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Indian Consulate in New York now open 365 days; offers speedier TATKAL service for passports
There will be a consular officer positioned in the consulate. So, people don’t have to call and come to avail of the services. They can simply visit the consulate at the prescribed time and avail of the emergency services: CG Binaya Pradhan
Consul General of India in New York, Binaya S Pradhan, in an exclusive interview with New India Abroad, in New York / New India Abroad
In an exclusive interview with the New India Abroad, the Consul General of India in New York, Binaya S Pradhan announced a new initiative, the 365-day accessibility to the Consulate General of India in New York for emergency services in a move to ensure continued support and availability.
This new initiative aims to help the Indian diaspora and American citizens in the 10 states of the US, in the Consular jurisdiction of New York, who are in need of emergency visa and consular services which cannot wait for the next working day.
Consul General Pradhan said, “There will be a consular officer positioned in the consulate. So, people don’t have to call and come to avail of the services. They can simply visit the consulate at the prescribed time and avail of the emergency services.”
“We are introducing a regular service. Even on weekends and on national holidays, the Consulate will remain open,” he further added.
Currently, Indian consulates across the United States offer emergency services over the weekends and national holidays on a call basis.
Mr Pradhan further added, “We are providing emergency services via the New York Consulate on a 365-day basis. On weekends and national holidays, If someone requires emergency service such as help in the repatriation of the mortal remains of a person or if someone at the airport requires emergency Consular assistance, we immediately rush somebody to take care of the emergency.”
“The consular officer will take care of all the emergency requirements only, not the regular ones. The regular requirements can be taken care of on the normal course of the day,” he further reiterated.
In a separate and equally important announcement, the Consul General announced speedier processing of the Tatkal passport. “At the moment if you are asking for an appointment under the TATKAL passport provision, you might get an appointment in three to five days. VFS Global has agreed to increase its resources, dedicate more people, and increase the number of slots. So, applicants can get an appointment for a TATKAL passport on the same day,” said Mr Pradhan.
He also discussed a wide range of important topics, including Indian students in the US and the upgradation of consular services in a conversation with Pooja Sarkar.
VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions and is a trusted partner to 67 client governments worldwide, operating a global network with more than 3,300 Application Centres in 149 countries.
On reaching out, Amit Kumar Sharma, Head-Americas, VFS Global told New India Abroad, “First, I would like to congratulate the consul general for announcing these two initiatives. Availability of emergency services for 365 days is unheard of. We would like to reconfirm VFS Global’s full commitment to implement every initiative that the consulate general of India in New York or other consulates of India in the US wish to take. These initiatives make people’s journey to passport, and visa more comfortable and convenient. These initiatives will help citizens at large.”
Additionally, Mr Pradhan said, “These two initiatives will be launched immediately. Consular officer available on weekends and on national holidays, to make it truly 365 days of consular services. And second is to make the TATKAL passport facility more robust and more immediate, in the true sense of TATKAL.”
New announcement
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) May 10, 2024
Consulate General of India, New York to remain open 365 days for emergency services.@binaysrikant76 @MEAIndia @IndianEmbassyUS @IndianDiplomacy @ANI @PIB_India @ITVGold @tvasianetwork @CPVIndia @Newsweek pic.twitter.com/1FFvgOxiFC
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