BLS tracking through CKGS

[spam]

Is it possible to "walk-in" into SFO indain consulate during general consular hours (9-12) and talk to the somebody in the embassy, Or Do we have to take an appointment? I didn't see any options for this on consualate webpage.

I am calling and mailing them as I write this. But, if anybody has first-hand experience that would really be useful.

TIA

I totally understand. I'm scheduled to travel in 8/8 and my app is sitting at CKGS NY.

I just want to say that I read some reviews about CKGS on yelp and someone on there mentioned that a couple of people directly went to consulate (I believe SF) and people consulate were able to just hand them the OCI and passport etc. You may want to e-mail your consulate and see if this is a possibility (this would be a blessing), try to avoid getting them to CKGS.

Just a suggestion.

[Vadhadia]

I'm sorry I don't know answer to that question. But the website I read it from, two people confirmed that they went to consulate and the people there gave them stamped passport and OCI and that was it. I'm glad to see that you are contacting them.

I really hope it works for you too. Please post your reply if this works for you as well. Best of luck to you and all of us.

[OCIapplicant1]

I had applied for family OCI at BLS-NY in last week of March.

I contacted CKGS (I had CC'd Indian Consulate and BLS International as well) regarding the status of application since when I try to track on their website with my passport number it gives a response, "No Records Found".

I got a generic response from CKGS as follows:

"Thank you for contacting Cox and Kings Global Services via email.

Yet we havent received any processed details from BLS request you wait for some time definately will update you for the same."

Indian Consulate and BLS International has not bothered to even acknowledge receipt of my email.

It has been 15 days since the service provider has been changed by Indian Consulate.
There is no time-line published anywhere as to how long it is going to take for all applications to be transferred to a new service provider!!

[OCIapplicant1]

I used below website to retrieve the File-Acknowledgment Number using DOB and passport number.

http://passport.gov.in/oci/forgotRegis

Then I tracked my OCI application on

http://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury

using passport number and the File-Acknowledgment Number.

It appeared as follows:

Applicant Name ----------xxxx
File Acknowledgment Number--------xxxxx
Date Of Acknowledgment xx-APR-2014
Registration Status at Mission NEW YORK CGI
Documents Printing Status UNDER-PROCESS

At least it means that application is with Indian Consulate.

[NPT]

Get OCI stamped at Consulate if it is back from India

I applied for OCI re-stamp on new passport for kids in April. The papers were sent to the Consulate (from BLS) for process on Apr 11th and we had no news after that. So, we visited the SF Consulate on Friday (5/30) to get emergency visas but when we checked our OCI application status at the pick-up window, our OCI papers were at the consulate and we got it affixed directly right in front of us. Check out the consulate for your OCI status.. dont forget to take a printout of your application.

There were 2 people who went to the Consulate's pick-up window today and got their OCI and passport stamped. They were in and out in 30mins. Try your luck!

- NPT

Thanks for the link. Very useful. Sorry to hear its doesn't show PIO.

This is how my latest status shows:

OCI- Number xxxxxxxx
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 16-MAY-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 19-MAY-2014
Document received At SAN FRANCISCO On 28-MAY-2014

Looks like it was received at SFO consulate on 28May. Usually how long does it take for it to go BLS (CKGS) and they sending us email? I have travel scheduled for 6/13, and getting nervous whether I will get the docs back in time. I have scheduled an appointment on 6/9. We will see how it goes.

- - - Updated - - -

We visited the SF Consulate on Friday (5/30) to get emergency visas but when we checked our OCI application status at the pick-up window, our OCI papers were at the consulate and we got it affixed directly right in front of us. Check out the consulate for your OCI status.. dont forget to take a printout of your application.

There were 2 people who went to the Consulate's pick-up window today and got their OCI and passport stamped. They were in and out in 30mins. Try your luck!

- NPT

So the Indian govt website tells me that the OCI has been printed and shipped to SFO Indian mission on May 18th. But I have not heard anything from CKGS yet on sending passports for matching..

[spam]

Thanks for the info. Indeed very helpful.

