The United States has discontinued the facility for third-party passport collection in India, effective August 1, 2025. The measure, announced by the US Embassy in New Delhi, is aimed at enhancing the safety and security of passports and supporting documents.
Under the revised guidelines, all visa applicants must collect their passports and related documents in person from the embassy or consulate. For applicants under 18, a parent or legal guardian may collect the passport, provided they present an original consent letter signed by both parents. The embassy has clarified that scanned or emailed consent letters will not be accepted.
To provide flexibility, a paid home or office delivery service is available at a fee of ₹1,200 per applicant. This option can be selected by updating document delivery preferences online. In case of technical issues, applicants are advised to use the “Feedback/Requests” feature in their profile, attaching a screenshot of the error and specifying the preferred delivery location.
The embassy has requested applicants to avoid contacting the call centre for such updates and instead refer to the official website or the ‘Messages’ section on their Visa Application Home page for further information.