Indian Passport

Hello everyone,

I have been greatly benefited by going through most of the queries / issues raised by my fellow-Indians in Immihelp.com and would like to add my experience. This is for renewing my wife's Indian Passport under renewal; the current one is due for expiry in a few months. I wanted to ensure timely action due to the pandemic, not knowing how long it would take.

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Date applied: 10-Oct-2020
Current status: Passport on return trip via UPS Next Day Delivery

After following the CKGS instructions up to the last letter, my wife and I sent her application packet via UPS to CKGS, San Francisco.

CKGS was providing timely updates until it reached the Indian Consulate.

Thereafter, since 15-Oct-2020, it has been only showing "Under Process at Consulate" on the CKGS website. It mentioned taking 2-3 weeks until it left the consulate.

When I checked on https://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=https://portal6.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html%27, it informed me something to the effect that "Printing has been initiated".

Suddenly, that month-end, my wife received an e-mail informing that Police Verification was initiated at her home neighbourhood in India! What??!!

I was utterly surprised. When I similarly renewed two years ago, this never happened. Then I read online that Police Verification was re-introduced since September 2020. (It was apparently discontinued around August 2015.)

But parents, being aged, are under special care of siblings due to the pandemic around, and are not home! They had no plans of returning for a few more months!!

How do we solve this dilemma?

I decided that we had to call her neighbourhood's Police Station and explain the situation. They asked for a next-door neighbour's contact details at the place of residence. But those details are no longer available. After we got married, it has been a very long time since we've kept in touch with them. We had to explain this. After also informing that a Police Clearance was similarly done for U.S Global Entry Program recently, and whether this information would be useful for them, the Officer requested us to send the documents via WhatsApp. He provided us the WhatsApp number. We uploaded her passport bio-pages containing her house address, along with the e-mail request for the Police Verification received by us, across. We even provided parents' contact details in case they wish to speak over phone and verify. The Officer has been kind and polite all along, informing us that they will take the necessary action.

Six days later I received an e-mail informing that UPS picked has up my wife's passport.

When I visited https://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=https://portal6.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html%27, and keyed in the Application Reference Number, the status is now changed to something like "Passport has been printed and will be delivered soon".

The CKGS website still shows "Under Process at Consulate". Obviously they no longer update us since the contract between them and the Government of India has expired. It's rather strange; CKGS specifically mentioned on their website that we would be able to track the status long after the contract ended! Anyway, all's well that ends well.

I think my wife should get her passport tomorrow.

Hope this helps throw some light on our experience. Overall it has been good, but there have been several bouts of confusion especially after the Police Verification thing we received.

Regards,

Venky

Successfully applied through VFS global website on 11/9/2020.
Consulate: Chicago
Sent my documents on 11/6 to VFS via Fedex
Got notification from VFS today 11/11 saying that Application is 'Under Process' at ICAC in Consulate General of India, Chicago.

There are two issues so far:
1) Adding customer
2) Adding Courier Address

I was able to get past first issue after a couple of days.

No help from VFS whatsoever. Has anyone been able to successfully create an application through VFS website and download courier labels? Any help would be greatly appreciated. It been more than a week that I am stuck at "Courier Service Address" page. It keeps throwing "Invalid Session. Schedule/Reschedule your session again"

I am trying to complete the passport renewal application through vfs website .

Like most of other folks here I get stuck at "Invalid Session,Kindly initiator your application schedule/reschedule again".

I see few people have suggested a work around to enter the Name without spaces ,

But wouldnt that be wrong information ? Both my first name and last name are two word names . It clearly states in the application to fill as it appears in Passport.

I cant possibly think how could one design such a buggy website and have a horrendous customer care service.

If you were able to successfully get past this issue . Please advise.

Thanks in Advance

in 2010 , i renewed my passport from SFO Embassy and it was much easy process then. i have been in US 14 Years and last time i visited India was 2007.

i first submitted my passport for renewal on Oct 7 ,2020.but due to incorrect information it was returned to me on 9 Oct 2020. Still waiting for refund from CKGS. Any email i send to CKGS has delivery failure.

I again submitted by passport for renewal on oct 13, 2020.On 19 oct 2020 my passport was with Embassy. On 30 Oct2020 my passport went for police verification.

got a call thru whats app for police verification from a constable. i told them i am outside india from past 14 years.Constable said, oh then you have to come to India, so that i can verify.also he suggested to bring "Original" passport when i visit police station.i said original is with embassy. then he said in that case bring PAN Card, US Residence proof.I said i left India before PAN card was introduced.he suggested to come see him in person.i said i cannot come i will send someone who live in my home. When the person reached there, he asked for "chai paani" .Feed Rs500 in constable mouth.he approved the file and within 4 hours i got email from CKGS that passport is dispatched on 6 nov 2020

UPS Rant: UPS Tracking status says exception occurred and it is stuck.i called UPS and as per UPS the shipment is lost. Investigation is in progress.
i had my old passport and new renewed passport in the package which i think is almost lost.

Hello Friends, I need to apply for myself and my son's passport renewal. I have completed filling my online application and also got the courier labels in VFS.

My question is can I use the same account to add my son and pay to get the courier labels? Please let me know.

For ReIsse I am planning to get my Visa notarized as legal US Status.

Just wanted to double-check that Valid US Visa means getting the VISA stamp on my passport notarized.
can someone conform?

I submitted my passport for renewal on Oct 9th to CKGS. It was shipped via UPS . All docs in order.

Timeline :

Oct 9th - Passport and docs reached CKGS
Oct 11th - Verification passed and sent to embassy
Oct 30th - Got police verification automated email
Nov 2nd - Dad went to police station in India with required docs and got the verfication done

Today Nov 9th -- Status still stuck in "With Indian Embassy"

Status on Indian Govt Website https://portal6.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html%27 is "Passport has been initiated for print " i dont know since when,

How long does it take ? It's been about a month total now and i am without a passport . Getting super anxious.

Anyone else had similar experience / still stuck ?

PS : I just saw CKGS is not the contractor for passport renewals anymore, starting Oct 14th. What will happen to my application ? Geezus this is so stressful. Indian govt cant get anything right and stress free

Thanks

FOr the last 2-3 days, I noticed Many people facing issues while filling application on VFS portal.
I too got the issue while adding Customer.

However, today I was able to add customer and complete my form. I also got my courier labels. I am yet to post my courier but thought of updating here for those who are still waiting for the website to be working correctly.
Thanks

I stuck on that page. Affidavit for change of appearance & Signature -Original - Notarized (with Stamp and Notary Signatory) – click