India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Kwatra on Friday (August 1, 2025) nearly inaugurated the brand new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICAC) in Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Edison, Orlando, Raleigh and San Jose. An extra ICAC will quickly open in Los Angeles.
Starting August 1, 2025, all consular companies, together with passport, visa, OCI, give up certificates, life certificates, start/marriage certificates, police clearance, attestations, and extra, will likely be offered completely by means of VFS Global Centres.
The enlargement brings the whole variety of ICACs throughout the U.S. to 17, making consular companies extra accessible to Indian and American residents within the nation.
Mr. Kwatra described this as a “very vital” enlargement of the consular companies supply footprint supplied by the Embassy of India throughout the United States, which is house to a virtually 5 million-strong Indian diaspora.
Mr. Kwatra stated that the enlargement underscores Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deep regard for the Indian diaspora, which the Indian chief has described because the “strongest model ambassador of India” and is on the coronary heart of a robust India-U.S. partnership that’s manifested by means of people-to-people ties between the 2 societies.
“We are assured that these centres will play a vital function in fostering and persevering with a robust relationship with our diaspora, however on the identical time additionally empower our diaspora to have interaction extra deeply between our two international locations,” Mr. Kwatra stated.
He added that the diaspora performs a big and essential function in strengthening and contributing to the India-U.S. relationship.
Highlighting the “very robust political engagement between the 2 international locations” in current months, Mr. Kwatra famous PM Modi’s go to to Washington in February, visits by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in addition to the go to by US Vice President J D Vance and his household to India in April.
Mr. Kwatra stated these visits have “actually deepened not simply the discussions, but in addition the scope and the depth of our partnership.”
“It is my perception, as has additionally been acknowledged by the Prime Minister, that you’re a dwelling bridge between our two societies, two international locations. You contribute to the event and enrichment of this relationship, as additionally of the 2 international locations. And I hope that you’ll proceed to play this vital and irreplaceable function,” he stated.
India’s Consul General in New York, Binaya Pradhan, attended the particular inauguration ceremony on the Indian Consular Application Centre in Edison that was attended by Edison Mayor Sam Joshi in addition to outstanding members of the Indian-American neighborhood.
Mr. Kwatra inaugurated the centres and addressed the diaspora who additionally joined nearly from throughout the brand new centres which have been opened.
Head of North America and Caribbean, VFS Global, Amit Kumar Sharma instructed the gathering in Edison that the company’s focus has been to make “our companies extra handy, snug and extra accessible” and to serve the neighborhood higher.
Noting that the centres will now be open on Saturdays as effectively, Mr. Sharma identified, amid applause, that VFS has labored with 70 governments throughout 150 international locations, and this would be the first time that it’s going to work for any authorities on a Saturday.
This dedication “displays the mindset of the management, what they need to obtain,” Mr. Sharma stated.
“And they got here up with a course of that addresses these considerations,” Mr. Sharma stated.
He burdened that numerous companies like name centres will likely be improved and streamlined to make sure enhanced deliveries for the neighborhood members.
“I’m very hopeful that these new expansions will assist the neighborhood, assist the diaspora take these companies in a a lot environment friendly method. This is a testomony to our dedication as effectively. We take delight in making these companies snug, handy and accessible for individuals, and we are going to proceed to do this,” Mr. Sharma stated.
In addition to the brand new centres, the Embassy of India is enhancing operational accessibility and repair deliveries efficient instantly.
As a part of this, all 17 ICACs will function six days every week, together with Saturdays, providing flexibility for candidates to entry these consular companies with out inflicting disruption to their work schedule throughout weekdays.
To additional streamline entry, quite a few miscellaneous consular and attestation companies will likely be offered by means of the applying centres, which Mr. Kwatra stated will add to the comfort and administrative effectivity of the supply of consular companies within the U.S.
Referring to PM Modi’s announcement that two extra consulates will likely be opened in Boston and Los Angeles, Mr. Kwatra stated “we’re at the moment working very intensely to make sure that these two consulates start their work as early as potential and are purposeful” quickly.
“The opening of the 2 new consulates in Boston and Los Angeles captures our intent that given the character of our rising energy of India-U.S. partnership, there’s a have to develop the diplomatic footprint throughout the United States, and the opening of those two consulates captures that goal of ours,” the Indian Ambassador stated.
