YOUR India visa application experience with CKGS @USA
Sep 23, 2014, 2:02 pm
#166
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 5
Does CKGS send you an email acknowledgement of application receipt or do you have to go onto their website to see every status?
My visa application package was delivered to the San Francisco Application Center on Monday. Just wondering if they email you with notification or receipt/acknowledgement or if you have to check on the web. I did check on the web and nothing yet. Was hoping for at least an acknowledgement. Anyone have any experience.
My visa application package was delivered to the San Francisco Application Center on Monday. Just wondering if they email you with notification or receipt/acknowledgement or if you have to check on the web. I did check on the web and nothing yet. Was hoping for at least an acknowledgement. Anyone have any experience.
Sep 24, 2014, 2:17 pm
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
Various news outlet reported this back in feb . Here is one of them http://www.discoverindia.net/en/news...tober-01-2014/
Sep 25, 2014, 10:12 am
#168
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Rewards Gold, Best Western Diamond Select
Posts: 1,856
Does CKGS send you an email acknowledgement of application receipt or do you have to go onto their website to see every status?
My visa application package was delivered to the San Francisco Application Center on Monday. Just wondering if they email you with notification or receipt/acknowledgement or if you have to check on the web. I did check on the web and nothing yet. Was hoping for at least an acknowledgement. Anyone have any experience.
My visa application package was delivered to the San Francisco Application Center on Monday. Just wondering if they email you with notification or receipt/acknowledgement or if you have to check on the web. I did check on the web and nothing yet. Was hoping for at least an acknowledgement. Anyone have any experience.
Sep 25, 2014, 1:46 pm
#169
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I'm in Delhi next week and I was told to be surprised if it is in play there next week for US, UK, Canadian or Australian citizens.
At least some airport management figures are behaving like this may be expanded in October.
I don't want to know how slow this will make arrivals for visitors in the years ahead. I hope they did something to mitigate the on-arrival application process being a little monster to process at airports.
At least some airport management figures are behaving like this may be expanded in October.
I don't want to know how slow this will make arrivals for visitors in the years ahead. I hope they did something to mitigate the on-arrival application process being a little monster to process at airports.
Sep 26, 2014, 10:31 pm
#170
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 14
Does CKGS send you an email acknowledgement of application receipt or do you have to go onto their website to see every status?
Sep 28, 2014, 12:04 pm
#171
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Rewards Gold, Best Western Diamond Select
Posts: 1,856
Modi said today the following
1. OCI and PIO will be one scheme now
2. Visa on arrival/e-visa to start soon for US Nationals
3. Current PIO holders will get lifelong visa
Only question to be answered is will this new OCI/PIO have the ridiculous requirement of reapplying at age 50? Time will tell.
But the visa on arrival will take a huge load off Cox and Kings as there are many people that apply for 6 month visas.
1. OCI and PIO will be one scheme now
2. Visa on arrival/e-visa to start soon for US Nationals
3. Current PIO holders will get lifelong visa
Only question to be answered is will this new OCI/PIO have the ridiculous requirement of reapplying at age 50? Time will tell.
But the visa on arrival will take a huge load off Cox and Kings as there are many people that apply for 6 month visas.
Sep 29, 2014, 8:59 am
#173
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Delta SM, IHG Plat, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Silver, Avis First
Posts: 48
Can anyone find a more firm published implementation date than the October timeframe reported earlier this year? I'm traveling to Chennai in mid-Nov and would like to assume that this will all be in place. I need to mail my PP and have it back by early Nov otherwise.
Sep 29, 2014, 4:38 pm
#174
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 5
Both or neither. We're in process right now and when one of us gets an email, the other is just as likely to get a call, or see a status change online, or nothing. We've had some success calling them, though the agents seem not to be highly aware of our previous status or interactions with them. Both of us were contacted about a missing piece of paperwork (one by phone, one by email), and we each pointed out that they'd signed for the delivery a few days before. My paperwork sat for a week, while my partner's was logged online. However, tonight mine says it's at the Embassy while the application logged in days earlier appears to be just sitting there.
So far, my application is moving along fairly quickly actually. Havent' been contacted once.
09/19/14 - Shipped application packet to SF Overnight for Monday delivery
09/22/14 - FedEx delivered application
09/24/14 - CKGS acknowledged receipt
09/26/14 - Submitted at The Indian Embassy for further processing
09/29/14 - Your application has been collected from the Embassy/Consulate and is being sorted. Your application will be ready for collection from our Application Centre within one business day.
So I'm guessing my Visa is done? I paid for the $15 courier service so hopefully I'll receive my passport/visa soon.
Sep 29, 2014, 10:11 pm
#175
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Rewards Gold, Best Western Diamond Select
Posts: 1,856
3-6 months I would get my visa from CKGS
Sep 30, 2014, 3:24 pm
#176
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 143
NY CGKS still disorganized and inefficient!
