Embassy of India
Washington DC
Public Notice Regarding Change of Passport Outsourcing Service Provider
1. The existing India Passport Application Centre in Washington DC, which is operated by M/s BLS International Services Limited [Address: BLS India Passport, USA, 800 K Street NW, Suite MR-12, Washington, D.C. 20001; website: www.blsindia-usa.com/passport/index.php; Email: Email: dc@blsgroup.in; Helpline: +18459990726] will close operations at COB on 6 May 2016 (Friday).
2. With effect from 9May 2016 (Monday), Embassy of India, Washington DC will accept passport applications through the new India Passport Application Centre (IPAC) in Washington DC, which will be operated by M/s Cox and Kings Global Services. 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.
Details of new IPAC in Washington DC
India Passport Application Centre
Cox and Kings Global Services
Suite 100-90,1250 23rd St NW Washington, DC 20037
Website: www.passport.in.ckgs.us*
*CKGS website containing contact details including telephone and Email will be operational with effect from 2 May 2016 (Monday).
Timings
Monday to Friday except holidays
Submission of passport applications: 0900 hrs. – 1530 hrs.
Collection of processed passports: 1530 hrs. – 1800 hrs.
Call Centre and Information Desk: 0900 hrs. – 1900 hrs.
3. Transition Arrangements: 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).
- BLS will only accept Tatkal walk-in/appointment applications from 2 May 2016 (Monday) to 6 May 2016 (Friday).
4. Return of processed passports: 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 Embassy during the transition period, renewed passports will be returned to the applicants by Embassy of India, Washington DC. 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 Embassy. In such cases, renewed passports will be available for walk-in collection at the Embassy’s Consular Office [2536 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20008] or will be dispatched by post,where the applicant has chosen for postal delivery.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. For further information / clarification, applicants may send an email to the Consular Wing of the Embassy of India, Washington DC at consular@indiagov.org with subject head “Transition”.
8. For information regarding new India Passport Application Centres at Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco, please visit the websites of Consulates General of India at Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco respectively.