Consulate puts staple on RFID back cover

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NoSuchThing

New Member
I applied for visas at the Houston Indian consulate through Travisa. They (consulate/Travisa) stapled our canceled Indian passports to the back cover of the US passports. This is where the RFID chip is located. All passports had 2 or 3 staples each. :mad:

I called US National Passport Information Center and told them what happened. The person who took my call didn't know the answer herself but went back to her supervisor. She then told me that I could use the passports and if the RFID doesn't work tell the immigration agent what happened. After I come back I could get the passports replaced. She also told me to inform the consulate not to do it :eek: (as if they would listen or care.)

Anybody had same 'staple' issue but didn't have trouble at US immigration?

There is NoSuchThing as trouble free
when dealing with Indian Bureaucracy.

PS: Sorry, my first post is about a problem.
 
Well, I wouldn't worry about it. In a way, it's better if the RFID doesn't work, as there is always a risk of the RFID component being abused, and having the Indian consulate 'disable' it for you is a plus. I also wouldn't bother having the passports replaced when you come back. Just use them.
 
NoSuchThing said:
I applied for visas at the Houston Indian consulate through Travisa. They (consulate/Travisa) stapled our canceled Indian passports to the back cover of the US passports. This is where the RFID chip is located. All passports had 2 or 3 staples each. :mad:
Click to expand...

This had me alarmed as I have recently applied for an Indian visa and just sent my US passport to them yesterday. So I called Travisa in Chicago yesterday to make sure this is not the practice over at their office. They confirmed that they now rubberband the two passports when sending them back. Earlier they used to staple all passports together but didn't realize there was an RF chip embedded on the backside. Now that they know they have stopped the practice.

Anyways, keeping fingers crossed.

AP
 
Passports shouldn't be stabled regardless of whether they have a chip or not. And I'm amazed as to how they "didn't know" that the passport contains a chip when the international biometric passport sign is clearly printed on the cover, and the back cover contains a statement saying that this passport contains a chip.
 
Well my friend, you're obviously not in the know when it comes to the Indian government. He's lucky they didn't cancel his US passport and send him a Certificate of Retention of Indian Citizenship.
 
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