My son - 11 yrs - a US citizen, lost his old US passport with the OCI visa sticker in it.

I wanted a 'replacement sticker' in his new passport.

I am trying to get in touch with BLS international NYC - but no phone numbers work.

I am in a dilemma as to how to go about doing this as the website is very confusing.

I needed to talk to someone who knows how to go about doing this.



1) Can this be done by mail ? If yes - one of the requirements is to send in a parents 'Indian cancelled passport '.

Would a copy do or do we have to mail in ' original cancelled passport '. Just worried about mailing in any original - even if it is a 'cancelled Indian passport'.



2) Do I have to go in personally ? How do I book an appointment online.

Thanks

Hello All,

Stumbled upon this interesting article about BLS International. Looks like they will be parting ways with Indian Missions in USA.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/114011...y_17824730.jsp

Priyaseeksoci, I emailed the San Francisco location of BLS, [email protected], regarding a 10 year visa in an old passport, and received an answer the same day. I suggest you give them a try as they were so responsive, even if they aren't the ones you'll ultimately deal with. The information should be the same at any location, even if the response time is not.

If India decides to use another company for its visa applications (thank God!) the how long will,it be before the visa on arrival policy will begin??

Babu, I love this part of the article you posted:

"Diwakar Aggarwal, a director at BLS International, refused to respond to questions on the complaints. “This is all a conspiracy by our rival companies,” Aggarwal said on Friday afternoon."

I volunteer to be part of the conspiracy, to absolutely get rid of BLS!

What rivals? ? They got the contract and Created opportunity for rivals by being so incompetent.

I sure would like to know just how they got the contract and who awarded it to them and who got paid off!

Indeed, we may not know the "who" but we surely know the "how". It's still how it's done in some parts of the world. Maybe, truth be known, in most parts of the world.

So true. Well said.

So this article is really interesting. I have heard a lot of chirps many Indian American organization complaining about BLS to the high commission of India here in the US. Canada is no different. Recently in the Pravasi Bharti Conference (for all who needs translation- Its a conference India host every year asking ex-pats to invest in India)this issue was raised with the overseas ministry.

I think many people are still stuck with BLS until June 2014. The key here is that hope Indian Embassy attains some Key Learning from this fiasco. Hope the next company is better.

I am traveling to India on Saturday. Optimum scenario would be that, I hope some Indian high ranking bureaucrat sits right next to me on the plane and I can rant about all the problems we Americans are facing while trying to enter India- regardless of visa.

Hope all the information, I shared served people well.

Babu.

I applied with US passport for 6 month visitors Visa. BLS website was very confusing and required good careful readings.

I scheduled appointment and went to meet CHICAGO office. I recommend everyone to take ALL PASSPORTS, ALL PAPERWORKS CITIZEN PROOFS, HOME ADDRESS PROOFS, CASH.

I submitted application on January 13th and BLS took 2 days before it hit consulate. Now waiting to see howlong consulate of Chicago take since I also had 10 year visa previously. I was told I can not get emergency visa until i have medical proof of Indian relative being sick. So did normal processing and was told should take 5 business days.

I have flight booked for trip on January 25th and waiting to see if it comes back. Keeping fingers crossed!

Thought of sharing this to help anyone.

Wanted to share some progress specially going in PERSONALLY takes "2 days" to hit consulate delivery , I seen mail taking 5 days to hit consulate. Now hoping to get turn around from consulate and keeping fingers crossed since flight is booked.

Application accepted by BLS: 13-01-2014 , 09:53
Appliication Processed on Date :13-01-2014
Application Processed and Ready to be submitted to Consulate : 15-01-2014 , 09:42
Application submitted at Consulate :15-01-2014 ,11:19
Application received at BLS Center : -
Application handed over to Applicant :-
Application Dispatched to Applicant : -

Has anybody ever received a notification that the wrong application type was selected? I am a US Citizen by naturalization (born in Canada) and have applied for a 6 month tourist visa. I listed toursim as the purpose of the visit. I have quadruple checked the application and nothing is incorrect. The only update I have from the BLS tracking page (below) and I can't get through to them via the phone to find out what is wrong. Anyone else having/had this issue?

