All US visa applicants must collect their passports in person: New guidelines
THE US Embassy in New Delhi has announced that, effective August 1, 2025, it will no longer allow third-party or representative passport collection. The change has been introduced to enhance the safety and security of applicants' passports and documents.
As per the new guidelines, all visa applicants must collect their passports and related documents in person. For applicants under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian will be required to collect the passport, and must carry an original consent letter signed by both parents. The embassy has clarified that scanned or emailed copies of the consent letter will not be accepted under any circumstances.
To make the process more flexible, the embassy is offering a paid home or office delivery service for a nominal fee of ₹1,200 per applicant. Applicants can opt for this delivery service by updating their document delivery preferences online.
To change the delivery option, applicants must:
Log in to their profile on https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/
Click on “Document Delivery Information” on the Visa Application Home page.
Select the applicant's name.
Choose the preferred delivery method.
Submit the changes.
Log out after completion.
In case of any technical issues while updating the delivery option, applicants are advised to use the "Feedback/Requests" option in their profile and attach a screenshot of the error along with their preferred delivery location.
The embassy has advised applicants not to contact the call centre for these updates. Instead, they can refer to the official website or check the “Messages” section on their Visa Application Home page for additional information.
