Did anybody successfully receive Indian visa from CKGS yet?

[Venkateshdvk]

Collected PIO card

Collected PIO card yesterday, but my status is still (even today) 'in process'. I had to talk to someone in local office to track my application and get pio card in hand. The customer service number and emails are no use. i got an email reply yesterday evening (after i collected my pio card in person), that my pio card is in process and in document verification stage...(What???!).

so better way is to insist the customer care person you talk to, to provide you local contact and talk to them directly. What I understood is that the software they use have a lot of issues and they are not able to feed/update/keep track/ ship the processed applications properly + most of the staff dont know what they are doing.- lack of training.

[cdolon16]

More info

Collected PIO card yesterday, but my status is still (even today) 'in process'. I had to talk to someone in local office to track my application and get pio card in hand. The customer service number and emails are no use. i got an email reply yesterday evening (after i collected my pio card in person), that my pio card is in process and in document verification stage...(What???!).

so better way is to insist the customer care person you talk to, to provide you local contact and talk to them directly. What I understood is that the software they use have a lot of issues and they are not able to feed/update/keep track/ ship the processed applications properly + most of the staff dont know what they are doing.- lack of training.

Hi Venkateshdvk,
Can you share some more details as to when you submitted your PIO application and to which center?
How did you get the local contact number?
Thanks.

[Venkateshdvk]

Hi Venkateshdvk,
Can you share some more details as to when you submitted your PIO application and to which center?
How did you get the local contact number?
Thanks.

I submitted my application on May 28, Atlanta in person. I got the local contact details from the customer care representative I spoke to. I told him I need to talk to his manager or to the local office, because he could not give me proper details on the status of my application. i had to call customer care as there was no change in status even after 15 days.

[Vicks85]

CKGS PIO story!

Let me tell my story:

Had to get PIO for my 2 month old daughter. I had few doubts regarding my docs so I thought its better to go in person to submit the docs.

Note 1: Anyone wanting to have walk-in interview need not take their minor kid. I dropped an email asking if I can come alone to submit the docs of my daughter. But carry the copy of the email response from CKGS.

Note 2: They wont take your signature so, I suppose, you may even send your docs to your fren's place near any CKGS office and then have him submit your docs. But again make sure you state the name of the person, in the email to CKGS, who will come to drop your docs and give an authorization letter. I have not tried this option but you can check this out especially if you are located very far from CKGS office and want to make sure the docs get submitted properly. You can choose to fedex docs to your fren. I feel fedex is more reliable than CKGS.

You can use the postal service to drop off docs but above note is just to make sure your docs go in safe hands. Read many comments that their docs dint reach CKGS.

Anyways, I reached CKGS Chicago location on 10-June-2014. Make sure you take an appt and have its print out. I got appt easily. There were lot of empty slots.

Ok, back to CKGS chicago. The person in counter seemed to be very rude. I was giving her docs one-by-one telling this is my passport copy, my visa etc. and she was like, hand over all the docs and I will take what I want. So I gave the bunch of docs to her. She returned, 'additional particulars form' and 'order form' (I had requested return of docs via fedex). I confirmed if she dint need those 2 docs as its stated in CKGS docs list to give these 2 docs. This is where the disconnect starts, I will tell you in later part as to how they are missing the link between passport and fedex return label.

Came back home and checked the status. It was showing up correctly.

>> Your application is in process. Your tracking id is USAC YYYY YYYY 06/10/2014
>> Your Appointment is Scheduled 06/10/2014

06/11/2014 status changed that it has been submitted to the Embassy.

06/17/2014 status went blank and all the time stamps disappeared. It looked like a bug. So I dropped an email to CKGS. Before they replied the status changed again.

>> Your Documents are received from The Indian Embassy 06/17/2014

I was happy looking at it and within few hours the status again changed with the below message:

>> Your Documents are Collected in Person 06/18/2014

I was like whats happening. Who collected the docs. I dint know if it was a wrong status or some body has actually collected my docs by mistake. I was in panic mode. Thought its best to call CKGS.

