About Us NORI (No Obligation to Return to India)

  • Currently WALK-IN services are SUSPENDED. Please send requisite document by mail along with all supporting documents (notarized copies of passport/legal status/address proof) and return shipping envelope. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL PASSPORT.   
  • The Consulate reserves the right to reject attestation of documents the contents of which are objectionable or contrary to the Rules. 
  • The Consulate does not attest any document issued by authorities in India. If any document issued by authorities in India (such as birth and death certificates, affidavits, diplomas, marriage certificate and educational certificates issued by authorities in India ) are required to be presented to authorities in USA, these should be apostilled in India. For details, please check the website “Legalization of Documents” at http://www.mea.gov.in 
  • "Cashier's Check/Money Order should be drawn in favour of CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA, SAN FRANCISCO" NO BLANK CHECK/MONEY ORDER WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE CONSULATE
  • ICWF charges for miscellaneous services would be $2.00 per application instead of $3.00 w.e.f. September 01, 2017 (This amount may be included in the same cheque as the fees.)

The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India have launched a new portal http://nori.ac.in  for receiving online application for NORI. The portal would serve as one stop solution for end-to-end process right from submission of application to issue of letter of NORI to the applicant. The online application on the portal has started from February 27, 2016. The Department of Higher Education would, however, continue to accept physical applications for the next 90 days of launch of the portal. Thereafter only online applications are accepted. All applicants are required to sign in to the portal for submitting their applications. However, applicants are informed that the other two clearances required from the Regional Passport Office and the respective Home Department of the State continue to be governed as per previous guidelines.

As per extant policy guidelines, NORI Certificate will not be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare under any circumstances, except in cases where the age of an applicant is over sixty-five (65) years on the date of submission of application.

Instructions on non-issuance of NORI Certificate to individuals possessing medical qualifications included in Schedules I, II & II of the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act 1956 as also BDS, MDS degree holders and holders of Diploma after attaining BDS are available in public domain and on the website of Medical Council of India i.e. www.mciindia.org

NORI application is a three stage process. It is available only to J 1 visa holders. The Consulate only handles Stage I and Stage III.  The applicants have to handle Stage II themselves.

 

Applying In Person:(Currently Suspended)

Carry originals of all the supporting documents to be presented to the Consular Officer (photocopies of which are to be attached with the application).  In case you are not able to present the original documents at the counter bring notarized copy of documents being attached to the application.  Ensure that notarized copy is legible, otherwise Consulate may ask to see the original. However, the passport and the document (which is to be attested) should be presented in original.

 

Applying by Mail:

Send all the supporting documents to the following address:

Miscellaneous Cell
Consulate General of India,
540 Arguello Boulevard;
San Francisco CA 94118

Photocopy of all supporting documents should be notarized and attached to the application. Do not send any original documents except the affidavit / document to be attested. 

 

Fee :  

A non-refundable fee of $ 60 (sixty) + $2 (two) for ICWF for Stage I and $ 25 (twenty five) + $2 (two) for ICWF for Stage III.

Each applicant for Miscellaneous Services has to give Indian Community Welfare Fee (ICWF) of US $2.00 w.e.f. October 01, 2012.

Fees should be paid through Money order or Cashiers’ cheque drawn in favor of the ‘Consulate General of India, San Francisco’NO BLANK CHECK/MONEY ORDER WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE CONSULATE. Cash, Personal Cheques, Credit Cards, Debit Cards or other banking instruments are not accepted.

Please enclose a trackable pre-paid self-addressed return mailing envelope (USPS 'Express Mail' or UPS etc.,) (No Fedex) for dispatching the processed documents.

How to Apply:

STAGE I

  • Miscellaneous Services Form - Download the Miscellaneous Application form and complete the Application form .
  • Notarized copy of Passport (First and Last Page)
  • Proof of your US Visa Status:(Notarized copy of any one of the following)
      • Photocopy of the page containing visa on passport (H1B, H4 etc) and the copy of I-94
      • Clear Photocopy of Green Card
      • Employment Authorization Document (Work Permit)
      • I-797, I-140 or I-20 (If approval copy of these notices are pending, also attach a handwritten note detailing the efforts being taken to regularize status)
  •  Proof of current US residence address: (Notarized copy of any one of the following)
      • U.S Driving license.
      • PG&E, Water or landline telephone bill displaying applicant’s address
      • House Lease Agreement
      • State Identification Card
      • Note: Bank/credit card/mobile phone statements are not accepted as residence proof
  • Complete the NORI form (including both parts, (i) Handwritten bio data and (ii) Handwritten affidavit)—in 4 (four) originals.  Notarized all 4 originals.  Submit all 4 originals (notarized)  and 2 photocopies.
  • Fee of $ 60.00 (sixty) for stage I and an additional fee of US$2.00 (two) towards ICWF.
  • In case the Consulate receives applications with incomplete documentation, the same would be sent back unprocessed in the return envelope sent by the applicant.
     

STAGE II

On receipt of attested forms from the Consulate, Please send online the attested copies at : http://nori.ac.in to following agencies in India:

The Regional Passport Office/ Passport Issuing authority from where applicant has been issued the Passport.

The Home Department of the State in India where the applicant belongs.

The Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Department, ES-5 Division, External Scholar Ship Division., 2nd floor, Wing-6, West Block -1, R.K. Puram, Delhi- 110 066.

Please note that it is applicant’s responsibility to obtain clearances from the offices in India. Consulate will not pursue this on their behalf.
 

STAGE III

On receipt of clearance from all three offices mentioned above, send a copy of the all the three clearances alongwith the CASE NUMBER, Notarized copy of passport, visa status and proof of US address (For Details, Please visit www.travel.state.gov/waiver_instructions.html  )  given by US Immigration authorities (www.uscis.gov ) to the Consulate General of India, San Francisco, along with fee.

Fee :   A non-refundable fee of $ 25 (twenty five) + $2 (two) for ICWF for Stage III. If you want to receive the attested documents back through mail, send a trackable pre-paid return mailing envelope (USPS 'Express Mail' or UPS etc.)  Personal Cheques, Credit Cards, Debit Card or other banking instruments are not accepted.

Each applicant for Miscellaneous Services has to give Indian Community Welfare Fee (ICWF) of US $2.00 w.e.f. October 01, 2012.

Fees should be paid through Money order or Cashiers’ cheque drawn in favor of the ‘Consulate General of India, San Francisco’NO BLANK CHECK/MONEY ORDER WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE CONSULATE. Cash, Personal Cheques, Credit Cards, Debit Cards or other banking instruments are not accepted.

The Consulate General will issue the waiver certificate and forward it to the Embassy of India in Washington DC for onward transmission to the US Immigration Authority who will notify the applicant directly regarding its acceptance. A copy of Consulate’s letter to the Embassy will be sent to the applicant.

 

Processing Time :

  • Applying in person:
    • No fixed processing time. Depends on time taken in obtaining clearances from offices in India.
  • Applying by mail:
    • No fixed processing time. Depends on time taken in obtaining clearances from offices in India.

 

FAQs - Miscellaneous Services

Consular Services