Rajiv Gangwar · 4 min readKnow which document format belongs at each preparation stage, when New Delhi requests originals, and how private courier coordination differs from submission.
“Send your documents” is an incomplete instruction unless it specifies the document, format, recipient and stage. A scan can be useful for private preparation, while an official step can separately require a physical document. Establish that distinction before handing over a passport or dispatching certificates.
Match the format to the stage
| Stage | Possible format | What the format does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Initial private assistance | Readable scans or digital copies where practical | Private review is not official acceptance or a visa decision. |
| Official online application/review | The uploads and information requested by the portal | An uploaded document does not automatically remove a later physical requirement. |
| Official physical submission | Passport, certificate and other documents specified by the centre and case instructions | Not every supporting document has the same original-versus-copy rule. |
| Further official request | The particular format expressly requested | A previous upload or private checklist does not override the new request. |
Use the document checklist to identify which documents apply. Then record the required format beside each item rather than labelling the entire file “originals required” or “scans only.”
What New Delhi's current physical step says
The New Delhi Step 2 notice specifies the original passport and the Visa Application Certificate. It also identifies conditional items, including certain originals requested during online review and printed invitation-verification material where applicable. This is a New Delhi instruction, not a universal list of originals for every category and centre.
The same notice includes interview instructions for S, Q, X and Z applicants. Check the current category and case instructions directly; sending a document by courier does not satisfy an interview or other personal-appearance requirement.
The New Delhi online-review notice tells applicants to wait for completed review and the confirmation email before physical submission. That process status should not be described as an issued visa. The application guide explains the sequence in context.
An original invitation is a separate question
The Delhi general notice allows the authorities to request an original invitation. Do not convert that possibility into a statement that every applicant must courier every invitation in original, or that a scan will always be sufficient.
If a request arrives, identify the exact document and whether a physical original, printed copy or replacement issued by the inviter is intended. An informal message from a private helper should be distinguished from an official request and checked against it.
Confirm four details before dispatch
- Document: Which named item is needed, and does the instruction apply to this applicant?
- Format: Original, photocopy, printout or digital file? Is a specific page or complete document requested?
- Recipient and purpose: Is it going to a private service provider for coordination or to an authorised official submission channel?
- Timing and return: Has the relevant stage been reached, and how will receipt, custody and return be recorded?
Keep copies and a handover record appropriate to the documents being sent. These are practical coordination measures, not additional consular requirements. If the format or recipient is uncertain, resolve it before dispatch rather than sending every original just in case.
Remote assistance and courier remain private coordination
Visa Expertz may begin a private document review remotely using copies. Where suitable, tracked courier can support agreed private coordination after the need for originals is confirmed. It does not replace an official submission, interview or appearance obligation, and no courier partnership or special official access is implied.
For the separate service workflow, see assistance for applicants outside Delhi. Student applicants should also check the study-category guide rather than assuming the same physical-document list applies to all purposes.
Official information checked
Official information checked on 23 September 2026. Formats and stage instructions are particularly sensitive to procedural changes; follow the handling centre and your current case communication.
