Indian Passport

1) Old Passport shipped out: 01/22/2024
2) Received by VFSGlobal: 01/24/2024
3) VFSGlobal sits on the application due to COVID (yes, its still a policy at SFO to make all packages wait for 48 hours, confirmed by their team on twitter)
4) VFS sends the application to SFO consulate: 01/26/2024

A full work week has passed by now, since shipping.

5) Application received by Consulate: 01/29/2024 (They DON'T communicate with you. All statuses were pulled from the website, they DON'T send ANY updates!).
6) Status started changing on consulate's website: 01/30/2024
7) Passport Received: 02/06/2024 (2nd Feb 2024)

Total days from shipment out to incoming delivery: 15 days. This was in Tatkal!!

Couple of pointers:
1) I paid for VFH Courier both ways.
2) I sent a physical photo, did NOT use their photo service.
3) Recieved an email from passport services India, that police verification has been initiated. No call in India yet.
4) The below json can be seen by:
        a. Click on 'Track Status' on the consulate website: https://portal4.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
        b. Fill inthe ARN, DOB and captcha, BUT dont click "Track Application Status" yet.
        c. Right click on the "Track Application Status" button and click on 'Inspect'. F12 will also work
        d. Now click on the "Track Application Status". This will result in a request and response.
        e. Goto 'Network' tab in the 'Inspect' window.
        f. You will see an object called 'trackStatusForFileNoNew', expand the object.
        g. Now go to the 'Response' table, not the Preview tab.
        h. In the Response, find element "StatusId", expand it to find the detailed json status.
5) Application itself was a bit confusing. Especially the affidavits. This site helped a lot: https://www.***.com/renew-indian-passport-usa/#registration-steps
6) "Change of Appearance" affidavit is REQUIRED. I sent mine saying appearance and signature did NOT change. I reasoned with myself that they are looking for drastic, major change.
7) If, for any reason, you need a refund, VFS will retain $50 as 'customer service fee'. Someone's definitely getting rich on us!! :)

Rest of the updates as pulled from the tracking status on the website are below:

[
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": "QC Accepted and Dispatch Initiated: Passport No. <new passport number> of type Ordinary-Normal",
        "EMP_ACTION": "Dispatch Initiated",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-02-03T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Dispatch Initiated",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 334,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": "Printed: Passport No. <new passport number> of type Ordinary-Normal",
        "EMP_ACTION": "Printed",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-02-02T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Printed",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 103,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": null,
        "EMP_ACTION": "Print Initiated",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-01-30T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Print Initiated",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 364,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": "",
        "EMP_ACTION": "Print and PV Intiated",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-01-30T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Print and PV Intiated",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 1156,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": "Granting Status Set as 'Clear'",
        "EMP_ACTION": "Clear",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-01-30T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Application Granted on post police verification basis",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 1103,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": "",
        "EMP_ACTION": "Sent To Go",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-01-30T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Granting Initiated",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 5099,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    },
    {
        "EVENT_DESC": null,
        "EMP_ACTION": "Application Form Submitted",
        "STATUS_TRACKING_PK": "<status pk>",
        "LAST_MODIFIED_DATE": "2024-01-30T00:00:00",
        "STATUS_DESC": "Submitted",
        "STATUS_ID_FK": 1,
        "FILE_NO": "<new passport file number>"
    }
]