Renew Your Indian Passport from Abroad: NRI Guide 2026

Your Indian passport lasts 10 years, which is long enough to forget how renewing it works. If you're an NRI, you can renew your Indian passport from abroad without flying home. You fill in a form online, hand in your old passport at the centre your Indian embassy or consulate uses, and wait for the new one, usually somewhere between one and eight weeks depending on the country.

You can apply up to a year before your passport expires, or any time after it has. The new one comes with a new passport number and 10 years of validity. Since late 2025, India has been issuing new passports as chip-enabled e-passports.

This guide covers both routes NRIs use: renewing from the country you live in, and renewing while you're visiting India. If you already know where you're applying, jump straight to your country.

Jump to: Renewing in India · USA · UK · UAE · Canada · Singapore · Australia

NRI passport renewal from abroad or in India: choosing your route

The real cost of renewing is the weeks you spend without a passport. Whichever route you take, you hand in your old passport when you apply and can't travel internationally until the new one arrives. So the question is where you can most comfortably stay put for a few weeks.

For most NRIs, that's the country they live in. Daily life carries on while the application moves, and the only thing to plan around is travel.

Can NRIs renew their passport in India?

Renewing in India works if you'll be there for a while: a long visit, a sabbatical, or a stretch looking after family. You apply like any resident, and since 2018 you can book at any Passport Seva Kendra in the country, whatever your address (MEA circular). You need proof of your present Indian address, such as Aadhaar, a utility bill or a bank passbook, and the form asks you to list everywhere you've stayed in the past year.

The address you give matters twice. If police verification is needed, it happens there, even if you applied in a different city, and that's also where the new passport is posted. Since 1 July 2026, a renewal in India costs ₹2,500 for 36 pages or ₹3,500 for 60, and Tatkal costs ₹5,000 or ₹6,000 (fee revision).

This route is risky on a short trip. If verification holds your passport for a few weeks, you can't fly back on schedule. On a two or three week visit, renewing from abroad is usually the safer choice.

Indian passport renewal fees and processing times by country (2026)

Here's what a standard adult renewal costs, and how long it takes, as of October 2026.

On top of the government fee, you pay the centre's service charge ($19 at VFS USA, for example) and a small welfare levy. Tatkal roughly doubles the fee. Fees in the UK, UAE, Canada and Singapore went up on 1 July 2026, so guides written before then show lower numbers.

Plan backwards from your next trip. With normal processing taking up to eight weeks in some countries, starting two to three months ahead leaves Tatkal as a backup if anything goes wrong.

How to renew your Indian passport from abroad, step by step

The process is the same in every country. What changes is the centre that takes your file, the fee, and how long the embassy takes.

It starts online. On the Passport Seva portal for NRI applicants, you choose the embassy or consulate that covers where you live, select "Re-issue", and upload your photo, signature and supporting documents. The portal gives you an Application Reference Number (ARN), which you'll use to track the application.

Next, you submit at the centre: VFS Global in the USA, UK and Australia, BLS International in Canada and Singapore, and Al Hind in the UAE. In the USA and UK you also fill in a short VFS form. Keep every detail identical across the two forms, because a mismatched name or date is one of the most common reasons files come back.

You hand over your old passport with the printed form, your documents and the fee. The centre checks your file, the embassy approves it and prints the new passport, and it comes back to you by courier or for pickup, along with your old passport, cancelled.

The country sections below cover the USA, UK, UAE, Canada, Singapore and Australia. If you live somewhere else, such as Germany, Qatar or Saudi Arabia, the steps are the same: your Indian embassy's website names the centre that takes applications, the local fee and the checklist.

Indian passport photo requirements

Photos are the other common reason applications bounce. Since September 2025, Indian missions only accept photos that meet the international ICAO standard: a plain white background with no shadows, your face filling 80 to 85% of the frame, a neutral expression, eyes open and no glasses. The upload needs to be 630 × 810 pixels.

Printed copies differ by country: 35 × 45 mm in the USA, and 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) in the UK and Canada. Wear something dark when you have them taken. Pale clothes blend into the white background, and applicants in the UAE have been asked to change before their photo was accepted.

Police verification for Indian passport renewal: when it's needed

A plain renewal, with nothing on your passport changing, usually goes through without police verification. It's triggered when you change your address or other details, when your passport expired more than three years ago, or when there's an adverse record against your name.

The check runs through the police station for the Indian address on your form, so a family member there may get a call or be asked to visit the station. It can add a month or more, which is worth knowing before you commit to a travel date.

Indian passport renewal in the USA: VFS, documents and fees

In the USA you renew through VFS Global, and most people do it by courier without visiting a centre. A standard renewal costs $146 all in and takes about a month, plus shipping. Before you post anything, register on the VFS website: packages that arrive without a registration are sent back unprocessed. Your file is handled by the consulate that covers your state, and you can check which one here.

Documents required for Indian passport renewal in the USA

You'll send your current passport with copies of its first and last pages, the signed application form, two 35 × 45 mm photos and proof of your US address. VFS also asks for two declarations from its checklist, Annexure E and the change of appearance and signature affidavit, along with a notarized copy of your US status document. VFS revises its checklist a few times a year, so download the current version before you start.

