Guide to the Indian Embassy in San Francisco

Embassies are handling the diplomatic missions of a country in another country. So, they are responsible for maintaining the relationship between the countries and giving people various benefits, like visas, passports, and similar things. If you want to travel to India to visit it or if you found a good job in the country and have to travel there, you will have to obtain a suitable travel document from an embassy or consulate. Is there an Indian embassy San Francisco for people who live in this area, though? Let’s see!

Is There an Indian Embassy in San Francisco?

San Francisco has an Indian Embassy. The Consulate General of India operates in this area too, and it doesn’t only serve San Francisco and California. It also serves other states in its jurisdiction. These include the states of Arizona, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Wyoming, Washington, and the Guam territory.

The embassy in San Francisco is always operating to help people obtain their desired travel documents. Since it works during specific hours, people can only get their services at the right times.

Where Is the San Francisco Indian Embassy Located?

You can get the services of the embassy if you go to their physical location and submit some necessary documents. But where exactly is the embassy located?

If you need to visit the Indian Embassy San Francisco, you will find them at the following address:

Consular Section540 Arguello Boulevard,San Francisco, CA 94118

Getting there may be a bit challenging if you don’t live in San Francisco, but in one of the states in its jurisdiction. So, keep in mind that to get there, you will have to arrive at the intersection of Geary with Arguello. If you go there by car, you will have to find another spot to park it, such as a metered or public parking, as there is no parking facility at the Consulate.

Before you enter, make sure you also leave certain belongings in your car or have a relative or friend hold them for you until you’re done. Things such as briefcases, backpacks, cellphones, laptops, drinks, food, handbags, and some other belongings are not allowed inside the Consulate. On top of that, you cannot leave them at the entrance either. There isn’t any facility made to store these belongings until you’re done. You can leave them there, but you’re doing so at your own risk.

What Services Does the San Francisco Indian Embassy Offer?

The San Francisco Indian Embassy offers a large variety of services for anyone who must travel to India or deal with different matters related to India in some way. Here is what the consulate offers:

Passports

To get a passport, you will have to apply for it with an embassy or consulate. So, if you need to go to India, you can get your travel document at the San Francisco consulate as long as you live in the jurisdiction it serves.

To apply, you have to access the VFS Global website, as VFS Global is the one providing services for the consulate. Make sure you apply this way and not through the Government of India website to fill your application.

VFS Global makes the entire process easier because it will be able to identify the right category for your passport and the duration, type and fees included. As a result, you’ll have fewer things to worry about. Not to mention that a lot of forms and letters may have the same information repeating itself several times, so it will get auto-filled to save time and effort.

Emergency Certificates

An emergency certificate can allow you to travel to India in situations when you cannot get a passport or when you lost, damaged, or had your passport stolen and it’s not possible to have it renewed. Also, it is a one-way travel document. So, if you have to urgently go to India before your legal status expires, the EC is the way to go.

To get this certificate from the San Francisco embassy, you have to make a formal request. You also have to go to the consulate in person to apply. It’s best to apply for this document if you’re in an emergency and need to go to India as soon as possible. Your Indian nationality has to be confirmed in order to have the EC issued, though.

Visas

Different types of visas can be issued by the San Francisco Indian embassy. For example, you can obtain an entry visa, which will grant you access to the country if you wish to visit different places or meet with a relative or friend.

A business visa can also be obtained if you need to go to India for business-related matters or to establish a new business. Employment visas are available as well if you get a job in India and it requires your physical presence. You will have to prove your employment to obtain this visa, so make sure you can get all the necessary documents before you apply.

Medical visas are also available for individuals who want to get special medical care in India.

OCI Cards

OCI cards can also be obtained from the embassy. For this one, you will also have to use VFS Global to apply, just like in the case of emergency certificates. OCIs represent a type of permanent residency that lets you go to India at any time if you are of Indian origin.

Citizenship Renunciation

If you have to renounce your citizenship, it can be done if you go to the San Francisco Indian Embassy. You’ll have to do so by using VFS Global once again. Renouncing your citizenship will be necessary in some situations and the embassy will guide you through the process.

What Is the Phone Number for the Indian Embassy in San Francisco?

To contact the Indian Embassy San Francisco, you have to call them. So, you can call 415-668-0662 to reach them, or 415-668-0683.

What Are the Operating Hours of the Indian Embassy in San Francisco?

The Indian Embassy in San Francisco only operates during specific hours. Contacting them at any point outside these hours or trying to go to the physical location will not give you any favorable results.

The consular hours are from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Then, you also have the consular pick-up hours, which are from 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM.

The consulate only works from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, the institution is closed. Furthermore, on public holidays, the consulate might have a different program, or it might be closed.

Read More

• Guide to the Indian Embassy in Atlanta
• Indian Embassy Chicago
• Guide: Indian Embassy Houston
• Guide to the Indian Embassy in Washington DC
• Guide to the Indian Embassy New York

The Bottom Line

There is an Indian Embassy San Francisco that can help anyone who needs any travel document for India. Whether you need a visa, passport, passport renewal, OCI, or emergency document, you can rest assured the San Francisco Indian embassy will take care of this aspect as long as you applied properly and sent all the necessary documents.

Before you apply, you need to make sure you do so during the right days and hours. Also, remember that you may need to pay fees for some travel documents, so check the consulate’s site to know what they are.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

See author's posts