Indian Passport

03/26/24 - Passport and application shipped
03/28/24 - Status update VFS - Received
03/28/24 - Photo rejected email VFS
03/29/24 - Digital photo updated through the link given by VFS
03/29/24 - Email acknowledgement of photo update VFS
04/02/24 - We have ‘Received’ your Application and your application is now ‘Under Process’ at San Francisco and will be submitted to the Mission for decision making.
04/03/24 - Your Application has been ‘Processed’ at the VFS India Consular application Centre and currently is ‘In-Transit‘ to the Embassy of India/Consulate General of India for decision making.
04/03/24 until today (04/06/24) on VFS tracking website - Your application has reached at the Embassy/Consulate and is currently under review process
04/03/24 (on Passport Seva tracking website) - Passport is printed and will be delivered shortly.
04/08/2024 - Received the old and new passport by FedEx.
To my surprise, the passport has my old photo which the VFS rejected saying the exposure is not good. Why did they ask me to send new photo then and I paid $7.99 + Tax for that.
But I am very satisfied with the speed of the overall process. 14 days total from the date of shipping the application to the date I received the new passport. This includes weekends and the rejection of my photo and sending new photo.

Notes:
1) Looks like after sending passport to Embassy, VFS tracking link simply says "Your application has reached at the Embassy/Consulate and is currently under review process". I was wondering why. Only then checked on passport seva tracking website. That has more up to date updates.
This is the link: https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
2) As you know for passport renewal we need to paste photos on the application and appearance form. Since my photo got rejected, I was worried I need to send the documents also. But the email from VFS states if you wish upload the photo on the link. I had to pay $ 7.99 though even though I have already paid 7.99 while submitting the application. I assumed it is for resubmission.
3) There are 2 forms. Appearance and signature change form & Annexure E. On the appearance change form, we can able to enter long names as the font size reduces itself. But on Annexure it does not happen. So i printed out empty forms and wrote with pen. One of my friend abbreviated the names (last names as initials) on Annexure E form. That got rejected as well. He had to resend. He uploaded a scanned copy and also send the original document as well. It is OK now.
4) I got notary signature at Chase Bank. The Notary stamped and signed on the same page on Annexure form, Appearance change form. Address proof copy he signed and stamped (my utility bill).
5) I am changing my US address on the passport that is what going to be printed on the passport. For Indian Address I have given my relatives address. I am going to send them my old passport copy, Aadhar card copy and a passport photo (same I used for the application).

This is the first time I am contributing in this forum after using this forum so long. Thought someone might find it useful.
Anything else you like to know please reply.

Thanks. I will update more after getting passport.