New provider for Indian visa services in US

The Indian Embassy in Washington has contracted a new service provider to provide Visa/OCI/PIO and Renunciation Services with effect from July 1, 2013 on its behalf and has promised better services.

Accordingly, BLS International Services has commenced operations for various services from Washington, New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Atlanta, where its consulates are located, the Indian embassy announced Wednesday.

However, visa operations will begin in Atlanta from July 18.

As the BLS International Services have just begun operations, some initial difficulties in transition are being faced, the Embassy said

The BLS International Services will also be handling all cases that were earlier submitted to Travisa Outsourcing, the previous service provider, and are still pending with the Embassy/Consulates for various reasons, it said.

As BLS International Services is setting up the tracking system for these applications, some delay may be encountered in answering questions relating to those cases, the announcement said.

The embassy acknowledged that applicants have been facing some hardship in submitting applications, obtaining appointment dates, and reaching out to the BLS International Services call centres.

The embassy and the consulates are constantly monitoring the functioning of BLS International Services and guiding them in this transition period, in order to deliver efficient services to the satisfaction of all applicants, it said

In case of any serious difficulties being faced by applicants, these may be brought to the notice of the embassy and consulates concerned for redress, the embassy said.