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J1 Visa Waiver Application Process - Stage 2 (India)
J1 Waiver India Process - As we begin Stage 2 of the J1 visa waiver application process, I assume you've already read my previous blog on J1 visa waiver (Stage 1) and received the cover letter specifying the Indian offices where you need to obtain the clearance certificates.
Related: J1 waiver lawyer
I am Hina Singh, a post-doctoral research scientist and I have completed the J1 visa waiver process. I am sharing my experience to assist others in obtaining a J1 visa waiver more easily. I had to refer to multiple blogs and videos, which was time-consuming. Therefore, I have divided the entire J1 visa waiver process into four sections.
Table of Contents: J1 Waiver India Process
J1 Visa Waiver - Stage 2
The cover letter you obtained in Stage 1 would state that the NORI certificate will be issued after you obtain clearance from the following authorities.
Regional passport office (RPO): This refers to the office where your initial passport was issued.
The Ministry of Human Resource and Development, New Delhi (MHRD): This is an online process, please follow this link to upload all the required documents and complete the process.
Department of Home State in India: The state where you belong (refer to the address indicated on your passport).
NORI Certificate from Passport Office
These days, some consulates do not require RPO clearance and your cover letter should mention this. In my case, it was not required. Please ensure that this is the case with your consulate. I have also compiled a list of all Indian consulates and their details, which can be helpful. You can refer to this link.
MHRD NORI
The MHRD NORI process is straightforward. Just follow this link and create your login ID, upload all the necessary documents, and the NORI site will guide you through.
After you submit everything, it will take approximately 3-6 weeks to receive the clearance certificate. The certificate will be sent to you via email, so please make sure to provide the correct email address.
Please remember that they process applications in batches, typically with 1-20 people in each batch, so it may take some time. You can always check your NORI application status by logging in to the same website.
NORI Stage 2 Documents
The Department of Home State refers to your current residence in India. In my case, it was Uttar Pradesh, and this step can be quite tedious.
The document list might vary depending on the Home Department of the State, but in general, it should remain the same. So, please ensure you have all your supporting documents ready.
Cover letter (i.e., a brief letter explaining why I am sending these documents; you can find it here)
Attested statement and affidavit (bio-data and affidavit)
Self-attested copies of passport and visa
Self-attested copies of certificates (Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc., and High School)
DS-2019
Resume
You can either mail your documents to the secretariat of your home department or visit there in person. If you have family relatives or parents available, you can ask them to submit your documents on your behalf.
It may take some time because you need to locate the person responsible for the NORI department, as the secretariat office has multiple departments. I recommend visiting the office in person or asking someone to go on your behalf.
Once your documents are accepted by the secretariat, the administration will forward them for police verification and District Magistrate (DM) office clearance.
A police inquiry will be conducted to verify your address and documents. They may visit your home address, contact the phone number you provided in your bio-data/affidavit, or ask your parents to visit the police station. In my case, my dad received the call and went to the police station.
Related: How to expedite your J1 waiver
Your parents will need to submit an affidavit on your behalf, confirming that you have no outstanding loans or criminal activities and that they have no objections to your stay in the US. They should also provide other necessary documents, such as ID proof, as guided by the police. The specific requirements may vary depending on the state.
A separate file will be sent to your respective District Magistrate (DM) for their signature, which they should then send back to the secretariat office. Please follow up with both the police office and the DM office. It took me 3-4 months to complete this clearance process end-to-end, and it was slower due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Related: How to apply for J2 EAD
Once the secretariat receives no objection from DM and Police then they will e-mail you your clearance certificate and simultaneously post it to the Indian government, New Delhi.
The Indian government will send one physical copy of the certificate to your physical address in the US and another copy to the Indian consulate office in the US. Receiving a physical copy might take 1-2 months, so be patient.
If you don't receive the physical copy, contact your consulate in the USA via email to inquire if the emailed copy will suffice. A friend of mine faced the same issue (never receiving a physical copy), and CGI-SF confirmed that an email scan copy would also be accepted.
Please follow up at this step regularly; otherwise, the process may become significantly slower, or your case might be forgotten. If possible, obtain a contact number from the NORI office to stay updated. In my case, a gentleman at the secretariat office kindly provided his number and guided me through the process.
Sample NORI Certificate (Home State)
Please message me in the comment section if you have any queries. I will try to answer your question.
