India’s Consul General warns travel agents against charging excessive fees and submitting fake documents

- ADVERTISEMENT -

New York: Consul General of India (CGI) in New York, Binaya Pradhan, has issued a warning about travel agents exploiting people’s trust by charging excessive fees for services, and submitting fake documents to the Consulate on behalf of the applicants.

At a press conference on August 7, 2024, Pradhan briefed journalists about these issues, and highlighted Consular Services provided by the Consulate. He encouraged applicants to reach out to the Consulate directly or apply through VFS, the sole authorized provider.

He mentioned that some agents have charged applicants $450 for an emergency travel certificate to India, that costs only $17. Additionally, these agents often mislead clients by claiming they can handle missing documents due to their connections at the Consulate.

He further said that the Consulate has also encountered fake documents, submitted by agents on behalf of applicants without their knowledge, and discovered a number of fake E-visa websites claiming to offer legitimate services.

Pradhan announced that the Government of India has recently launched Fast Track Immigration- Trusted Travelers Program (FTI-TTP), similar to the Global Entry Program in the United States, to streamline the immigration process for Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders.

He noted OCI card holders can register on the FTI-TTP portal and provide their biometrics. This allows them to bypass the immigration queue during their next visit to India. The OCI card offers numerous benefits, and this program is one of them.

“Our effort through the consular camps in different states and through interactions with community leaders, has been to encourage them to go for OCI cards,” he said adding the OCI card not only serves as a permanent visa but also grants certain rights to purchase property and enjoy better status in India.

According to Pradhan, there are 1.5 million American passport holders of Indian origin within the jurisdiction of the Indian Consulate in New York. However, only about 600,000 have OCI cards, and rest don’t have these cards.

Pradhan told News India Times, “The ideal situation could be all 1.5 million strong Indian American community, holding American passport should have OCI cards.” He added though many opt for visas instead because they can be obtained in just 24 hours.

He stated that out of 4.5 million Indian Diaspora in the United States, around 2.5 million including 113,000 students, reside in 10 states under the Consulate’s jurisdiction.

He also highlighted that the Consulate uses digital tools to connect with the community to handle inquiries, to offer them high quality and user-friendly service. The Consulate’s AI chatbot manages 500 queries daily, alongside telephone and email queries. Additionally, VFS offers 24/7 helpline support to address questions. The Government of India has been trying to make visits to India more accessible. As such, last year 90 per cent of visas were issued electronically, he added.

He emphasized that the Consulate offers special support to any Indian passport holder in distress, whether they are students, someone stranded at an airport, or women facing domestic violence.

The Consulate offers various services including regular consular camps in different cities;

365-day emergency services; a portal with a panel of attorneys for legal assistance to the Indian diaspora; and a weekly open house for applicants to meet Consular officers without appointments.

Deputy Consul General, Dr. Varun Jeph highlighted that the Consulate hosts biannual meet-and-greet sessions for new students arriving from India, scheduled for Spring and Fall. The upcoming session is in September, adding that these events feature talks from distinguished speakers in fields such as commerce, academics, and community along with psychologists, who offer stress management advice.

Additionally, the Consulate in collaboration with various companies provides internship opportunities for students, added Dr. Jeph. The Consulate also maintains a WhatsApp group to keep students across 10 states informed about latest updates. At the Consulate’s request, Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi has recently released a video discussing the pros and cons for students, he further said.

Pradhan underscored that recently the Consulate in New York and the Embassy in Washington DC contacted US federal and state authorities to address the safety concerns of Indian students. In return the agencies responded positively, promising their full support.

Consul (Visa, OCI/Renunciation & Attestation), Pragya Singh, said previously OCI applicants faced issues with completing the application and uploading pictures leading to their OCI applications being rejected. The Consulate has now updated the forms and enhanced the website to provide a better experience for applicants.

Consul (Consular & Passport), Bijender Kumar, noted that students who lose their passports can seek assistance from the Consulate either in-person or online, and the Consulate will provide prompt help.

Consul (Political & PIC), Shruti Pandey was also present during the press conference.