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I got my new Indian Passport today. !! The issue date is 29th Sept 2008. Thats exactly 17 days after I washed the original passport !! And just 10 days after I sent the application for duplicate passport to Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Just 10 days ..!! Incredible, right? I just thought I should write down the "how-to" for future reference ( not for me but for others who are as crazy as me ).
Phase 1: Washing/Damaging the Indian passport. - Collect all your laundry and put it in a washing machine. ( Make sure that you dont check the pocket that has the passport in it )
- Add washing powder as per manufacturer's direction . ( For extra cleansing set the water temperature to HOT . Thats from my experience )
- Wash the dirty clothes with passport for 30 mins.
- After 30 minutes, open the lid and find the Passport totally wet & crumbled beyond recognition.
- Take out the passport and set it on top of your table.
- Let yourself panick for 5 minutes.For additional effects, go infront of a mirror and shout the best of swearing words you know of. Mirror makes it easy to direct them to the right person.
Phase 2 : Drying Passport - You can give it a day of rest between tissue papers & with a light bulb to provide heat. ( Few guys did ask me whether putting it in a drier would help. I'm sorry guys, I've not tried it yet . Why don't you try it and let me know the result. )
- Never try to open the passport when its wet. Let it dry as much as possible before opening it. That'll retain the aroma of washing powder.
Phase 3: I-94 recovery.
Check if your I-94 is intact ( the departure record stapled to passport at port of entry ) .
i) If it has a 11 digit departure number still on it , you are lucky. Go to the nearest US Citizenship & Immigration Services ( USCIS ) . You would need a INFOPASS for an appointment. Take the dried passport & i94 and also boarding pass for proof of arrival. I got my new I-94 after 15 minutes of waiting & 1 minute of teasing from duty officer.
ii) If departure number is lost , you will also lose $320 from your wallet . ( Did I tell you that , washing passport is a costly affair ?). Goto USCIS site for learning how you can replace Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document(I-94)
Phase 4: Applying for new Indian passport. - Goto Indian Embassy website and figure out the consulate that has jurisdiction in your state.
- Goto your consulate's site --> Consular services --> Passport --> Duplicate Passport in lieu of DAMAGED PASSPORT
- Fill in the Online application Form and get the earliest appointment possible.
- Collect all supporting documents and take it to consulate
I am in Phoenix & my nearest consulate is in San Francisco. But how can I fly when I don't have a decent looking passport with me ? Thats a Catch-22. Luckily, San Francisco consulate had an option to "mail in" my application.
I sent the following set of documents for new passport - Washed & dried Passport
- Photocopy of original passport & Visa
- Color Photocopy of my Indian Driver's license as proof of residence
- Photocopy of my return flight ticket to India
- Letter from my company stating my address of current accommodation ( For B1 visa holders )
- 2 passport sized Photos attached to the application form
- A covering letter explaining my stupidity.
- Cashier's check for $125 from US Bank
- A stamped self-addressed Express Mail envelope from USPS
Did I forget to tell that you should check the availability of items 2-6 before washing the passport ?
Phase 5: Waiting for the duplicate to arrive
You have 10-15 days to relax & feel bad about what you did. You can/must pray everyday , even if you are an atheist. Not that , it'll make any difference. It'll surely help you spent the time doing good things than washing.
Phase 6 : Recieving duplicate Indian Passport
a) On receiving the duplicate passport, smile & cry in happiness. If you dont know how to do that , get help from this innocent guy who won a lottery
b) Incase you have plans to wash the new passport again, make sure you take a photocopy of the new one before washing.
c) To get the Visa stamped again, you'll have to go back to US consulate in India from where you got it for the first time.
Thats all guys ... Take a print out or save this article.
Info Update : Jul-2009 Its almost 9 months since I washed my passport and I had already reached ( escaped to) India. Just when I thought I was safe , I got invited to US again. Nope, not by FBI but by my industry people, to speak in a conference. This meant that I have to - Renew my passport ( as the one I got from San Francisco was just for 1 year ) .
- Re-apply for a US visa as their stringent immigration rules still does not permit washed visa .
Well, I applied for new passport in my local Passport office and after waiting for two weeks I got the same passport (the one issued from SF ) extended for 10 years . !! Hurray. !!
I was scared of US Visa interview ,as they are always looking for reason to reject a VISA application. On reaching the US Consulate in Chennai , I was laughed upon by those who initially screen the damaged passport. I had to fight hard to keep my ego under check because I still had to attend the interview, which was the decider. The interviewer didn't laugh seeing the passport. Perhaps he was used to seeing crazy guys like me with washed passport. He just stared at the passport for few seconds and without taking his eyes from it , asked me "How did you wash it ? " "It was a 30 minutes wash, Sir, in hot water" " Wow", he chuckled , " that means you are a very clean guy , eh ? " "Yup. But I don't want to be this clean again." He smiled and said , "Your Visa is issued" Thats it . The visa interview lasted for less than 1 minute and I got 'Multiple Entry' again. Thank you to all washing machine Gods. :)
Disclaimer : Site owner and his puppy takes no reponsibilities/liabilities for any damage to property or the self image that a reader might/could face while following the blog. Just because the above steps worked for site owner doesn't mean that it will work for you too. Your mileage may vary. Steps are subject to change without notice.No animals were harmed during the washing & replacing of passport.
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