Regional Passport Offices Addresses (India)
I tried to find addresses for Passport Offices from different states by looking at other websites because many people asked for them. I haven't used these addresses myself so they might be wrong. Please let me know in the comments if you find any mistakes, and I'll fix them. Thanks for helping others in advance.
Note: For the RPO links provided below, Click the reference link > Go to Contact Us > Passport > Regional Passport Officer and you will find all the information (including RPO contact details like phone and email addresses).
Regional Passport Office in Andhra Pradesh
Regional Passport Officer
Near P.F. Office, Beside Rythu Bazar,
Marripalem VUDA Lay out, NAD Post,
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh-530009
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Haryana
Regional Passport Officer
SCO 28-32, Sector 34-A
Chandigarh-160022
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Maharashtra
Videsh Bhavan, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Plot No C-45,G Block, Bandra (East),
Mumbai-400051
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Madhya Pradesh
Regional Passport Office,
Ministry of External Affairs.
Arera Hills, Bhopal (M.P.)-462011
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Rajasthan
J-14, Jhalana Institutional Area,
Jhalana Doongri, Jaipur,
Rajasthan-302051
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in West Bengal
4 Brabourne Road, 1st floor,
Kolkata, West Bengal-700001
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Karnataka
8th Block, 80 Feet Road,
Koramangala, Bengaluru,
Karnataka-560095
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Kerala
Eranhipalam Post,
Kozhikode,
Kerala-673006
Reference: Link
Regional Passport Office in Gujarat
Regional Passport Office
Opp: L.D. Engg College Hostel
University Road, Gulbai Tekra
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
India - 380 006
Reference: Link
Note: If you don't find your city above, please visit this link and select your city > Contact Us > Passport > Regional Passport Officer, for example:
Home Department Addresses (India)
Same for Home Department addresses, I haven't used these addresses myself, so they might be wrong. Please double-check before sending your documents. If you find any mistakes, please let me know in the comments, and I'll fix them. Thanks for helping others in advance.
Home Department in Delhi
Secretary, Home
Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi,
5th Level, 'C' Wing,
Delhi Secretariat, I.P. Estate,
New Delhi- 110002
Home Department in Andhra Pradesh
The Deputy Secretary
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Home Department
III Floor, Secretariat, Hyderabad - 500022
Reference: Link
Home Department Office in Haryana
The Secretary to Government
Home Department
Haryana Civil Secretariat
Chandigarh - 160001, Haryana, India
Reference: Link
Home Department in Maharashtra
Principal Secretary - (Special) Home Department
9th Floor, New Administrative Building
Opp. Mantralaya
Mumbai - 400032, Maharashtra, India
Reference: Link
Home Department in Tamil Nadu
The Secretary
Home (Citz II) Department
Government of Tamil Nadu
Secretariat, Fort St. George
Chennai - 600009, Tamilnadu, India
Reference: Link
Home Department in Madhya Pradesh
The Principal Secretary to Government
Department of Home
Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Vallabh Bhawan
Bhopal - 462004, Madhya Pradesh, India
Reference: Link
Home Department in Jharkhand
Secretary to the Government
Department of Home
Project Bhavan, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Reference: Link
Home Department in Rajasthan
The Principal Secretary to Government
Department of Home
Govt. of Rajasthan
Secretariat
Jaipur - 302005, Rajasthan, India
Home Department in West Bengal
The Principal Secretary
Home Department, Foreigners Branch,
Government of West Bengal
Writers Building
Kolkata 700 001, West Bengal, INDIA
Home Department in Uttar Pradesh
Under Secretary
Home (Visa) Section-4
7th Floor, Room No. 703
C-Block, Lok Bhawan
Lucknow, UP - 226001
FAQs: J1 Waiver India Process
What is the NORI certificate?
A No Obligation to Return to India (NORI) Certificate is required by a person who has been in the USA on a J-1 visa and has applied to the Embassy/Consulate General of India (CGI) to waive the condition of two years' physical presence in India after the visa period ends. Before issuing the waiver, the Embassy/CGI requests the J-1 visa holder to obtain NORI from the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Which RPO (Regional Passport Office) should I reach out to for a J1 waiver?
According to CGI-SF, you need to reach out to the Regional Passport Office/ Passport Issuing authority from where the applicant has been issued the Passport.
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