Process and Documents for Indian Passport Renewal in USA (SFO specifically) through BLS
Hi,
I recently applied for my Indian passport renewal (after 10 years) and got it all correctly printed and everything. So I am writing the steps and documents required, in this blog. Hope this helps someone. These are the steps that I did to get my passport renewed. It may be a little different for your case, so confirm with BLS through website/email if you have any concerns.
Note: Along with the passport renewal I also got my Surname added to the Indian passport as my older passport just had my First name and NO Surname (the FNU Case) :)
I also read so many bad reviews about BLS on the net So I had really low expectations from them. However I really want to appreciate them now, since it did not do any wrong to me. And I got my passport within a month's time.
I understand and have experienced myself that they do not pick up any calls on the numbers provided and that is true, however whenever I have e-mailed them, they always replied. And they are already updating the customer service center i think. So have patience, it will be all good.
Application preparations and submission Steps:
1. Start exploring the BLS website for the documents required for your particular case. My case was "Passport Reissue after 10 years" so i had this link to refer to:
http://www.passport.blsindia-usa.com/reissue10.php
2. The required documents are clearly mentioned on their website, along with the links for the forms to fill/download.
3. Documents I sent to them are as below:
Hi,
I recently applied for my Indian passport renewal (after 10 years) and got it all correctly printed and everything. So I am writing the steps and documents required, in this blog. Hope this helps someone. These are the steps that I did to get my passport renewed. It may be a little different for your case, so confirm with BLS through website/email if you have any concerns.
Note: Along with the passport renewal I also got my Surname added to the Indian passport as my older passport just had my First name and NO Surname (the FNU Case) :)
I also read so many bad reviews about BLS on the net So I had really low expectations from them. However I really want to appreciate them now, since it did not do any wrong to me. And I got my passport within a month's time.
I understand and have experienced myself that they do not pick up any calls on the numbers provided and that is true, however whenever I have e-mailed them, they always replied. And they are already updating the customer service center i think. So have patience, it will be all good.
Application preparations and submission Steps:
1. Start exploring the BLS website for the documents required for your particular case. My case was "Passport Reissue after 10 years" so i had this link to refer to:
http://www.passport.blsindia-usa.com/reissue10.php
2. The required documents are clearly mentioned on their website, along with the links for the forms to fill/download.
3. Documents I sent to them are as below:
- Original Passport
- Cashier's check for the fee according to the service requested. (The Cashier's check has to be in the favor of BLS International USA, I have confirmed it with BLS and this worked for me. There is some confusion going on in some online blogs that they returns the check with BLS International USA and wanted only BLS International written on it. Well at least for SFO location this was not an issue)
- 3 Extra 2 * 2 photographs as per the specifications, attached with the application. Although they returned 2 of them with my new passport.
- Filled in Checklist. The documents were arranged according to the checklist.
- Filled in and printed Online Passport Application form. With the extra details filled in with hand and signed and One photo pasted in the top right box as per the specifications.
- 3 copies of properly filled in Nationality Verification form with photographs pasted on the top box.
- Photo copies of First 5 and last 2 pages of my passport.
- Notarized ID proof - US license
- Current Visa (I had a valid visa from my ex employer) and also New I-797 of the new employer - Both duly notarized.
- To be on the safe side I had also filled and attached the Change in Appearance Affidavit with the new photo - same photo as the one in application.
Extra documents only for my case:
Since I had a name change for myself (Addition of Surname) so i had provided the below documents:
- Name change affidavit - Printed from the BLS website (they do not accept any other formats) and duly filled and signed.
- News paper clippings of the name change (Both Indian and US)
I had to get my Wife's name also added on my passport (and her name in her passport was also missing a surname) So I had to attach her name change proofs as well (News paper clippings)
- Duly notarized Marriage Certificate
- Wife's passport copy (1st and last pages)
- Wife's legal status in US (Her Identification/license copy) - duly notarized - Don't forget to send this
- Wife's name change proofs (Paper clippings mainly)
Apart from that My Mom and Dad also had their names updated in their passports recently, So I had to attach their name change proofs as well (Yes Mine is a classic case of all name changes :) )
- Mother and Father's updated passport photocopy - duly notarized (from india)
- Mother and Father's Name change News paper clippings
These were all the documents I sent (Actually the first time I did not send the Name change proofs for my Mom and Dad and also the Format I used for my name change Affidavit was not taken from BLS) so they returned my application asking for these documents. So I sent them again with the required documents.
4. After arranging all the required documents. Go to FEDEX or USPS and create shipping labels for onwards and return shipping giving onward address as (based on your service area use different address as provided in BLS Website):
BLS
4837 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, CA - 94118
Keep the onward and return airway bill number (Or tracking number) written or saved for your tracking purposes.
5. Once you have the airway bill number (Or as some say, Tracking number) for both Onwards and return shipping handy, go to the below link and fill the BLS Order form providing the Airway bill number for onward and return shipping.
You don't need to use their provided return shipping in that case (That is if you already generated return shipping label with Fedex/USPS)
6. When you save the Order form, it should send, to the Email provided in that form, 2 things.
- BLS Passport Order form
- Passport Shipping label
Print 2 copies of the BLS Order form. One for your reference and one to send with the documents to BLS.
7. Attach the BLS Passport Order form on top of the Documents set.
8. Take a Big enough envelop to securely put all the documents in that, along with a return envelop.
9. Better clip all the documents together with a binder clip.
10. Print the Return FEDEX shipping label and stick it outside another envelop(which can be accommodated inside the other envelop (step 8) along with the documents).
11. Then paste/stick the Passport shipping label outside the Big Envelop (of step 8), where it is conveniently visible and does not cover the Fedex shipping label information.
12. Then print the Onward FEDEX shipping label for you and stick it outside the Big Envelop (of step 8)
13. Put all the documents along with the return envelop (of step 10) inside the big envelop and securely close the envelop. Make sure it is secured so you don't lose any documents.
14. Give it to the Person at the Fedex counter and ask him to give you the Tracking receipt.
Congratulations your submission part is done :)
Now comes the wait and monitoring/tracking part:
Based on what delivery option you chose to deliver the documents track it and make sure it reaches BLS office. Once they receive it they will update it on their website which you can track it from the below link:
Use the Order form number from the step 6 to track it. Or later it also updates on the below link, based on the passport number:
Once they receive it, they say it may take 2-3 weeks for you to get it but it may take more. Have patience. For me it took more than a month to get the passport back.
After they receive it, it may take more than a week to show the status that it has been submitted to the consulate. Again have patience. If it does not happen for 2 weeks send them an email to check the status and tell them it has been so many days.
After it gets accepted at the consulate, it would take 2-3 weeks in my opinion for it to be updated on their website.
Once they update on their website that they received the passport from consulate and shipped it, it takes a day or two for Fedex to pick up from them.
In case of any Document missing/lacking in your application:
If they find any document lacking, they will send back your application with all the documents in the return envelop that you provided. In that case, you will have to provide the necessary documents and send them again generating new shipping labels (Step 4 onwards) and return labels and filling a NEW BLS Order form.
They might have sent the BLS receipt (acknowledging that they received the money/check). So keep that attached to the set of documents and keep the receipt number saved somewhere for your reference.
You DONT need to send any more money this time. Unless they specifically mention it.
The only money you spend this time is on the shipping again. Keep the new Tracking numbers saved now. Don't be confused with the old ones.
Hope this would be helpful to someone. I myself had so many questions/concerns while submitting my passport. Some of the questions got answered from some blogs and some of them BLS answered through Emails.
Thanks and Good luck !!
