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Cox and Kings to handle Indian passport services; BLS to close operations soon

NRI Pulse Staff Report

Atlanta,GA: The existing India Passport Application Centre in Atlanta, operated by BLS International Services Limited, will close operations next month, on May 6, according to a press release issued by the Consulate.

With effect from May 9, the Consulate General of India,A tlanta will accept passport applications through the new India Passport Application Centre (IPAC) operated by Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS). A service fee of US$ 19.95 (inclusive of all taxes) per application will be charged at the IPAC in addition to applicable passport fees.

The details of new IPAC in Atlanta are as follows:

IndiaPassport Application Centre
Cox and Kings Global Services Suite 160,
5883 Glenridge Drive Georgia 30328

Email: passportusa@ckgs.com Website: www.passport.in.ckgs.us

The CKGS telephone, email and website will be operational with effect from 2 May 2016 (Monday).

During the transition of outsourcing services from M/s BLS International Services Limited (BLS) to M/s Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS), acceptance of passport applications and return of processed passports will be handled as follows:

*BLS will not accept any postal application after 22 April 2016 (Friday). Only postal applications post-marked on or before 22 April 2016 will be accepted by BLS.

*BLS will not accept regular walk-in / appointment applications after 29 April 2016 (Friday).

Renewed passports for all passport applications accepted by BLS will be returned to applicants by BLS through walk-in collection or through postal dispatch, where the applicant has chosen for postal delivery. For passport applications under processing at the Consulate during the transition period, renewed passports will be returned to the applicants by Consulate General of India,Atlanta. Applicants are advised to check tracking status of their applications on BLS website. BLS will also inform all those applicants by email whose renewed passports will be returned directly by the Consulate. In such cases, renewed passports will be available for walk-in collection at the Consulate’s Consular Office [5549, Glenridge Drive NE,Atlanta, Georgia 30342] or will be dispatched by post, where the applicant has chosen for postal delivery.

All applicants who have submitted their passport applications to BLS IPAC are advised to check status of their application on the BLS website and make immediate arrangements to pick up their renewed passports from BLS, if they are now available at the BLS IPAC.

In order to avoid any inconvenience, applicants who are not in immediate need for renewal of their passports are advised to submit their passport applications to the new IPAC on or after 9 May 2016 (Monday). However, applicants may take care that their postal applications do not reach CKGS IPAC before 9 May 2016, said the release.

For further information / clarification, applicants may send an email to the Consular Wing of the Consulate General of India, Atlantaat cons.atlanta@meagov.in with the subject line,  “Transition”.

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