NRIs in California can get faster passport, OCI services with new LA centre

The Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) in Los Angeles became operational on December 15 and will provide a range of consular services to the diaspora community in the region.

India has inaugurated a new Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) in Los Angeles, marking the latest expansion of consular services for the country’s diaspora in the United States. The centre, operated by VFS Global on behalf of the Consulate General of India, officially began operations on December 15, 2025, and aims to make key consular services more accessible and efficient for the large Indian community in Southern California. 

 

The Los Angeles centre, located at 800 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1210, Los Angeles, CA 90017, will provide a comprehensive range of services including passport and visa applications, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card processing, renunciation of Indian citizenship, police clearance certificates, Global Entry Program enrolments, attestation services, and other miscellaneous consular functions. 

 

 

“The @CGILosAngeles is pleased to announce the opening of a new Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) operated by @VFSGlobal…All India Diaspora Community members can now apply for Passport, Visa, OCI, Renunciation of Indian Citizenship, GEP, Attestation/ Misc. services at above centre,” the Consulate said in a post on X.

 

The launch of the Indian Consular Application Centre in Los Angeles has taken the total number of ICACs operated in the US by technology services provider VFS Global for the Indian government to 17.

 

Earlier in 2025, eight ICACs were inaugurated in cities including Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Edison (New Jersey), Orlando, Raleigh, and San Jose, as part of a strategic effort to expand service reach and improve turnaround times. 

 

The expansion reflects India’s commitment to providing streamlined consular and visa services to its estimated 5.3 million-strong diaspora in the United States, while also catering to American citizens requiring Indian consular services. VFS Global has reported strong uptake of services, with hundreds of thousands of applications processed so far, and anticipates volumes to rise further as the network scales. 

 

The Los Angeles centre operates Monday to Friday with extended hours and additional weekend service availability at select locations, designed to reduce waiting times and make the process more user-friendly. Indian nationals and other applicants can now access consular services more conveniently without long-distance travel to other regional centres, a key benefit for the diaspora in California and neighboring states. 

 

Starting August 1, 2025, all consular services including passport, visa, OCI, surrender certificate, life certificate, birth/marriage certificate, police clearance, attestations and more are being provided exclusively through VFS Global Centers.

 

“Los Angeles has always been an important region and the epicentre of a large diaspora presence. The latest visa application centre in the area is part of the Indian government’s vision to ensure services are more accessible to the community,” VFS Global Head – Americas Amit Kumar Sharma said in the statement.

 

VFS Global added that the centres are aimed at further enhancing accessibility and convenience for the 5.3 million strong Indian diaspora in the US as well as for those using the services, noting that it remains the exclusive service provider for these critical functions in the US on behalf of the Government of India.

 

As of mid-November, VFS Global has processed 363,842 applications and Sharma said that application volume is expected to increase by approximately 70,000, bringing the total to nearly half a million applications per year.

 

Sharma added that since August 1, 2025, VFS Global has experienced a significant surge in miscellaneous services—including attestation, life certificates, and others. From August 1 to date, it has processed nearly 10,000 miscellaneous applications. New York, San Francisco and Edison have recorded the highest footfall.

 

He pointed out that weekend availability of services has benefited the diaspora in several ways. VFS also operates a dedicated emergency phone line on Sundays and public holidays for urgent visa cases such as medical emergencies or bereavement.

 

“Backlogs—especially for passport and OCI applications—have been reduced due to expanded capacity, better scheduling algorithms, and extended service hours. Most centers now offer appointments within few working days, depending on the type of service,” Sharma added.

 

VFS Global has noted an increase in both passport and OCI applications, with passport applications currently accounting for 52 per cent and OCI applications representing 22 per cent of the total volume.  With inputs from PTI