculator provided by the SSA.GOV website.

You will need to register on the SSA.GOV website to access this calculator.

H1B workers Eligible to Get Social Security?

I discussed this topic with one of my guests on my YouTube channel and they also have the understanding that one is eligible to get Social Security outside the USA:

FAQ

The post Will Social Security Benefits be Paid in India / Canada If I Leave USA? appeared first on AM22Tech.