Need Help with the PIO Order Form on BLS website & Airway Bill Number

[dragonganesh]

I'm also stuck with the same. Can anyone help?

Me as well. Can you guys help me to resolve this?

[Manju Mathan]

I am currently stumped on the http://www.blsindia-usa.com/payments...abel/index.php

I have no idea what I'm suppose to enter in the slot " Order Form No"

Which form is it referring to? Is it the BLS form? If so, don't yet see a number on it, and I'm unable to submit it until I put in the " Valid Return Airway Bill No.". Only problem is I need an "Order Form No" to get the "Valid Return Airway Bill No".

So am I stuck in a catch 22 or am I just being really thick by missing something obvious?

I'm also stuck with the same. Can anyone help?

[bids84]

you have to create a shipment label from fedex( i used fedex , so i can give info about FEDEX), AIRWAY BILL NUMBER IS THE SAME AS tracking number,also create
CReate a return label from fedex and sent an empty envelope with the shipping label to bls along with your documents.

once you enter the airway bill number or tracking number on BLS order form, you will an email from them about the shipping label( this has nothing to do with fedex or ups or usps, (its just for their tracking purpose, to track your application from BLS WEBSITE) you have to cut it and paste it on upper right corner on the fedex envelope

i applied for OCI recently,and this is how i did it

I have called the BLS customer service and they provided me the AWB after I made the payment and gave them my details over phone.They sent me a email containing Pickup Shipping Label with AWB as the tracking number.Next ,I submitted the BLS order form with that AWB number I received an email from BLS with a Passport shipping Label. Now I have 2 Shipping Label one with AWB and other after submitting the BLS order form. Which one should I paste on the outgoing envelope ?

[cubbies2120]

1. Fill the online form.
2. Pay the Return Shipment Online at : http://www.blsindia-usa.com/payments/label_payments/
3. Get the Shipment Label from UPS/FEDEX for the BLS address.
3. Fill in BLS order form and put the below stuff.
Application Type: Postal
Airway Bill number: Your Shipping label tracking number

Prepaid Delivery: Yes
Airway Bill number: Your transaction number for the 15$ paid online.

*source: Got it clarified from BLS via email communication. Below is the reply from them.

4. Put all the docs together and ship it.

Please note that you can send multiple Passport applications in 1 envelop but have to pay separately to get it shipped back to you.

For chicago it takes around 1 week to get it. No need to apply in Tatkal...It's treated like that.



-----email sent by me----
Hi Team,

I have paid for the return Delivery on BLS website. But when i go to BLS Order form, it asks for Prepaid Delivery option. I selected "Yes" because i have already paid it and then it is asking me for "Airway Bill Number" which i haven't recieved yet. I just have my Order number and Transation number.

Should i select it as "No" instead and BLS will take care of the delivery or should i be getting the Prepaid Return Label from BLS/FEDEX for the payment made? Please advise.


---Reply from BLS Customer care ------
Passport CH
Jan 10 (10 days ago)

to me
Dear Mr. Arora,

Greetings from BLS International Services US, my name is YYYY and I
will be glad to assist you with your query as specified in your email.

We would like to inform you that you have to enter your transaction
number there.

I am currently stumped on the http://www.blsindia-usa.com/payments...abel/index.php

I have no idea what I'm suppose to enter in the slot " Order Form No"

Which form is it referring to? Is it the BLS form? If so, don't yet see a number on it, and I'm unable to submit it until I put in the " Valid Return Airway Bill No.". Only problem is I need an "Order Form No" to get the "Valid Return Airway Bill No".

So am I stuck in a catch 22 or am I just being really thick by missing something obvious?

[gauravarora84]

My Recent Experience

1. Fill the online form.
2. Pay the Return Shipment Online at : http://www.blsindia-usa.com/payments/label_payments/
3. Get the Shipment Label from UPS/FEDEX for the BLS address.
3. Fill in BLS order form and put the below stuff.
Application Type: Postal
Airway Bill number: Your Shipping label tracking number

Prepaid Delivery: Yes
Airway Bill number: Your transaction number for the 15$ paid online.