Application accepted by BLS:21-01-2014, 11:59
Appliication Processed on Date: 21-01-2014
Application Processed and Ready to be submitted to Consulate: 21-01-2014, 15:35
Application submitted at Consulate: 22-01-2014,09:30
Additional Documents Required by Consulate: 21-01-2014
( Wrong application type selected )
Application received at BLS Center : -
Application handed over to Applicant : -
Application Dispatched to Applicant :-

This is running dangerously close to spamming the website with fake accounts.

It's shilling again, Three new posters w/I a few hrs. of each other and all touting BLS.

Will they ever learn?

I just wish it seemed to be true.

You forgot the "quite a ".......... :D

I read many stories about BLS international and their poor customer service. I have recently gone through Indian Visa Application process through BLS international (at Atlanta) for my child and my experience is highly positive. I would like to clear the confusion about the visa application process which is very unclear and confusing on BLS’s website. Here is my experience, hope this helps. Although I applied for visa, many of the following will be applicable for Passport Application process as well, so hopefully you will find it useful.

1. Fill the visa application form and print it with color printer. If the visa application is for a minor, parents sign the second page below the signature line, minor doesn’t sign. This page is also notarized. Minor of 5 years or older must sign at the bottom of the photograph on the first page; other minors can give thumb print. Photograph should be of 2 in x 2 in standard passport size, pasted (glued) on the box provided. If you have a passport photo, you can scan and upload it provided it meets the specification (size in pixel and megabits which will be provided when you upload your photo). Photo upload is not mandatory, but attaching the photo is.

2. You need to send notarized photocopies of all supporting documents.

3. Before you start filling the BLS order form, make sure you have the following items on hand: (a) the airway bill number of the package you are sending to BLS, (b) the airway bill number of the return shipment, (c) money order or cashier check information.

4. Airway Bill (AB): BLS wants you to send your application package with a trackable envelope and also wants you to enclose a trackable envelope inside it for the return shipment. I have used FedEx. You cannot send a hand written FedEx AB or an AB with credit card number on it. Therefore you must create an account in FedEx. Follow these steps: Go to FedEx and create an account by clicking New Customer and following the instructions, login to FedEx account and go to Create Shipment, and enter the following information.

To ship your package to BLS:

1- From: Your address.
2- To: BLS address. Click “Perform Detailed Address Check” to view the correct address profile. FedEx shows correct street address with North/South/NE/SE etc and also correct 5+4 digit zip code; but you can simply select the entered address since FedEx always finds the correct address.
3- Package and Shipment Details: Ship Date – you can create label at most 10 days in advance, i.e. you can enter at most 10 days from today and you have to ship by that day. It is not a problem for you when shipping to BLS. I entered same day of shipping since I was sure to send to on the same day. Enter $100 declared value, 0.5 lb weight, select service type (e.g. FedEx Express Saver) and package type (e.g. FedEx Envelope).
4- Billing Details: Bill Transportation To: My Account. Your account information is printed here, i.e. your credit card in your account will be charged but the credit card information will not be printed on the shipping label. On your shipping label “Bill to Sender” will be printed.
Special Service: I selected Signature Not Required since you don’t know whether someone will be there or not at BLS to sign and if they miss it whether someone will pick up from FedEx or not.
Select Pickup/Drop-Off option, Email Notifications and click view Rates and Transit Times.
5- Complete your Shipment: You can keep a shipment profile if you want and then click “Ship”; it takes you to the next page where you can print the shipping label. The shipping label has barcodes of destination address and tracking number.

