Feb 2, 2019, 9:22 am
Last edit by: TWA884
Please check out the parallel thread in the Travel Safety/Security Trusted Travelers forum:
Global Entry for Citizens of India
Global Entry for Citizens of India
India joins US Global Entry programme.
Jan 28, 2018 | 12:07 am
#286
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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after reading some of the comments here, i asked my buddy at the external affairs ministry how they kept track of indian citizens living abroad....he said based on the passport & visa status of all indians overseas, they know exactly who is living in which country....they have a database which is extremely easy to maintain....
Jan 28, 2018 | 2:49 am
#287
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 52,700
They installed that database when the emigration clearance was abolished. Its faulty though, as the MEA cannot know which visa you apply for or which were extended... its not like you run to the consulate or passport office everytime you get a visa? The BoI also doesn't enter the visas they see in your passport when you pass thru the border. They only check if you have a visa for the destination.
Jan 28, 2018 | 7:58 am
#288
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,418
Thanks Keyser/Oliver2002. I hope they never consider giving NRI's a special colored passport like the proposed Orange for ECR's. I Bleed Blue! 
Jan 28, 2018 | 1:46 pm
#289
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
after reading some of the comments here, i asked my buddy at the external affairs ministry how they kept track of indian citizens living abroad....he said based on the passport & visa status of all indians overseas, they know exactly who is living in which country....they have a database which is extremely easy to maintain....
Jan 28, 2018 | 6:29 pm
#290
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 26
They installed that database when the emigration clearance was abolished. Its faulty though, as the MEA cannot know which visa you apply for or which were extended... its not like you run to the consulate or passport office everytime you get a visa? The BoI also doesn't enter the visas they see in your passport when you pass thru the border. They only check if you have a visa for the destination.
This application would have better managed if Indian citizens in US were done for background check by CBP directly as they have much longer history (recent) history. PCC done by Indian govt. along with passport cross reference should have been sufficient. It will come to that sure in it's 2.0 avatar.
Jan 28, 2018 | 10:43 pm
#291
Original Poster
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
Jan 28, 2018 | 10:44 pm
#292
Original Poster
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
This is exactly the point. People who live outside of India don't necessarily travel to India frequently or interact with Indian system that may seek latest status to show whether on resides there or just visits. Also, people in US apply for status with USCIS but travel is handled by DHS. They are two independent federal agency.
This application would have better managed if Indian citizens in US were done for background check by CBP directly as they have much longer history (recent) history. PCC done by Indian govt. along with passport cross reference should have been sufficient. It will come to that sure in it's 2.0 avatar.
This application would have better managed if Indian citizens in US were done for background check by CBP directly as they have much longer history (recent) history. PCC done by Indian govt. along with passport cross reference should have been sufficient. It will come to that sure in it's 2.0 avatar.
Jan 30, 2018 | 9:40 am
#293
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 106
Looks like the MEA reversed their earlier decision to give orange passports for ECR people. Everyone gets a blue passport as per news reports today. Also, the address page will stay, for what its worth
Jan 30, 2018 | 7:03 pm
#294
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold
Posts: 394
after reading some of the comments here, i asked my buddy at the external affairs ministry how they kept track of indian citizens living abroad....he said based on the passport & visa status of all indians overseas, they know exactly who is living in which country....they have a database which is extremely easy to maintain....
Jan 31, 2018 | 1:35 am
#295
Original Poster
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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Posts: 30,697
no clue at all....maybe that info is shared, maybe its not....i don't really care what they know & how they know it....all i want is for my application to be processed quickly....unfortunately that is not likely to happen because the indian government has once again implemented this in the worst way possible....
Jan 31, 2018 | 8:28 pm
#296
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 106
no clue at all....maybe that info is shared, maybe its not....i don't really care what they know & how they know it....all i want is for my application to be processed quickly....unfortunately that is not likely to happen because the indian government has once again implemented this in the worst way possible....
Jan 31, 2018 | 10:52 pm
#297
Original Poster
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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Posts: 30,697
it is....i have access to senior raking officials & the minister herself & they have all expressed their inability to fix this....so the passport office has no chance at all....
Feb 1, 2018 | 5:13 pm
#298
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: DNA
Posts: 10
My status in Passport India portal says "GEP verification has been initiated on your application blah blah blah ....." , same status from Sep 2017 and no change in status after that.. does anyone who submitted for GEP in that time frame got approved? good to know coupe of guys got approved.
Feb 2, 2018 | 6:53 am
#299
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 106
My status in Passport India portal says "GEP verification has been initiated on your application blah blah blah ....." , same status from Sep 2017 and no change in status after that.. does anyone who submitted for GEP in that time frame got approved? good to know coupe of guys got approved.
If you're living in India, you can forget about an approval any time soon, as per Keyser's comments above.
Feb 2, 2018 | 7:24 am
#300
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: DNA
Posts: 10
Sorry, I am in US right now. I completed the GEP verification process during my recent trip to India in Aug 2017. Same status since then. I had requested status update thru grievance, however they said they are waiting from MHA and Finance depts and this is in october. pretty ridiculous........