*source: Got it clarified from BLS via email communication. Below is the reply from them.

4. Put all the docs together and ship it.

Please note that you can send multiple Passport applications in 1 envelop but have to pay separately to get it shipped back to you.

For chicago it takes around 1 week to get it. No need to apply in Tatkal...It's treated like that.



-----email sent by me----
Hi Team,

I have paid for the return Delivery on BLS website. But when i go to BLS Order form, it asks for Prepaid Delivery option. I selected "Yes" because i have already paid it and then it is asking me for "Airway Bill Number" which i haven't recieved yet. I just have my Order number and Transation number.

Should i select it as "No" instead and BLS will take care of the delivery or should i be getting the Prepaid Return Label from BLS/FEDEX for the payment made? Please advise.


---Reply from BLS Customer care ------
Passport CH
Jan 10 (10 days ago)

to me
Dear Mr. Arora,

Greetings from BLS International Services US, my name is YYYY and I
will be glad to assist you with your query as specified in your email.

We would like to inform you that you have to enter your transaction
number there.

[abiceg]

need advise on money order fee

Hi, when i fill the bls order form, there is passport fee$75, and bls service fee of $13.20. there is one more fee ICWF of $3.00 - should i take the money order including this $3.00 or jus the first two. pls advise.

- - - Updated - - -

hi, when i fill the bls form, there is a passport fee, and the service fee of $13.20. apart from these two, there is a ICWF fee of $3.00. should i take the money order including this $3.00 or just the first two fee is fine? please advise.

[bgrk]

You sure can.

What is the airway bill number in USPS priority mail? Is that just the tracking number on the envelope? Can I put a stamped priority mail envelope for return? I did that the last time I renewed directly through SFO consulate. Not sure whether I can still do it, and whether the tracking number on the envelope is same as airway bill number?

[K R]

Can I use USPS instead of UPS/FedEx ....I believe that will cost less and is also near to my place

You sure can.

[ankur2104]

PIO and USPS

Can I use USPS instead of UPS/FedEx ....I believe that will cost less and is also near to my place

[padmanandm]

Prepaid delivery service of passport through Fedex:

If you are availing this service through fedex site shown in BLS order form, you don't need to print any return shipping label or don't need to put any return envelope with the package. You just need to enter transaction number (which you will be getting through e-mail after you complete the transaction with fedex). BLS will deliver your passport through fedex. This is clearly stated on the fedex page, where you will be entering the details. The relevant sentence is given below.

" Mail your completed application along with all required documents and processing fees to BLS. If you are availing the FedEx Delivery Service, DO NOT purchase or attach any separate pre-paid return envelope along with your application. Once your application is processed, BLS would ship your passport through FedEx."

Hope this helps

Anand

[N.S.]

Change Walkin to postal

We chose to do walkin since we live close to NYC but the avilable appointment is of a month later. Is there a way we can change the walkin to postal now? Or even if the appointment is of a month later can we just go tomorrow to their office and submit our documents. We are travelling to India 6 weeks later so cannot wait for a month to apply.

Thanks

[vexpat]

Hi,

I am trying to fill the PIO Order Form on the BLS website. For the "Application Type" if I select "Postal" I need to fill in Airway Bill No. Similarly if I select "Prepaid Delivery" to "yes" I need to fill in the "Return Envelop Airway Bill No". Questions:

1. For sending the documents via FedEx or UPS, do I first generate the Shipping label/Airway Bill (on Fed Ex or UPS) before filling the Order Form? Why does BLS say that the Shipping label will be sent via e-mail (If you have selected to submit the application via postal we will send the shipping label in the e-mail)? if they are generating the shipping label, how do i get the Airway Bill Number before saving the form?
2. For the Return delivery, do I first generate the shipping label/Airway Bill before filling the form?
3. Also the instructions say that I need to print the filled form and enclose it with the application. Do I print is before hitting the "Save the form" button or so I just print out the one they will send in the e-mail?

The website is very confusing.

Can someone please help?