I have questions, your feedback is really appreciated:

1. Can you just walk in to the consulate (no security or something stopping you askign fo rthe reason? Don't you need an appointment of something. Since I have also applied for visa, dont have us passports anymore to say I am there for mergency vsia.

2. Do all the applicants needed to be present to do this? It would me myself, wife and kid in my case. Will they handover all the passports to me ( I have to travel from South CA to visit consulate)

TIA

I applied for OCI re-stamp on new passport for kids in April. The papers were sent to the Consulate (from BLS) for process on Apr 11th and we had no news after that. So, we visited the SF Consulate on Friday (5/30) to get emergency visas but when we checked our OCI application status at the pick-up window, our OCI papers were at the consulate and we got it affixed directly right in front of us. Check out the consulate for your OCI status.. dont forget to take a printout of your application.

There were 2 people who went to the Consulate's pick-up window today and got their OCI and passport stamped. They were in and out in 30mins. Try your luck!

- NPT



- - - Updated - - -

We visited the SF Consulate on Friday (5/30) to get emergency visas but when we checked our OCI application status at the pick-up window, our OCI papers were at the consulate and we got it affixed directly right in front of us. Check out the consulate for your OCI status.. dont forget to take a printout of your application.

There were 2 people who went to the Consulate's pick-up window today and got their OCI and passport stamped. They were in and out in 30mins. Try your luck!

- NPT

[Vadhadia]

Complaint against CKGS

I'm preparing an e-mail to be sent to Consulate General for CKGS. I've pasted what I've prepared for all of your reviews and edits. Please feel free to advise if I need to add something and tell me if something needs to be deleted. I'm not sure if this will go somewhere but I will feel that at least I tried.

We (frustrated, feeling completely helpless, non-residential Indians residing in USA that are desperate to obtain travel documents) know that you listen to our complaints and respond to our cry for help, since you took a step and changed the outsourced company from BLS to CKGS.

It was announced on May 8th, 2014 that CKGS was going to be the new service provider. The effective date of service was May 21st, 2014. They had a minimum of two weeks to prepare for this, but they didn’t have a working phone in the first week. A month later, two out of the four phone numbers still do not work at all. And if you call the other two, your phone will be answered after waiting in line for about an hour by representatives who have no knowledge of the Visa/OCI/PIO processing. Let alone knowledge, they don’t have common sense.

They have physical offices in the six major cities, but what good are they if they are not open to public and if it’s only the storage of application that they do there and not really work on our applications. An appointment would help everyone, but for that their website’s appointment system needs to work. Someone pointed out that we feel proud that majority of IT experts in this world are from India, so why is it that an Indian website faces a problem like this one?

I must appreciate that CKGS is responding to the e-mails, but what about reading to our inquiry before a response is sent. They probably have 5-7 different samples and you will receive one of those canned response to your questions.

There is probably a contract in place that binds Consulate General with CKGS for a certain amount of time. To make this time period bearable, these are the suggested steps that could make a difference in our lives. (If there is not, I would most certainly ask to go back to Travisa)

1) First and foremost, two representatives, with sufficient knowledge about the service that CKGS is signed to provide, answering phones at each offices.
2) No more automated e-mail responses, individuals working at each office needs to provide their e-mail address on the website for contact. We’ve had enough of “We are working on your application, please bear with us”. Doesn’t matter if they are answering to e-mail or phone call, whoever is doing it needs to have access to our applications, hence it’s a must that we have regional phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
3) If they require an appointment, then they need to have easy to use and working appointment scheduling online system. For walk-in or appointment, each office needs to be open to public for at least 4-5 business hours each week day.
4) No more putting the blame on BLS. BLS is history; CKGS still keeps using the excuse that they haven’t received handover from BLS, when we tell that that the application was directly sent to them after May 21st.
5) A place to file complaint against CKGS/Outsourced Service Provider on Consulate General’s website. There are countless complaints floating about CKGS in cyberspace. For sake of fairness, please have a common place where you can hear our questions and concerns.

