Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 21-01-14 14:07:52
BLS (The Proud Indian Company) which handles applications on behalf of the Indian missions is fun to deal with, if you take things in stride.
Recently, we had our son's OCI sticker "renewed" on his new passport. Everything went well until such time when they had to ship the documents back.
They posted a message on their portal stating that they do not accept handwritten waybills. My pre-paid Fedex envelope was hand written.
After a call to BLS which is handled by a call center person, a ticket was issued and an 'escalation' was processed. Three days later, we received a BLS web link to pay a fee for them to ship via Fedex.
We did. They charged our credit card, and within a few hours, received an email stating that our documents have been mailed back. They even gave us a Fedex tracking number.
Problem - the tracking number happened to be the one that belonged to the return envelope...the handwritten one...the one that I had prepaid and sent and the one that they they had rejected in the first place.
Fifiteen days passed with no sign of documents and no record of shipment based on the Fedex tracking number.
So, I sent emails...which has so far gone unresponded. We put in another ticket, another escalation, no response. I called Fedex who couldn't track any shipment out of BLS to my address (we later learned the package was never shipped for at least 15 days)
As we were about to call it all lost (OCI card, New and expired passport) and file a lost report, we received a Fedex package today.
The tracking number was totally different from what they claimed to be and the waybill was handwritten by BLS...the very same people who reject handwritten waybills.
Inside the envelope was my pre-paid Fedex envelope.
Phew...finally, right?
Nope. The expired passport is missing. Thankfully, the OCI card and the new passport is back in our hands.
Back to ticket and escalation.
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Dimple2001
Quote:
Originally posted by dimple2001
BLS (The Proud Indian Company) which handles applications on behalf of the Indian missions is fun to deal with, if you take things in stride.
Recently, we had our son's OCI sticker "renewed" on his new passport. Everything went well until such time when they had to ship the documents back.
They posted a message on their portal stating that they do not accept handwritten waybills. My pre-paid Fedex envelope was hand written.
After a call to BLS which is handled by a call center person, a ticket was issued and an 'escalation' was processed. Three days later, we received a BLS web link to pay a fee for them to ship via Fedex.
We did. They charged our credit card, and within a few hours, received an email stating that our documents have been mailed back. They even gave us a Fedex tracking number.
Problem - the tracking number happened to be the one that belonged to the return envelope...the handwritten one...the one that I had prepaid and sent and the one that they they had rejected in the first place.
Fifiteen days passed with no sign of documents and no record of shipment based on the Fedex tracking number.
So, I sent emails...which has so far gone unresponded. We put in another ticket, another escalation, no response. I called Fedex who couldn't track any shipment out of BLS to my address (we later learned the package was never shipped for at least 15 days)
As we were about to call it all lost (OCI card, New and expired passport) and file a lost report, we received a Fedex package today.
The tracking number was totally different from what they claimed to be and the waybill was handwritten by BLS...the very same people who reject handwritten waybills.
Inside the envelope was my pre-paid Fedex envelope.
Phew...finally, right?
Nope. The expired passport is missing. Thankfully, the OCI card and the new passport is back in our hands.
Back to ticket and escalation.
Appreciate your patience.
I bet you have the best blood pressure readings in your doctors office,,
Hiren
Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 21-01-14 14:55:23
Quote:
Originally posted by hchheda
I bet you have the best blood pressure readings in your doctors office,,
Hiren
Of course, I do.
But my hair loss is another story.....
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Dimple2001
I recently had to transfer my daughters OCI to her new passport. At the last stage, I had to go 5 times to BLS (once a week for 5 weeks) and every time they said, the documents were not received from the Consulate. On my 3rd visit they realized they had to take the original receipt along with the new passport. Every time I went and showed the receipt and they returned it to me without realizing that.
I feel for you Dimple ji 
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SS
Reiki Grand Master
I would say SS is the winner here..hope that you live nearby...
Sudesh G
Any particular reason or benefit of transfering OCI to new passport .
AG
Quote:
Originally posted by sudesingh
I recently had to transfer my daughters OCI to her new passport. At the last stage, I had to go 5 times to BLS (once a week for 5 weeks) and every time they said, the documents were not received from the Consulate. On my 3rd visit they realized they had to take the original receipt along with the new passport. Every time I went and showed the receipt and they returned it to me without realizing that.
I feel for you Dimple ji
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Growing Old Is Mandatory ..Growing UP is Optional
Quote:
Originally posted by dimple2001
BLS (The Proud Indian Company) which handles applications on behalf of the Indian missions is fun to deal with, if you take things in stride.
Recently, we had our son's OCI sticker "renewed" on his new passport. Everything went well until such time when they had to ship the documents back.
They posted a message on their portal stating that they do not accept handwritten waybills. My pre-paid Fedex envelope was hand written.
After a call to BLS which is handled by a call center person, a ticket was issued and an 'escalation' was processed. Three days later, we received a BLS web link to pay a fee for them to ship via Fedex.
We did. They charged our credit card, and within a few hours, received an email stating that our documents have been mailed back. They even gave us a Fedex tracking number.
Problem - the tracking number happened to be the one that belonged to the return envelope...the handwritten one...the one that I had prepaid and sent and the one that they they had rejected in the first place.
Fifiteen days passed with no sign of documents and no record of shipment based on the Fedex tracking number.
So, I sent emails...which has so far gone unresponded. We put in another ticket, another escalation, no response. I called Fedex who couldn't track any shipment out of BLS to my address (we later learned the package was never shipped for at least 15 days)
As we were about to call it all lost (OCI card, New and expired passport) and file a lost report, we received a Fedex package today.
The tracking number was totally different from what they claimed to be and the waybill was handwritten by BLS...the very same people who reject handwritten waybills.
Inside the envelope was my pre-paid Fedex envelope.
Phew...finally, right?
Nope. The expired passport is missing. Thankfully, the OCI card and the new passport is back in our hands.
Back to ticket and escalation.
I don't know if this is true or not, but there is an article that appeared recently in the Telegraph, which states that BLS will cease operations in the US (after serving a 6 month notice) due to all the problems that people are reporting. No mention in the article if this will also include Canada.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140115/jsp/frontpage/story_17824730.jsp#.UuAYDhAo7IU
