Indian Passport, Visa and OCI Services in Australia Remain Temporarily Suspended

Many members of the Indian community across Australia have been seeking clarity regarding the temporary suspension of Indian Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services. Here is the latest verified information available.

Indian CPV services provided through VFS Global in Australia have been temporarily suspended from 1 July 2026 until further notice, following directions issued by the High Commission of India in Canberra.

The suspension is linked to developments concerning the outsourcing arrangements for passport, visa and consular services. The matter came before the Delhi High Court, which examined the tender evaluation process for outsourcing CPV services for several Indian missions abroad, including Canberra. The Court directed that the procurement process be conducted again.

The legal proceedings relate to the tender process and not to individual applications. However, until new arrangements are finalised, applicants across Australia continue to await further updates on a range of essential services, including:

• Indian Passport services
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) applications
• Visa applications
• Police Clearance Certificates (PCC)
• Attestation and other consular services

According to information issued by VFS Global:

• Applications that are already under processing will remain pending until services resume.
• Passports that are ready for collection will continue to be returned through the existing collection or courier process.
• Applicants requiring urgent or emergency consular assistance should directly contact the High Commission of India in Canberra or their respective Consulate General.

The temporary suspension has affected thousands of Indian nationals, Overseas Citizens of India, students, professionals and families across Australia who rely on these services for travel, family reunions, education, employment, business and legal documentation.

Authorities have not yet announced a date for the resumption of services. Applicants are advised to avoid unnecessary travel to VFS centres and instead monitor official announcements from the High Commission of India and VFS Global for the latest information.

We will continue to publish verified updates as soon as further announcements are made regarding the restoration of Indian Passport, Visa and OCI services in Australia.