How long can we live with 10% of the total required oxygen in air? CKGS is the only Visa/OCI/PIO service provider in USA for India and their performance is currently scaled at 10% of what is expected of them – let’s not forget this is, at least after a month from the date they knew what they were going to perform.

[priyaseeksoci]

I'm preparing an e-mail to be sent to Consulate General for CKGS. I've pasted what I've prepared for all of your reviews and edits. Please feel free to advise if I need to add something and tell me if something needs to be deleted. I'm not sure if this will go somewhere but I will feel that at least I tried.

We (frustrated, feeling completely helpless, non-residential Indians residing in USA that are desperate to obtain travel documents) know that you listen to our complaints and respond to our cry for help, since you took a step and changed the outsourced company from BLS to CKGS.

It was announced on May 8th, 2014 that CKGS was going to be the new service provider. The effective date of service was May 21st, 2014. They had a minimum of two weeks to prepare for this, but they didn’t have a working phone in the first week. A month later, two out of the four phone numbers still do not work at all. And if you call the other two, your phone will be answered after waiting in line for about an hour by representatives who have no knowledge of the Visa/OCI/PIO processing. Let alone knowledge, they don’t have common sense.

They have physical offices in the six major cities, but what good are they if they are not open to public and if it’s only the storage of application that they do there and not really work on our applications. An appointment would help everyone, but for that their website’s appointment system needs to work. Someone pointed out that we feel proud that majority of IT experts in this world are from India, so why is it that an Indian website faces a problem like this one?

I must appreciate that CKGS is responding to the e-mails, but what about reading to our inquiry before a response is sent. They probably have 5-7 different samples and you will receive one of those canned response to your questions.

There is probably a contract in place that binds Consulate General with CKGS for a certain amount of time. To make this time period bearable, these are the suggested steps that could make a difference in our lives. (If there is not, I would most certainly ask to go back to Travisa)

1) First and foremost, two representatives, with sufficient knowledge about the service that CKGS is signed to provide, answering phones at each offices.
2) No more automated e-mail responses, individuals working at each office needs to provide their e-mail address on the website for contact. We’ve had enough of “We are working on your application, please bear with us”. Doesn’t matter if they are answering to e-mail or phone call, whoever is doing it needs to have access to our applications, hence it’s a must that we have regional phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
3) If they require an appointment, then they need to have easy to use and working appointment scheduling online system. For walk-in or appointment, each office needs to be open to public for at least 4-5 business hours each week day.
4) No more putting the blame on BLS. BLS is history; CKGS still keeps using the excuse that they haven’t received handover from BLS, when we tell that that the application was directly sent to them after May 21st.
5) A place to file complaint against CKGS/Outsourced Service Provider on Consulate General’s website. There are countless complaints floating about CKGS in cyberspace. For sake of fairness, please have a common place where you can hear our questions and concerns.

How long can we live with 10% of the total required oxygen in air? CKGS is the only Visa/OCI/PIO service provider in USA for India and their performance is currently scaled at 10% of what is expected of them – let’s not forget this is, at least after a month from the date they knew what they were going to perform.

Looks good - I would just replace the words 'common sense' with 'basic skills'

How about starting an online petition and writing to MEA....like this individual did...

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ckgs-application-centre-new-york-new-york

[Vadhadia]

Priya, thanks for the update, Basic skills makes much better sense in that sentence. I'll update my letter.

I reviewed that yelp page and the e-mail addresses for MEA, but don't know how to start an online petition. Can you explain what the steps are. I'm willing to everything I can to get this process moving.

[PlanB]

Received couple of replies from CKGS

Enquiries USA
To Me
Jun 3 at
Dear Mr.abcdef

Thank you for contacting Cox and Kings Global Services via email.

Yet we havent received any processed details from BLS request you wait for some time definately will update you for the same.

Thanks & Regards,
cid:[email protected]

http://www.in.ckgs.us

A Cox and Kings Company

____________________________________________________________ ________

Enquiries USA
To Me
Jun 4
Dear Applicants,

Thank you for contacting Cox and Kings Global Services via email.

