Common Frequently Asked Questions

You can get a passport photo from various places that offer professional photo services, like Walgreens, CVS, The UPS Store, FedEx, and Walmart. If you want to take your own photo, then you can also use the US Postal Service (USPS).

You will be eligible to renew your US passport if you have your undamaged most recent passport, it should have been issued within the last 15 years, and it was issued when you were 16 years or older.

If you find someone’s lost passport, then you can mail it to the Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP), or you can also report it at the nearest police station.

There is no need to report the expired passport as lost or stolen, because it is of no use as you cannot travel internationally on it. Instead of reporting it, you should apply for a new one.

Usually, it takes around 4 to 6 weeks after your passport application is received by the Passport Agency.

Generally, you need to send the passport applications to Post offices, public libraries, clerks of court, and other local government offices.

Yes, the passport application can be denied for several reasons, such as incorrect fees, inaccurate documentation, problematic photo, or missing signatures.

The application for a U.S. passport generally takes 10-13 weeks for processing.

If you realize that you made an error after submitting the form DS-160, you will have to fill out a new form. If you haven’t attended the visa interview yet, then just submit the updated form, print the new page for confirmation, and bring it to the interview. If your interview is scheduled and your form is already submitted, then make sure that you tell the consular officer during the interview.

Yes, it is important for all the individuals who are applying for a non-immigrant visa for the US to fill out the Form DS-160. It does not matter whether you are applying for a new one or a renewal of the existing one.

Yes, this option is available on the official website of CEAC. To download another copy of your confirmation page, you need to select the consulate or embassy for which you are applying. They click on ‘Option C-Retrieve Application’ shown on the getting started page. After this, enter your application ID number, and you can view and print your confirmation page.

The Form DS-160 is valid for 30 days starting from the date you start filling it out, until it remains unsubmitted. After you submit the form, it stays valid for the time period of your visa application process. If no action is taken on the form, it may expire, and you will need to resubmit it.

Yes, you should fill out the Form DS-160 by yourself. If you face any difficulties, as various documentation is involved, then you can also seek professional guidance from trusted online platforms, such as Visament.

Yes, it is necessary to fill out a new Form DS-160 for every visa application. Each of the visa interviews and visa types needs a separate DS-160 form.

Just after you submit the form DS-160, you should download and print the confirmation page, which contains the application ID. This is also a green light to schedule the interview for the visa application, as you need to bring this form along with you to the visa interview.

In case of denial, there is no formal process to appeal. All you need to do is fix the issues of denial and reapply. If you are not able to navigate the reasons for the denial, then you can also consider consulting with an immigration attorney.

The definition of an Indian student to be considered as an NRI or not is different for FEMA and ITD. As per FEMA, if an Indian student leaves India for studying abroad, he/she will be considered as an NRI, but for income tax purposes, to become an NRI, their residency status is important. Also, the days you have spent in India are considered.

For the residents of India, your income earned internationally will be taxed in India, regardless of whether you earn it inside or outside India. It is subject to the Indian Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with countries abroad. If you are an NRI, then the income earned outside India will not be taxed in India.

If you do not have any earnings in India, then you are not liable to file the Income Tax Returns in India. If there is no taxable income, then there is no need to file ITRs.

An Aadhaar card is not compulsory for NRIs to file the ITR. The requirement of providing the details of the Aadhaar card is only for those individuals who have an Aadhaar card. As the NRIs are not residents of India, they are not eligible for the Aadhar card, so it is not mandatory for them. This rule applies to resident Indians.