Here’s How To Get Emergency Visa To India During COVID

Last Updated on Dec 19th, 2023 by Heena Ganotra, 9 comments

Have you been looking to know the process of applying emergency visa to India?

MyTicketsToIndia understands that urgencies back at home can’t be neglected and has, thus, compiled everything about the application for an emergency visa from USA to India. Right from the purposes that are valid to apply for an emergency entry visa to the process and fees, we have covered it all.

Let’s get started.

Categories Permitted To Apply For Emergency Visa To India From USA

The Government of India has revoked the suspension on several categories of visas for travel to India, which include tourist visas, mountaineering visas, and more. While emergency visas have never been suspended, there was an update shared by the Indian Embassies in USA which stated that with effect from 13 December 2021, the outsourcing service provider – VFS Global – will start accepting ALL visa applications. This includes Emergency Visa applications to India from USA.

The only people permitted to apply for an emergency visa to India from the USA are US passport holders of Indian origin and their family members required to visit India due to –

• Genuine family emergency such as critical illness or death of a family member.
• Wedding of the person applying for emergency visa to India i.e. Self wedding.

**Please note that documentary evidence will need to be provided.

Non-Acceptable Purposes To Apply For An Emergency Visa to India

• Attending the wedding of family and friends
• Religious purposes
• Tourism purpose
• Family Reunion

Guidelines To Apply For Entry Visa To India In Emergency

• Emergency Visa will be granted subject to submission of complete documentary evidence such as letter from the hospital/death certificate, etc. The Embassy/Consulate may ask for additional documentation in certain cases.
• Applicants are advised not to make any travel plans before issuance of visa.
• Emergency Visa will be issued for a maximum six month’s duration. The duration of Visa granted by the Embassy will be at the sole discretion of the Embassy/Consulates.
• Applicants have to apply for: “Emergency – Entry Visa” for 6 months – Single/Multiple Entry
• The Embassy/Consulate will have the final authority for grant of emergency visa subject to eligibility & VFS Global and none of its staff has any role in the decision-making process.

Fees For Emergency Entry Visa From USA to India

If submitted to VFS India Consular Application Centre –

Note:

If you use VFS courier service for the return of your PASSPORT, you will need to add USD 15 as courier charges to the total amount mentioned above i.e. USD 218.90 which will make the total amount payable as USD 233.90 for emergency services applied on the Weekend and Embassy/Consulate Holiday.

However, if you prefer to use your own courier service, you won’t have to pay the extra USD 15, and your total amount payable will remain USD 218.90 (if you apply on a weekend or embassy holiday). But you will need to submit a prepaid courier label and envelope with your application.

The fee is to be paid via Money order/Banker check in the favor of “VFS Services (USA) Inc. Avoid personal checks as they are not accepted.

Procedure To Apply For Emergency Visa To India

In case you are someone coming under the jurisdiction of any of the Indian Consulates or the Indian Embassies in USA who wishes to visit India owing to family emergencies, you will need to – 

• Visit indianvisaonline[dot]gov[dot]in and apply for REGULAR/PAPER VISA APPLICATION and make an application for ENTRY VISA.
• Fill in the application, upload the photo, submit the application and take a print-out of the visa application and sign the same.
• Thereafter, send the documents listed below in PDF format by email. (The list of emails is given below.)

Documents Needed For Emergency Visa Application

• Original Government Application Online Form

While filling out the application form, make sure you select Entry Visa.

• Original Checklist

The original checklist is to be printed, signed, and enclosed with the visa application.

• Original Additional Particular Form (ANNEXURE – A)

You can download the Annexure A Form here, fill, and attach it with the emergency visa application.

• Copy of Documentary Proof for Emergency Visa:

Letter from the doctor/hospital in case of emergencies like critical medical condition/death in the immediate family. 

• Copy of Address Proof:

Any one of the following documents will do – State Issued ID, Driving license, Utility Bills – Water, Gas, & Electricity (should be recent, no more than 3 months old), Valid Lease Agreement, Mortgage, Income Tax return, a letter from your institution on the institution letterhead explaining the exact address that you presently reside in – (if you are a college/university student living on campus in university housing/dormitories), Marriage Certificate in case the address is in spouse’s name or birth certificate of child in case of the minor applicant along with parent’s address proof, a notarized undertaking from parents with one of the copies of address proof as indicated (if the applicant is residing with parents/children/ relatives), Hotel bill – (if on L1/L3 staying in a hotel for a project for the past couple of months and don’t have the address proof or state ID).