Which documents need to be notarized for Indian passport renewal in the USA

For a standard renewal, just one: the colour copy of your US status document, whether that's a green card (front and back), visa, EAD or I-797. If you're changing your name, the name change affidavit needs notarizing too, and so does the joint declaration if you're adding a spouse. Any US notary public can do it, and a UPS Store or your bank is the usual choice. Ask for the stamp and signature on the copy itself, with the stamp's expiry date clearly visible.

Indian passport renewal fees in the USA

A 36-page passport costs $146 and a 60-page one $196. That's the government fee of $125 or $175, plus the $19 VFS fee and a $2 welfare levy, with return courier included. Tatkal adds $125, and a passport for a child under 15 costs $111.

Indian passport renewal processing time in the USA

Expect three to four weeks once your file reaches the consulate, plus shipping both ways. Tatkal cuts that to about three working days, as long as no police verification is pending. Tatkal isn't an option if you're replacing a lost or damaged passport, or changing your name or other personal details.

Renewing your Indian passport in the UK through VFS

In the UK you renew in person at a VFS Global centre. A standard renewal costs £93 plus the VFS charge and takes about four to six weeks.

How to book an Indian passport renewal appointment in the UK

Fill in the government form first, then book a slot on the VFS UK website at a centre in your jurisdiction. The London jurisdiction uses Goswell Road, Hounslow, Cardiff and Belfast. Birmingham uses Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Bradford and Newcastle, and Edinburgh uses Edinburgh and Glasgow. You have to attend in person, though a close family member can go for you with an authority letter and proof of your relationship. VFS doesn't accept postal applications or files from agents.

Documents required for Indian passport renewal in the UK

Bring your current passport with self-attested copies of the first and last pages and any pages with visas or endorsements, the signed application and VFS declaration forms, two 2 × 2 inch photos, proof of your UK address and Annexure E. For proof of status you now need your eVisa share code, since BRP cards were replaced by eVisas in 2025. The form also asks for your Indian address, including the police station and PIN code.

Self-attested copies are enough for a normal renewal. The exception is a passport that expired more than three years ago, which needs a sworn affidavit explaining the gap. You can swear it at the High Commission for £20 or before a notary public. A solicitor's certification isn't accepted (HCI London).

Indian passport renewal fees in the UK from July 2026

A 36-page passport costs £93 and a 60-page one £130. Tatkal is £185 or £222, and a minor's passport is £67. Add a £2 welfare levy, the VFS service charge, and £15 if you want the passport couriered back (fees from 1 July 2026). For Tatkal you need proof of the emergency and a confirmed ticket, and the High Commission decides case by case.

Indian passport renewal in Dubai and the UAE: the new Al Hind centres

The UAE changed its system this year. Since 22 July 2026, Indian passport applications have gone through 16 Indian Consular Application Centres run by Al Hind, which replaced BLS. The embassy has already put the contract out to tender again, so check the embassy's website before you go in case the provider changes in 2027. A standard renewal costs about AED 477 all in and usually takes one to two weeks.

How to book an Indian passport renewal appointment in Dubai

Once you've filled in the form on the Passport Seva portal and uploaded your photo and documents, book a slot on consularsevainuae.com. New slots open at 9am and 9pm every day. In Dubai the centres are in Bur Dubai and Dubai Investment Park, with more across Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, and six in Abu Dhabi emirate. Arrive no more than 15 minutes before your slot with your passport, Emirates ID, a copy of your residence visa and the printed form. You can also collect finished passports on Sundays between 10am and noon.

Indian passport renewal price in Dubai

A 36-page passport costs AED 450 and a 60-page one AED 630, up from AED 285 for 36 pages before the 1 July 2026 revision. Tatkal is AED 900 or AED 1,080, and a minor's passport AED 325. On top of that you pay the AED 19 service charge, which covers photos, help with the form and courier, plus a small welfare levy.

Urgent Indian passport renewal in Dubai (Tatkal)

If you need it fast, Tatkal takes about three working days, and you can walk in without an appointment between 9am and 1pm (embassy notice). The same walk-in window applies to newborns, people over 60 and people of determination. Tatkal isn't available if there's a pending criminal case or adverse police record, or for minors with a single parent, separated parents or an adoption.

Renewing your Indian passport in Canada through BLS

In Canada you renew through BLS International, in person, as a walk-in, or by post. A standard renewal costs CAD 176, and Canada is one of the slower countries: eight weeks or more in Ottawa and Toronto. Vancouver is quicker, at two to four weeks, if it issued your old passport.

Which office handles your file depends on where you live. Ottawa covers eastern Ontario (postal codes starting with K) and most of Quebec. Toronto covers the rest of Ontario, the Quebec City region, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada. Vancouver covers BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the territories. Tatkal, at CAD 349, is only offered in the Toronto jurisdiction (HCI Ottawa fees, BLS Canada).