We are yet to receive the database from BLS. Once the data is available, you can either check the status on our website or you can contact us on our toll free number.

We appreciate your time and patience.

Thanks & Regards,
cid:[email protected]

http://www.in.ckgs.us

A Cox and Kings Company
____________________________________________________________ __________________________

Enquiries USA
To Me
Jun 4
Dear abcdefgh

Thank you for contacting Cox and Kings Global Services via email.

We request you to track your application on http://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury with your passport number and Online registration number or File acknowledgement number.


We appreciate your time and patience.

Thanks & Regards,
India Visa Application Centre
Cox & Kings Global Services
Website: www.in.ckgs.us
cid:[email protected]

[mrangar]

I'd pick it up in person, but it's a long way from Portland to SFO

Anyway we travel only early in August so I have time. If nothing moves for a month I'll just go to SFO.

[NPT]

@spam, you will need your current US passports for the stamping of OCI. You dont need any appt to go talk to the person at the pick-up window. It is outside the main door of the consulate building.

You can check with the consulate if they have your passports and ask them if they can stamp OCI instead of visa.. not sure how that works.

To pickup, you just need your ID. I picked up the OCIs for my kids showing my driver's license. But I had the kids current passports with me.

Thanks for the info. Indeed very helpful.

I have questions, your feedback is really appreciated:

1. Can you just walk in to the consulate (no security or something stopping you askign fo rthe reason? Don't you need an appointment of something. Since I have also applied for visa, dont have us passports anymore to say I am there for mergency vsia.

2. Do all the applicants needed to be present to do this? It would me myself, wife and kid in my case. Will they handover all the passports to me ( I have to travel from South CA to visit consulate)

TIA

[spam]

Thanks. You are right, I am hoping the passports are at the consulate. Those idiots in CKGS can't even track whether my passports are in their SFO office or at the consulate.

@spam, you will need your current US passports for the stamping of OCI. You dont need any appt to go talk to the person at the pick-up window. It is outside the main door of the consulate building.

You can check with the consulate if they have your passports and ask them if they can stamp OCI instead of visa.. not sure how that works.

To pickup, you just need your ID. I picked up the OCIs for my kids showing my driver's license. But I had the kids current passports with me.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know about others, but the online tracker for my visa application is not working (even after 2 weeks since they received the application). May be we should include that too? In this digital/internet age this is very basic need.

Looks good - I would just replace the words 'common sense' with 'basic skills'

How about starting an online petition and writing to MEA....like this individual did...

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ckgs-applica...-york-new-york

[priyaseeksoci]

Priya, thanks for the update, Basic skills makes much better sense in that sentence. I'll update my letter.

I reviewed that yelp page and the e-mail addresses for MEA, but don't know how to start an online petition. Can you explain what the steps are. I'm willing to everything I can to get this process moving.

I am not technical but if you go to change.org/petition - when you are there search for BLS you will get the idea - how a petition looks like


Also please update - if and when you can track your application online on CKGS....

I am planning to postpone my AUG visit to India - if there is an Emergency I will have to use Emergency visa - but I guess at this rate there will be a lot of people seeking Emergency visas

Thnks

[vamsiau]

Got PIO card

Even I was not able to track my application in CKGS website. But to my surprise i received my kids pio card in mail yesterday.

Original application sent: 29April2014
pending Additional documents MAy52014
BLS received date May92014
Application processed by BLS
and sent to consulate 18May2014
Not able to track any data due to BLS to CKGS transition

Got mail on 06Jun2014

Thanks
Vamsi

Just got a reply from CKGS addressed to the wrong name with a canned response that did not address my issue at all... Not a good sign

Thank you for contacting Cox and Kings Global Services via email.

We have received some applications for handover to applicants in all our centers. To see if your document has been received by us, please click on TRACK MY APPLICATION link on the website and feed your details under BLS Applications upto 20th May 2014.

In case of any queries please feel free to get back to us.

Thanks & Regards,
Cox & Kings Global Services

- - - Updated - - -

One more update : I called their phone number and a recorded message said that Handover is still under process for San Francisco and they will have an update by the end of the day.