**Please note that the driver’s license copy mustn’t be cut to a smaller size. Also, the PO BOX number is NOT ACCEPTABLE as valid Proof of address. The address must match with the present address as per application:

• Copy of Visa Application: Copy of duly filled in and signed online visa application form along with the copy of Additional Particulars Form.

• Original & Photocopies of Passport:

Original as well as a copy of passport (biographical pages only) is needed. Passport should have a minimum validity of six months and must have at least two blank pages.

• Copy of Renunciation Certificate/Cancelled Indian Passport (if applicable):

If you ever held an Indian Passport, it is MANDATORY to provide proof of the Renunciation of Indian Citizenship along with your VISA application. One of the following MUST be produced as proof: – Certificate of renunciation issued by the Embassy/Consulate of India OR Deemed surrender certificate issued by the Embassy/Consulate of India (Both – Cancelled).

Please note that surrendered passport along with the copy of the Surrender/Renunciation Certificate would be needed for Indian passports surrendered after May 2010. If you do not have proof of renunciation, you’ll have to apply for renunciation before submitting the VISA application.

• Copy of Proof Of Indian Origin (if applicable):

If the applicant was an Indian national, the Indian passport of the applicant will be needed.

• Copy of Foreign Birth (if applicable):

If the applicant is a child of an Indian national, Person of Indian Origin, or OCI Cardholder, the birth certificate of the applicant together with the Indian passport or OCI Card of either parent will be needed.

• Copy of Marriage Proof (if applicable):

If the applicant is the ‘Spouse of Foreign Origin’ of an Indian national, Person of Indian Origin or OCI Cardholder, marriage certificate of the applicant together with Indian passport or OCI Card of the spouse will be needed.

• Proof for Minor Applicants (if applicable):

(a) Copy of Birth certificate of the applicant; (b) Original Parental Authorization Form (Annexure – B) duly signed by both parents and notarized; and (c) Copy of Passports and marriage certificates of parents; (d) Copy of US visa status documents of non-US national parents. If Indian parents do not hold valid US visa status, an explanation for the same may be provided.

• Copy of Proof of Property in India (if applicable):

Non-Indian origin applicants already owning property in India will require to provide proof of property in India in the applicant’s name.

Photograph Specifications While Applying For Emergency Visa To India

To process the emergency entry visa application form, one has to upload a digital photograph of self along with the visa application. The digital photograph must meet the following guidelines –

• Format should be JPEG.
• The size should be 10 KB (minimum) and 300 KB (maximum).
• The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
• Photo should present a full face from the front view with eyes open.
• The head must be well within the frame (centre).
• The head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25mm to 35mm).
• The picture should have the head from top of the hair to the bottom of chin.
• Background should be plain, either in a light or white tone.
• There mustn’t be any shadows on the face or on the background.
• The photograph must be without borders.
• The eye height should be between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3.
  

Signature Specifications While Applying For Emergency Visa To India

All Minor applicants need to write their name or sign in the space provided on the first page of the application form below the photograph. Minor applicants below 5 years may put a left thumb impression on the space provided. Both parents should sign on the last page of the application. Both parents must sign on page 2 of the online application form below the minor’s signature/thumb Impression.

How To Apply For Emergency Entry Visa To India From USA?

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow to get an emergency visa to India from USA –

Step 1 – Identify and collect all the documents you’ll need to apply for the visa application for an emergency. Complete the forms (Annexure A + B) and sign the documents wherever necessary (as shared above).

Step 2 – Apply for the visa application by creating a profile online on VFS Global. Please note that due to the spike in the number of COVID cases, the VFS stated the suspension of in-person applications for Indian Visas till further notice. However, for emergency visas, exemptions have duly been made.

Step 3 – Fill the Government Online Form by applying for – Entry Visa 6 Months Single/Multiple Entry with Emergency Fees. Date Format on all forms must follow DD/MM/YYYY format. Date of Birth cannot be corrected after issuance of the document and you would need to reapply again.

Step 4 – Submit your application.

How To Submit Your Emergency VISA Application?