Bring your passport with self-attested copies of the first two and last two pages, the printed form, Annexure E, two 51 × 51 mm photos, proof of your Canadian address, and your PR card, work permit or study permit. An adult renewal doesn't need a notary. If you apply by post, pay by demand draft or money order to BLS, and allow three or four extra working days.

Indian passport renewal in Singapore: BLS fees and timelines

In Singapore you renew in person at one of two BLS International centres, International Plaza on Anson Road or Sim Lim Tower on Jalan Besar, and pay in cash. A standard renewal costs SGD 162 plus a SGD 10.80 service fee, after the July 2026 fee revision.

Allow at least 21 working days. Tatkal costs SGD 320 and takes about three working days, and Tatkal applicants can walk in between 9am and 1pm, though the 60-page Tatkal option is suspended for now. Bring your passport, the printed form, your Singapore pass and two photo IDs, such as Aadhaar, PAN or a driving licence.

Renewing an Indian passport from Australia

In Australia you renew through VFS Global, in person or by post. It takes about four weeks if your old passport was issued by the same Indian mission in Australia, and about eight weeks if it wasn't.

You submit at the centre for your state: Sydney for NSW, Melbourne for Victoria and Tasmania, Canberra for the ACT, Brisbane for Queensland, and Perth for WA and the NT. South Australians can apply in person in Adelaide or post to Sydney. Choose the right Indian mission on the online form, because picking the wrong one means starting a new form.

VFS sets the fee in Australian dollars and adjusts it every month with the exchange rate, so check the current amount before you pay. Return courier costs AUD 22, and if your passport expired more than a month before you apply, you also need Form I.

Expired and minor passports: the extra steps

Two situations add a few extra steps.

Renewing an expired Indian passport from abroad

An expired passport can be renewed however long ago it lapsed. If it expired within the last three years and nothing on it is changing, it's handled like any other renewal. Past three years, expect a fresh police verification at your Indian address, which adds weeks. In the UK you'll also need the sworn affidavit explaining the gap, and Tatkal isn't available. If you need to travel before the new passport is ready, your embassy or consulate can issue an Emergency Certificate for a one-way trip to India.

Indian passport renewal for a minor abroad

A child's passport is valid for five years or until they turn 18, whichever comes first, and teenagers aged 15 to 18 can opt for a 10-year passport at the adult fee. The process mirrors an adult's, with both parents' consent built in. Both parents sign Annexure D, which has to be notarized in the USA. If only one parent is applying, it's Annexure C instead, and the UK only accepts an Indian court order or the other parent's consent here, so a UK custody order won't work. You'll also need copies of both parents' passports and residence documents and the child's birth certificate. Children under five give a thumb impression in place of a signature.

Countries handle attendance differently. In the UAE both parents come in with their original passports, while in the UK children under 18 don't need to go to the VFS centre at all. A minor's renewal costs $111 in the USA, £67 in the UK and AED 325 in the UAE.

After renewal: updating your visa, bank and demat records

A new passport means a new passport number, and a few records need to catch up.

Start with the country you live in. A valid US visa in your old passport stays valid, so travel with both passports until it expires. In the UK, update the passport details in your UKVI account, since your status is an eVisa. In the UAE there's no visa sticker to move any more. Instead, update the passport details on your residence file within a month, through ICP's "Amendment of Residency Permit Data" service or the GDRFA equivalent if your visa was issued in Dubai.

Then update India. Your NRE and NRO accounts, your NRI demat and trading account, and any mutual fund KYC all hold your old passport number, and you'll find out the next time one of them runs a KYC check. What counts as a valid copy depends on who's asking. ICICI and HDFC accept self-attested copies sent online. Zerodha and SBI, and Axis for copies sent by post, want them certified by a notary, an Indian embassy or an overseas branch of an Indian bank.

That's the step our notaries at Rupeeflo handle. We attest your copies over a video call, from your phone, in a format Indian banks and brokers accept. To see what each bank asks for, read our guide to NRE and NRO account documents and notarisation. And if you're opening a Zerodha NRI account with your new passport, we can guide you through it as Zerodha's official NRI onboarding partner.

Indian passport renewal from abroad: questions NRIs ask

Can I travel while my passport is being renewed?

No. You hand in your current passport when you apply, and you won't have one until the new passport arrives. If you have a trip coming up, apply under Tatkal or wait until you're back. In a genuine emergency, the embassy or consulate can issue an Emergency Certificate for a one-way trip to India.

Do I need a change of appearance affidavit if I look the same?

In the USA, yes. VFS lists it as a required document for every adult renewal, whether or not your appearance has changed. Elsewhere, you only need it if you look noticeably different from your old photo.

Can I put my foreign address in my Indian passport?

Only one address prints in your passport, and you choose which. In the UAE you can use your UAE address with a DEWA or SEWA bill, or a title deed. In the UK you can use a UK address only if you have indefinite leave to remain and no permanent address in India. Changing the address usually triggers police verification.

Will my renewed passport be an e-passport?

Most likely. Since October 2025, India has been issuing all new passports as e-passports, with a chip that stores your photo and details. The UAE missions have confirmed they issue them, and other missions are rolling them out. Your current passport stays valid until it expires.