Thanks
ABG

It is very confusing. Are you mailing your application in? If possible, I highly recommend doing a drop-off. I thought I had all my documents and that I fully understood the requirements but when they reviewed my application at teh BLS drop off office, they told me I did not need a second copy of certain documents. (see my recent thread about my experience)

1-So if you select 'yes' to prepaid delivery, BLS is generating a shipping label for you. it will ask for payment for that on a separate screen and you'll get a number. It is very confusing, so instead of paying for a shipping label through their site, I recommend getting on from FedEx or UPS. And these are the pre-paid one, not the ones where you write your credit card number in etc. these: ***

2-Yes, you generate the return label first as well. The BLS order form has two fields for shipping numbers. The first is for your sending shipping number (if you mail instead of drop off) and the second is for your return shipping number.

3-If I am understanding correctly, you need to print after you press "save the form". after you press that it takes you to a different screen which has your BLS order form to print out.

- - - Updated - - -

Alright, hopefully this helps anyone having these difficulties in the future:

If you opted for prepaid delivery, you do not have to include any envelope for return shipping.
A Postal Order favoring Company Details is simply a money order to pay the fee.

Happy Travels!

Well yes. If you select prepaid AND you pay for a return shipping label on the redirected screen, yess you dont have to include an envelope. you just have to be sure to enter the number on the bls order form.

I just printed my own FedEx return label, so I could track it on my own.

[SkritchD]

Prepaid Delivery=Yes

Alright, hopefully this helps anyone having these difficulties in the future:

If you opted for prepaid delivery, you do not have to include any envelope for return shipping.
A Postal Order favoring Company Details is simply a money order to pay the fee.

Happy Travels!

Hi jeanne... You mention that you do not have to include any envelope for return shipping. Can you confirm that you did this and did receive your passport back?

And on the VISA Order Form, it lists Prepaid Delivery which I chose Yes, and 2 additional boxes appeared where one states "Airway Bill No." and the other "Or FedEx Transactions Details". I received an email with the FedEx Transaction No., so I am just filling out that one box and leaving the "Airway Bill No." to the right of Prepaid Delivery=Yes blank. Is this correct?

Then as jeanne mentioned, I do not include a return envelope for my passport? And no return airway bill with To and From is needed from my end, that will be done by BLS?

Thanks for any information.

[jeanne]

Solved!

Alright, hopefully this helps anyone having these difficulties in the future:

If you opted for prepaid delivery, you do not have to include any envelope for return shipping.
A Postal Order favoring Company Details is simply a money order to pay the fee.

Happy Travels!

[jeanne]

Also Confused

Hi Mahendra,
I did pay $15 inside "FedEx Delivery Service : Click Here". I got 2 emails, one with the receipt of the same and another with a tracking number. That email says the following "Thank you for choosing FedEx return delivery service....." Once I entered the Tracking number in the column below "OR FedEx Transaction Details" I got another email with subject "Order Form PIO - 235...." But this had 2 attachments, one was the order form where it said "Please send all the documents to <address of the bls ofc(mine is SFO)>". The other attachment to add to my confusion was a Shipping Label, which read To <BLS address> and From <My Home address>... Did you also face the same situation? I am confused if I should let go $15 and take to and fro Fedex shipping labels...
Does aybody know how does the whole thing work?

Thanks
Shyam

I also chose to prepay for delivery. At first I only received one email, the transaction receipt, but then I found the second email with the tracking number in my spam folder. So Mahendra, yours may have been sent there as well.
However, this still leaves us with Shyam's problem. I believe the "shipping label" generated by the order form is supposed to be pasted on the outside of the envelope, next to the shipping label I purchased from FEDEX to send to Chicago. Since the barcode on that is linked to the tracking number of the actual BSL order form. But I could be wrong about that. And where is the return shipping label? How do we include a prepaid self addressed traceable envelope in the package if we have no return shipping label? How is this even possible to be this confusing?
Another question: What exactly is a "Demand Draft or Postal Order favoring COMPANY DETAILS"? (As mentioned in the requisite documents checklist for tourist visa)

>.< Frustrated,
Jeanne