NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Seattle, WA, Jan. 28, 2026:— India has expanded its diplomatic footprint in the U.S. Pacific Northwest with the opening of a new Indian Consular Application Centre in Seattle, aimed at streamlining passport, visa, and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) services for a rapidly growing Indian diaspora in the region.
The centre, located at 1015 Second Avenue, Suite 804, in downtown Seattle, operates alongside the Consulate General of India in Seattle, which moved into its permanent premises in the Federal Reserve Building in 2025. The new facility functions as a one-stop hub for consular services, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for routine documentation and immigration-related work .
Officials said the centre will handle passport services, visas, OCI applications, renunciation of Indian citizenship, police clearance certificates, attestations, and Global Entry Program (GEP) verification, among other services. The initiative is expected to significantly improve turnaround times and applicant experience for residents across Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and several Midwestern states that fall under the Seattle consulate’s jurisdiction .
The Seattle consulate itself represents a relatively new addition to India’s diplomatic network in the United States. First announced by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in 2023, the Consulate General of India in Seattle began operations from a temporary location before moving to its permanent chancery, which was formally inaugurated in August 2025 by India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Kwatra.
With the Seattle mission, India now has six consulates in the United States, reflecting the growing strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties between the two countries, particularly in technology hubs like Washington State. The region is home to a large number of Indian professionals working in technology, healthcare, academia, and research, many of whom previously relied on consular services in San Francisco or Vancouver .
The expanded consular presence has also drawn recognition from local lawmakers. Earlier this month, the Washington State Senate passed a resolution acknowledging the role of the Indian consulate in strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, innovation, education, and cultural exchange between India and the state of Washington.
Cover photo: File photo of the inauguration of the VFS Global Center in Seattle.