To create return shipment label from BLS to your home address:

Following the above steps, but reverse the From and To address field (i.e. From should contain BLS address, To should contain your address). When you provide Ship Date, enter the date which is 10 days from today. Here is a catch. You don’t know when they are going to ship back to you. It may be well over the 10 days. In my case they shipped my passport back exactly at the 10th day; I don’t know If it was by luck or not. I don’t know what happens if they ship after 10th day, whether the shipping label will still be valid or not. I called customer support and they told me that shipping labels are valid until 30 days after the shipping date specified which should cover most cases, but I am not 100% sure. My personal feeling is that FedEx should always pick up the package even it is shipped after the shipping date date. But please verify it and let me know. Unfortunately, FedEx doesn’t allow creating labels for any indefinite date of shipment.

Note the tracking numbers of the two labels. These are the Airway Bill numbers.

5. Fill the BLS order form:
- Select Location where you are sending your application
- Web Reference No: this is the number printed on your visa application form
- Application Type: Postal. Airway Bill No: Enter the tracking number of the FedEx shipping label that you created for sending your application to BLS.
- To obtain delivery service directly online with FedEx, Please Click: DO NOT click here since you already created return shipment label with FedEx. This is confusing and do not attempt to enter anything.
- Travel Plan: Even you are traveling after several months, you don’t have to choose among those shown.
- Prepaid Delivery: Yes, if you are sending by postal mail and you are expecting them to send your passport back. Enter No, if you are scheduling appointment, but for me it was all by post. Airway Bill No: Enter the tracking number of the return shipment you created.
- Select Nationality (USA) and Service Detail (Visa).
- Personal Details: Full name, Passport No, Email, Phone, Payment Detail: Enter payment method and check number.
- Save the form. This will send you an email with the filled up BLS order form and a return shipping label. This shipping label is a 3 in x 2 in label containing the passport number and a tracking number for BLS. Cut this label and attach on top of the FedEx envelope which you are sending to BLS.

6. Gather the documents (check website for the order): application form, BLS order form, postal application checklist form, document checklist form, notarized photocopies of the documents, official check, copy of the official check, shipping label of the return envelope, photocopy of the shipping label of the return envelope. And of course include your Passport! Put the documents together with a paper clip. Do not staple them, but you can staple the two pages of the visa application form together.

7. Go to a FedEx shipping center and ask two Express Envelopes. Attach the two shipping labels on the two envelopes using a clear plastic cover which you will get from the shipping center. Put the documents, the passport and the return envelope in the envelope you are sending to BLS. You will find that both envelopes are of same size, so you may have to fold the return envelope inside. Attach the BLS shipping label (with BLS tracking number sent to you by BLS via email) on top of the envelope sending to BLS. Also attach a slip of paper with “Visa Department” printed on top of the envelope so that it reaches the correct desk at BLS.

8. You can start tracking your package when it is picked up by FedEx.

My visa application reached BLS after 2 days via FedEx Express Saver and BLS took 3 days to process including one day by the consulate to process passport. BLS sent back passport on the 7th day and reached me after 2 days via FedEx 2-day service. All together, it took 10 days (8 business days) after sending passport to get it back with visa.

Let me know if I missed anything. Thanks.

chishah81

I have also running through the same issues. I applied for my visa on Jan 17th and I have still not received anything. I have a flight on Wed feb 12 and I do not know what I am going to do.


Current Aplication ( they also have a spelling mistake in the website)Status : Your Application has been submitted to the Embassy of India for processing at 20-01-2014 11:18. Kindly note that the status will change only post the Application is Processed by the Embassy of India.

Application accepted by BLS:17-01-2014 , 12:06
Appliication Processed on Date : 17-01-2014
Application Processed and Ready to be submitted to Embassy : 20-01-2014 , 09:20
Application submitted at Embassy :20-01-2014 ,11:18
Application received at BLS Center : -
Application handed over to Applicant : -
Application Dispatched to Applicant :-

Again. :D

two w/i 12 minutes of each other :D (How much does BLS pay these folks? )