An emergency travel passport can be issued to an Indian who has lost or damaged his/ her passport in a foreign country. It is a one-way travel document issued to an individual who has to visit India urgently but doesn’t have a valid passport. This passport comes in handy for whom new passports can’t be issued without approval from India. An emergency travel document for Indian citizens is issued for the following reasons:
- Damaged passport
- Stolen passport
- Burnt passport
- Lost or misplaced passport
Also Read: Countries to Travel without a Visa for Indians
Emergency travel document (Emergency Certificate – EC) for Indians in the USA
When you realize you don’t have a passport to enter India, you can visit the Indian Mission in India. You can also visit the website of the Indian Embassy to apply for an emergency travel document. The applicant will be issued an Emergency Certificate (EC) in the following situations:
- The validity of your passport has expired and you have no valid visa to stay in the USA.
- You are under orders of deportation by US authorities and you don’t have travel documents to go back to India.
- Your passport has been lost/ stolen/ damaged/ misplaced and you don’t have valid/ legal visa status in the USA.
How to apply for emergency travel document online
Fill up the online application form available on the Online NRI Passport Application page.
Or
- Visit the embassy/ with the required application and supporting documents.
- Meet the consular officer.
- The consular’s decision will be final.
Documents required
- Duly signed filled application with a passport-size photograph affixed.
- Nationality Verification Form with a passport-size photograph.
- Photocopy of the passport if available.
- Self-attested copy of the residence proof (Driving license/ Utility Bill/ Lease Agreement/ Mortgage Deed).
- In case the applicant doesn’t have an address proof, she/ he may submit a notarized copy of any of the above-mentioned documents of a person with whom they are staying, along with a letter stating the duration of the applicant’s stay.
- Photographs affixed on the application and nationality verification form and two enclosed with the application.
- Self-attested copy of the police report in case of lost/ stolen/misplaced passport.
- The police report must contain the name of the applicant and a reference of the loss of the passport.
Fee
A fee of USD15.00 and an additional fee of USD2.00 towards the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) will be applicable. You can pay the fee in cash or cheque, drawn separately towards fee and ICWF, in favor of the Embassy of India Washington DC.
Processing time
Emergency travel documents are issued after the confirmation of passport particular and nationality of the applicant. Once these details are confirmed at the Indian Embassy, EC would be issued within 10 working days. If the same is not confirmed at the embassy level, the matter would be referred to concerned authorities in India and the emergency travel document would be issued after confirmation/ clearance from India.
Also Read: Visa Status: Check Visa Status with Passport Number
Deportation
In case of deportation, the application for an Emergency Travel Document will need to be submitted to the Deportation Officer. The document will be shared with the concerned agency.
Anyone can come across a situation when they need an emergency travel document to come to India from abroad. You can approach the embassy or consulate in the country where you are and resolve your queries. The procedure may slightly vary from country to country. Access to the right information will minimize the efforts and processing time. As a result, you will get immediate approval.
For other NRI services, including NRI investment in India, NRI account, NRI taxation, etc., you can download SBNRI App from the Google Play Store or App Store. To ask any questions, click on the button below. Also visit our blog and YouTube channel for more details.