Phone call 1: Explained them the issue. Helpdesk said that the status means that the docs have been collected by fedex guy. And I will be getting the docs very soon. Not sure why they want to put such a confusing message. Anyways I was relieved, thought I will get my docs the next day as I had used a fedex over-night shipment return label.

In few minutes I got email response for the bug I had raised concern about. The person from CKGS email happily says that my docs has been received by someone from my end. I was like.. what? who is that someone.

So clearly the helpdesk was itself contradicting their statements. Panic mode again. I thought let me check my fedex return label's tracking.

Checked fedex tracking - no update. So the email was true and guy on phone call 1 was lying?!? So dropped an email saying no one from my end has collected docs. Got a reponse back stating that they have escalated the issue.

Phone Call 2: Explained them the issue again. Helpdesk person said that status on CKGS site was wrong and he asked, "wont PIO card takes longer time?". I was like, dude, you put a wrong status on your site and ask me the timeline. He then says" wait for some more time. give 24-48 hours and status will change". So guy on phone call 1 and girl on email were lying!?!

So waited.. dint check status on 20, 21, 22, 23. Mean while no email response for escalation.

Checked status on 24. Status was the same (Your Documents are Collected in Person). So called helpdesk again. Helpdesk person noted my issue and said that he will forward it to fast track and escalation team. Also says that he doesnt not see any previous escalation mails for my issue. So the email girl was lying about escalation?!?

I then read hundreds of grieving comments on various sites and forums about CKGS. And many people pointed out that CKGS were not mailing back passports and we have to go in person to collect it. So I was thinking of travelling to Chicago or have my cousin (who stays in Chicago) to have the docs collected. Some of interesting media links about Indian Visa issue:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/New-Indian-Consulate-Service-Sparks-Frustration-Over-Delayed-Visas-261037461.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/70-Indian-passports-stolen-from-San-Francisco-in-US/articleshow/31832609.cms

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140612/jsp/nation/story_18503729.jsp#.U6nk0vldUuM

Then I thought let me check my leasing office for the docs. (It has happened in the past when fedex had delivered my parcel to leasing/apt office though it has my full name and apt number). But then I thought how can fedex deliver the parcel as there were no tracking updates found on fedex site for my tracking label that I had given to CKGS.

Went to leasing office the same evening of 24th june. Guess what Fedex had delivered the docs on 19th. So guy on phone call 2 was lying and guy on phone call 1 was right! But the tracking number was a different one. So CKGS had paid for my shipment! wow! I had read in many forums that CKGS's shipment link was broken. Then I understood what was happening here. Actually link is not broken, their process is disorganized. Remember CKGS person who collected my docs handed me back my 'order form'. If they had my order form, they could have got the link between my passport number and fedex tracking label (In Order form passport number, name, mailing address, fedex tracking number is mentioned). I think what they do is, they process the application and just send the passport along with the application (they may not be sending the return label) to Indian embassy. So when they get back the passport they dont know where its return label is! A little organization of things can resolve this chaos!

Good luck everyone!

[DineshP]

Now my status says "Your application has been collected from the High Commission/ Embassy and is being sorted. Your application will be ready for collection from our Application Centre within 24 working hours." i am not sure what this means , i have sent my Son's PIO application through UPS. Does it mean i have to go personally to collect it or will they not be sending it through the return envelope that i sent with the application ?

[DineshP]

Ok , i mailed them my query and i got the following reply

"Thank you for your email to Cox and Kings Global Services.

Having checked our records, I can see that your application is ready for collection. As you've booked a return courier service, it will be dispatched to the address registered in the return envelope. It usually takes 24 hours for us to dispatch your application from our centre. Once it is dispatched, you will be notified.

Hope this clarifies any confusion.
"

Lets wait and watch.

