India Judicial Assistance

Party to Hague Service Convention?	Yes
Party to Hague Evidence Convention?	Yes
Party to Hague Apostille Convention?	Yes
Party to Inter-American Convention?	No
Service of Process by Mail?	No

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A SPECIFIC CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE APPROPRIATE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES OR FOREIGN COUNSEL.

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy New Delhi
Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021
India
Telephone: 91-11-2419-8000
Emergency Telephone: (+91-11) 2419-8000
Fax: 91-11-2419-8407
acsnd@state.gov

The Consulate General in Mumbai provides consular services for the states of Goa, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Diu and Daman, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

CONSULATES

U.S. Consulate General Mumbai (Bombay)
C-49, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex
Bandra East, Mumbai 400051
India
Telephone: 91-22-2672-4000
Emergency Telephone: (+91-22) 2672-4000 If you are calling from within India, but outside Mumbai, first dial 022.
Fax: 91-(0)22-2672-4786
mumbaiacs@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Kolkata (Calcutta)
5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani
Kolkata - 700 071,West Bengal, India
Telephone: 91-33-3984-2400
Emergency Telephone: (91) 99030 42956 or (91) (33) 3984-2400 then dial "0" and ask for Duty Officer.
Fax: 91-33-2282-2335

The United States Consulate General in Kolkata provides consular services for the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam.

kolkataACS@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Chennai (Madras)
220 Anna Salai at Gemini Circle
Chennai, India 600006
Telephone: 91-44-2857-4000
Emergency Telephone: (0)44-2857-4000. Ask for American Citizen Services.(Within India, but outside Chennai, first dial 044-. From the United States, first dial 011-91-44-.)
Fax: 91-44-2857-4443

The Consulate General in Chennai provides consular services for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Pondicherry and Lakshwadeep Islands.

chennaics@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad
Paigah Palace
1-8-323, Chiran Fort Lane
Begumpet, Secunderabad 500 003
Hyderabad, India
Telephone: 91-40-4033-8300
Emergency Telephone: 4033-8300, and ask for American Citizen Services.(If calling from within India, but outside Hyderabad, first dial 040-. From the United States, first dial 011-91-40-.)
Fax: 4033-8306

The Consulate General in Hyderabad provides services to the U.S. citizens in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

hydacs@state.gov

List of Attorneys

Helpful Links

http://www.mea.gov.in/index.htm

Service of Process

India is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters. Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website. Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to India’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention. The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court. The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields. In its Declarations and Reservations on the Hague Service Convention, India formally objected to service under Article 10, and does not permit service via postal channels. For additional information see the Hague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.

Service on a Foreign State: See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from India in the United States: See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests: U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters: Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters

India is a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters. The Indian Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention designated to receive letters of request for the taking of evidence is the Ministry of Law and Justice and all the High Courts in all States and Union Territories in India. See the Hague Evidence Convention Model Letters of Request for guidance on preparation of the letter of request. Requests for the compulsion of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention are transmitted directly from the requesting court or person in the United States to the Indian Central Authority and do not require transmittal via diplomatic channels. Letters of Request and accompanying documents should be prepared in duplicate. See India’s Declarations and Reservations regarding the Hague Evidence Convention.

Requests from India to Obtain Evidence in the United States: The U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is the Office of International Judicial Assistance, Civil Division, Department of Justice, 1100 L St., N.W., Room 11006, Washington, D.C. 20530.

Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses

Voluntary depositions may be conducted in India of U.S. citizens without permission of the Indian Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention. Voluntary depositions of Indian nationals and third country nationals require prior permission of the Indian Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention. Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission. If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly.

Authentication of Documents

India is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. India’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Convention will authenticate Indian public documents with Apostilles. For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in India, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities. To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.

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