CKGS is being removed as the processing agent for Indian OCI/Visa in the US. No word on the replacement.

https://www.in.ckgs.us/news-notices

CKGS contract with the Government of India is ending on October 31st, 2020. Thus, applicants only with the compelling reason are requested to contact the Indian Mission/post directly to apply for the OCI, Renunciation, and Indian Visa.

CKGS website will not allow applicants to fill out any new application, w.e.f. October 14th, 2020 at 5pm EST.

Incomplete applications currently waiting for the missing documents shall be returned to the applicant on October 16th, 2020, evening using their shipping payment or a prepaid envelope if the requested documents are not received on or before October 16th, 2020.

Processed documents without a return shipping label or the return shipping payment shall be submitted to the Indian Mission/post on October 19th, 2020 morning.
Applications/documents without a return shipping label or the return shipping payment shall be submitted to the Indian Mission/Post on October 19th, 2020 morning.
New Postal applications will not be accepted by CKGS, w.e.f. October 19th, 2020. Applications/Mission documents received on or before October 16th, 2020, shall be accepted and processed by CKGS.
The applicant, with a compelling reason only, would need to contact the Indian Mission/Posts for further information.

The applicant will be able to track their application status on the CKGS website, which is already under process at CKGS or Indian Embassy/Consulate even after October 31st, 2020.

https://www.in.ckgs.us/news-notices

VFS Global will be the replacement, as reported on a few news sites. They are to begin operation from November 2.

https://www.newsindiatimes.com/india...vice-provider/

I just hope the new provider is more tech savvy and responsive, and especially gets rid of the useless and confusing options on purchasing our own prepaid envelopes to send to them. Just charge $30 for shipping and let them handle it

Too bad the Indian government didn't just change course and take all this activity back in-house instead.

Many countries outsource support services elsewhere to save costs.

In Germany the OCI stuff is still handled in house and only the visa was outsourced. When the visas went electronic they tendered the contract for visa, and now its handled by two companies.

Whether or not it saves costs for the Government of India -- and that's very much in question given the history of the Indian government doing this -- I still prefer OCI and other services to be entirely in-house with the GoI's own employees rather than with any of these "outsource" "partners" in North America and Europe.

Especially since the OCI process is entirely online and only the verification of uploaded documents is done by the consular staff. They basically login to the system and confirm that whatever you uploaded was seen and is a true copy.