[bigbang]

Things finally seem to be on track at CKGS in San Francisco

Sent PIO application to CKGS in San Francisco by FedEx along with prepaid return label.

Application delivered at CKGS on 6/12th
Tracking id sent by email to me on 6/19th
Passport (hopefully along with PIO) shipped back on 6/25th
FedEx tracking shows picked up the mail on 6/26 th

[DineshP]

thanks big bang, my status also shows the same thing. i also checked the UPS site for the Tracking and i can see the tracking details now. its in transit and will be deliverd to me on 30th june. thank god.

[Deeps81]

Help in the order form

Hi ,
Since i see a lot of folks who have already submitted their forms,can you provide a clarification on the order form.
I have a money order created for $205 (185 **7 +3). I separately paid for the fedex labels $30(both shipping and return)

Now the order form mentions
Application payment for the total amount mentioned above in "I"
I is the total of the PIO fees(205) and return label(15). What should I specify here,since my payment will be in two forms- 205 money order and 30 for the shipping.

Would appreciate the help in that since I want to get it right the first time with ckgs

Thanks

[bigbang]

Hi ,
Since i see a lot of folks who have already submitted their forms,can you provide a clarification on the order form.
I have a money order created for $205 (185 **7 +3). I separately paid for the fedex labels $30(both shipping and return)

Now the order form mentions
Application payment for the total amount mentioned above in "I"
I is the total of the PIO fees(205) and return label(15). What should I specify here,since my payment will be in two forms- 205 money order and 30 for the shipping.

Would appreciate the help in that since I want to get it right the first time with ckgs

Thanks

If you paid separately to CKGS for fedex labels, select the option "Application for return of documents by FedEx Courier Service" and in the section for payment details, provide the money order details for 205 as well as the payment details for fedex label.

[delhiguru]

Hello All

Our ten year visas expired so applied for OCI cards for myself and mrs. Was planning to apply in May and thank God, did not realize that BLS was going to be fired and a new company would take over. Due to incorrect information on CKGS website, I sent an email to determine how to pay online for the applications. The online payment on CKGS does not take the full web number - it works if you remove the last digit. So I called the listed number and they told me that they can match it up. Fortunately I saw some posts here that indicated that they did not get a receipt of the the online payment. I decided to send in cashier' checks. The application was mailed USPS priority mail and was recd at CKGS on 6/23 at 10 am. No email or update on their tracking webpage. Telephone is useless because they look for the same information on webpage - infact I was told that the application was lost as CKGS immediately inputs the information. Then on this thread, I saw and used the email address [email protected] this morning and with in an hour of my email, I received an email with a tracking id for myself and indicating that a tracking ID will be opened for my mrs. shortly.

I still can not use the information on tracking webpage to confirm this but I have an email stating the receipt of the application.

So while the transfer from BLS to CKGS may not be smooth and dis*****us for some (based on posts on this forum, I am sorry for folks whose applications were returned w/o money and they have to start again and maybe my procrastination saved me this misery), things are working at CKGS though not efficiently as expected.

Good luck to all!

Cheer!

[Deeps81]

If you paid separately to CKGS for fedex labels, select the option "Application for return of documents by FedEx Courier Service" and in the section for payment details, provide the money order details for 205 as well as the payment details for fedex label.

Thanks for the clarification

[ithinksgreen]

PIO stuck with mail process

CKGS is bunch of idiots and inept i have ever dealt with ever... my pio has been collected and sitting at CKGS. but they haven't mailed me yet. the CSR in mumbai could not get any further information.

[bpl_pal]

got 6 mont tourist visa in 1 week

exactly 1 week from sending by FedEx to receiving passport back. the updates from CKGS were consistent and sounded too good to be true! but it happened!

[DineshP]

Got PIO form CKGS

UPDATE:- Finally i got my Son's PIO today through UPS. The mail and reply from CKGS was consistence and i got the PIO Card within 20 days :-) submitted on 10th june and got on 30th june.