And I'm not simply referring to needing 2 hours at CGKS just to submit our application.
We can tolerate that.
We walked in our application on 9/22 and was told it would go to the consulate the next day with 3-5 business day turnaround, implying 9/30 return at the latest.
Although our trip isn't until the end of October, timing was critical as we depart on a separate trip for Europe 10/8 and obviously need our passports by 10/7. No problem, we were told. There was plenty of time.
Well, after not seeing any updates online for a week we called the CGKS inquiry number yesterday and were told the application did not go to the consulate for 5 days! It was only submitted Saturday 9/27.
We were now told that because they will be closed from 10/2-10/6 (holiday) we were not likely to receive our passports by 10/7!!
We now have to spend nearly $400 ($195 each) to receive duplicate USA passports. Either that or cancel our European trip.
Thanks CGKS. We'll be sure to avoid relying on you for any travel services.
What dope hired these guys?
And I'm not simply referring to needing 2 hours at CGKS just to submit our application.
We can tolerate that.
We walked in our application on 9/22 and was told it would go to the consulate the next day with 3-5 business day turnaround, implying 9/30 return at the latest.
Although our trip isn't until the end of October, timing was critical as we depart on a separate trip for Europe 10/8 and obviously need our passports by 10/7. No problem, we were told. There was plenty of time.
Well, after not seeing any updates online for a week we called the CGKS inquiry number yesterday and were told the application did not go to the consulate for 5 days! It was only submitted Saturday 9/27.
We were now told that because they will be closed from 10/2-10/6 (holiday) we were not likely to receive our passports by 10/7!!
We now have to spend nearly $400 ($195 each) to receive duplicate USA passports. Either that or cancel our European trip.
Thanks CGKS. We'll be sure to avoid relying on you for any travel services.
What dope hired these guys?
Sep 30, 2014, 6:49 pm
#178
formerly Baxter&Bessies'Mama
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 311
25 day turn around for SF. When CKGS had had my PP for 1 week (according to tracking), I received an email AND website update.
9 days later, on a Sunday, I was phoned to request an additional particulars form for my husband. I told him I was a widow and he apologized profusely.
The following Sunday (the 28th) I awoke to email again requesting the additional particulars form. I emailed the same form I had sent with my package. Later that afternoon I got an email stating that my PP was being returned. I was concerned that they were just returning it, as according to the website, it had not been submitted to the consulate.
I phoned yesterday (wait time 13 minutes) and was told that the visa had been issued and it was on its way back to me.
Got the PP today with correct visa. Issue date? The 24th, prior to the email of the 28th.
I am not going until Dec, so I intentionally created a large window for "processing".
Good luck to all who are waiting.
9 days later, on a Sunday, I was phoned to request an additional particulars form for my husband. I told him I was a widow and he apologized profusely.
The following Sunday (the 28th) I awoke to email again requesting the additional particulars form. I emailed the same form I had sent with my package. Later that afternoon I got an email stating that my PP was being returned. I was concerned that they were just returning it, as according to the website, it had not been submitted to the consulate.
I phoned yesterday (wait time 13 minutes) and was told that the visa had been issued and it was on its way back to me.
Got the PP today with correct visa. Issue date? The 24th, prior to the email of the 28th.
I am not going until Dec, so I intentionally created a large window for "processing".
Good luck to all who are waiting.
Oct 1, 2014, 1:30 am
#179
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
UA Fan, they have most commonly refused to allow for that.
The word from the Indian officials I met this week was that they think the expansion of visa-on-arrival for my (US) compatriots will not happen this month but have a realistic chance of happening before this coming January. They seemed to think December was possible, end of November maybe but not in October.
I was glad to hear the OCIs and PIO status will be merged for practical purposes and all such persons will be given visas that don't expire. But -- unlike with visa-on-arrival -- I won't believe that non-expiration feature until I see it.
I'm in Delhi next week and I was told to be surprised if it is in play there next week for US, UK, Canadian or Australian citizens.
At least some airport management figures are behaving like this may be expanded in October.
I don't want to know how slow this will make arrivals for visitors in the years ahead. I hope they did something to mitigate the on-arrival application process being a little monster to process at airports.
At least some airport management figures are behaving like this may be expanded in October.
I don't want to know how slow this will make arrivals for visitors in the years ahead. I hope they did something to mitigate the on-arrival application process being a little monster to process at airports.
I was glad to hear the OCIs and PIO status will be merged for practical purposes and all such persons will be given visas that don't expire. But -- unlike with visa-on-arrival -- I won't believe that non-expiration feature until I see it.
Last edited by GUWonder; Oct 1, 2014 at 1:51 am