Envoy In NY, Promises Improved Access For Indian Americans With New Consular Centers

India-West Staff Reporter

NEW YORK, NY – India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, met with members of the Indian community on August 3 at the Consulate General of India in Manhattan, underscoring New Delhi’s push to improve consular services across the United States.

The interactive session brought together residents from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The ambassador addressed questions and reaffirmed the Government of India’s “steadfast commitment to accessible, efficient, and people-centric consular service delivery,” just days after the launch of eight new Indian Consular Application Centers across the country on August 1.

The new centers have opened in Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Edison, Orlando, Raleigh, and San Jose. With this expansion, there are now 16 ICACs operating across the United States.

These centers provide a wide array of services to the Indian diaspora and other applicants, including visa applications, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) processing, passport services, renunciation of Indian citizenship, police clearance certificates (PCC), Global Entry Program (GEP) enrollment, and various miscellaneous and attestation services.

The consular services at the ICACs are provided by VFS Global, the Government of India’s exclusive service partner in the U.S. for visa, passport, and related documentation services. VFS Global has been working with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs since 2008 and began servicing India’s consulates across the U.S. in 2020.

As part of the upgraded service experience, ICACs will now operate on Saturdays to improve accessibility. Return courier services are included in standard fees, and support services such as photographs, photocopies, and form filling are available at no extra charge.

“We are honoured by the continued trust the Government of India has placed in VFS Global,” said Amit Kumar Sharma, Head of North America & Caribbean at VFS Global. “These ICACs will play a crucial role in effectively catering to the growing demand for visa and consular services driven by business partnerships, tourism, and trade.”

The initiative aims to significantly streamline the application process and make consular support more accessible to Indian Americans.