By Email If Applying On Weekdays

(From Monday to Friday Between 9 AM to 4 PM)

Applicants requiring Emergency Visa to India from USA must contact VFS Global by sending an email only to schedule an appointment. On receiving the email, the VFS representative will contact the applicant on an expeditious basis. The email ids based on the jurisdictions one belongs to are as follows –

• Atlanta Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Virgin Islands, you’ll have to send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaATL@vfsglobal.com

• Chicago Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, please send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaCHI@vfsglobal.com

• Houston Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska, please send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaHOU@vfsglobal.com

• New York Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, please send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaNYC@vfsglobal.com

• San Francisco Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, please send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaSFO@vfsglobal.com

• Washington DC Consular Application Centre: If you are the residents of Bermuda, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, please send your application along with the documents to-

Email: VFS_VisaWDC@vfsglobal.com

By Calling VFS Global If Applying On Weekends & Embassy Holidays

Between 9 AM to 4 PM.

• Atlanta – 470-884-2590
• Chicago – 312-871-0130
• Houston – 281-229-3071
• New York – 929-866-2770
• San Francisco – 415-528-1235
• Wahington DC – 202-666-8585

By Calling Embassy/Consulate If Applying On Weekends & Embassy Holidays

Between 9 AM to 4 PM.

• Atlanta – 404-910-7919
• Chicago – 312-753-8530
• Houston – 713-626-2149
• New York – 917-815-7066
• San Francisco – 415-483-6629
• Washington DC – 202-258-8819

Applications sent via courier to VFS India application centers will only be received on working days. In cases of critical emergency on a weekend/HOLIDAY, please get in touch with Embassy of India / Consulate of India or VFS to submit your application in person.

Points To Keep In Mind While Applying For Entry Emergency Visa, India

• Applicant’s name to be clearly mentioned/written on the money order/ cashier’s check. 
• Visa application will be rejected & returned if it is incomplete, unsigned, and if the photo is not uploaded.
• Don’t send the expired US passport.
• It may take 5 to 7 business days for issuing a visa after receiving the complete application with documents at the Consulate. Patience is the key.

FAQs

Q: Does one need a medical emergency letter for Indian visa? 

Ans: Yes, a medical emergency letter for an Indian visa is needed as proof of emergency. 

Q: What is the Indian visa processing time? 

Ans: The Indian visa processing time is somewhere between 5 to 7 days. 

Q: How to cancel a visa application for USA to India travel?

Ans: To cancel the visa application, you will have to open the consulate website/embassy page from where you applied for the visa and look for the “Cancel Appointment” button. 

Q: Is Additional Particular Form for Indian visa application mandatory?

Ans: Yes, Additional Particular Form is essential for visa application. 

Q: How to get Indian visa in emergency from USA?

Ans: To get an emergency visa from USA to India, you need to follow the above-given guidelines. 

Q: Do you need a visa to go to India?

Ans: Yes, a visa is needed mandatorily to go to India. 

Q: What is the status of Indian tourist visa during COVID?

Ans: There is no suspension on Indian tourist visas and the same came into effect on 15 October 2021 for group tourism and on 15 November 2021 for individual travel.

That’s pretty much everything a US citizen who is in need of an emergency Indian visa needs to know!

Still, have questions? Leave a comment and we’ll love to help you out! 

Headquartered in the USA, we are the quintessential flight-booking portal that answers searches that say ‘best travel agency near me’. Having helped a lot of clients with COVID bookings, we’d be more than happy to assist stranded citizens who want to book international flights to India. Not only this; we also cater to travelers who need India to USA flights. Our trustscore of 4.8 that is based on 5k+ reviews on Trustpilot is testimony to the same. 

If you have questions regarding India travel, please know that we have apt solutions. And a call with us is all it would take! 

Here’s hoping to see you on the other side of the conversation.

About Heena Ganotra | View Posts

A writer by both passion and profession, Heena Ganotra is "half agony, half hope" but all heart. And oh, she has been a book lover from the start! Her love for books is what convinced her to make a career in the wonderful world of words. She loves what she does and is out-and-out a satisfied soul with a wish to spread happiness like herpes. Insight- Some say she is living the best life anyone could because she reads, writes, travels, and makes merry. They’re right because what else does one really need! :)