VALUE ADDED SERVICES AT CKGS, CENTRES IN KUWAIT

          The Embassy has outsourced its passport and visa services to M/s Cox & Kings Global Services, (CKGS) since 3 August 2014. This agency has three Centers; viz, Sharq, Fahaheel and Jleeb Al Showaikh (Abbasiya) for providing services to Indian community, Kuwaiti nationals and other expatriates residing in or visiting Kuwait. They charge a service fee of KD 1.200 for passport services and service fee of KD. 3.250 for providing  visa services. Following optional Value Added Services (VAS) are also available with CKGS, Kuwait:

Value Added Services (optional)

(i)       Photocopy: 100 fils per page

(ii)      Photo booth: KD 2.750 for 4 photos

(iii)     Internet kiosk: KD1.000

(iv)     Courier service: KD 1.250 for Indian nationals and KD 4.500 for foreign nationals;

(v)      Assisted form filling: KD1.000 for Indian nationals and KD3.000 for Foreign nationals.

New Indian Passports on the same day under TATKAL SCHEME

Indian nationals in Kuwait are hereby informed once again that the new Indian passports can be issued the same day under the ‘Tatkal’ Scheme in cases such as damage / loss of passport, near exhaustion of all blank pages in passport, near or expiry of passport etc.  Applications for new passport issued under urgent or emergency circumstances are received in the Embassy Consular Wing and passports issued within a short span of 6-8 hours on payment of ‘Tatkal’ fee of KD 46/- in addition to the normal passport fee.

2.         The passport fees under the ‘Tatkal’ scheme are as given below:

i)             Ordinary passport (36 pages):   KD 69.50

ii)            Jumbo passport (60 pages):      KD 77.50

iii)           Passport in lieu of damaged/

lost passport:                                        KD 92.50 for ordinary and KD 100.50 for Jumbo passport

3.         This is to further inform that Kuwaiti nationals can apply for emergency visa at the Embassy which is issued the same day on payment of additional fee KD 12. Applicants may call the Embassy for any Tatkal passport and emergency visa related query at Tel. No. 22530600 Extn. 279 or call Mr. K.K. Pahel, First Secretary (Consular) at Mobile No. 97229948.

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The Embassy has seen numerous complaints from Indian community in Kuwait about SMS charge of Kuwaiti Dinar 0.400 by M/s Cox & Kings Services (CKGS) Kuwait, the outsourced agency of the Embassy for passport and visa services, from applicants seeking passports or visa services.

2.      The SMS charge (under Value Added Service category) of KD 0.400 has been discontinued with immediate effect. Applicants are hereby advised that they should not pay any SMS charge to M/s CKGS, Kuwait. It may be noted that the Embassy is issuing Indian passports on the same working day of receipt of applications from the above agency in Kuwait. Therefore, applicants should normally get their passports on the third (or latest fourth) working day from CKGS, Kuwait. Similarly, all visas are issued on the same working day on receipt of visa applications from the above agency. The visa applicants should get their visas on the third working day from the above agency.  In any case, there is a provision to check the status through on-line Tracking system provided by CKGS, Kuwait at free of cost.

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Starting of Visa Services At CKGS Jleeb Al Showaikh (Abbasiya) Centre

The Embassy is pleased to announce that with effect from 28 September, 2015, Indian Passport and Visa Service Center, M/s Cox & Kings Services (CKGS), Kuwait will be providing visa services to Kuwaiti nationals and expatriates in Kuwait at Jleeb Al Showaikh (Abbasiya) 2nd Floor, Jleeb Al Shuyoukh Block 1,Street 1, Xcite Building, Kuwait, in addition to the present passport services. The above centre functions from 8 AM - 12 noon and then from 4 PM - 8 PM on all working days and from 4 PM to 8 PM during closed holidays on Fridays and Saturdays.

2.       There has been an appreciable increase in issue of visas by the Indian Embassy in last two years. The Embassy has further simplified its visa procedures and has been issuing 5-year and 1-year business visa (multiple entry) and 6- month tourist visa (multiple entry) to Kuwaiti nationals (as well as foreign nationals resident in Kuwait). All those travelling to India regularly are advised to apply for tourist visa (6 month multiple entry) or long-term business visa (5 year or 1-year multiple entry).

3.       The visa work of the Embassy has been outsourced to M/s CKGS, Kuwait and applicants can visit Passport and Visa Centres of CKGS in (a) Indian Visa and Passport Application Centre, 17th Floor, Behbahani Building, Sharq, Kuwait : Tel. No. 22440392 (e- mail: indiavisa.kuwait@ckgs.com)or ; (b) Indian Visa and Passport Application Centre, Complex Kais Alghanim, 4th Floor, Mecca Street, in front of Annod Complex, Fahaheel, Kuwait: Tel. No. 22909229 ( e-mail: indiavisa.kuwait@ckgs.com). (c) Jleeb Al Showaikh (Abbasiya)  2nd Floor,Jleeb Al Shuyoukh Block 1,Street 1, Xcite building, Kuwait Tel. No. 24342428) ( e-mail: indiavisa.kuwait@ckgs.com). The website of CKGS, Kuwait is http://www.kw.ckgs.in/

4.       In emergency cases, the Embassy will accept the visa applications directly at its Visa Wing from applicants.  Applicants may also call the Embassy for any visa related query at Tel. No. 22530600 Extn. 279 or call Mr. K.K. Pahel, First Secretary (Consular) at Mobile No. 97229948.

Punjab  is hosting the Second Progressive Punjab Investors Summit

The Government of the State of Punjab (India) is hosting the Second Progressive Punjab Investors Summit at Indian School of Business, SAS Nagar, Mohali on 28--29 October 2015. This summit will focus on Agro and Food Processing, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education, IT, Renewable Energy and Tourism. In its efforts to attract investment, the Government of Punjab has taken rapid strides in improving infrastructure, up-skilling workforce and sector specific initiatives. A single window clearance system-INVEST PUNJAB- has been created for all regulatory and fiscal incentive related approvals.

            All those who are interested may please browse www.progressivepunjab.gov.infor the complete details including process of registration.

Phasing out of Hand-Written Passports

All Indian nationals residing in Kuwait holding hand written passports are advised to apply for urgent re-issuance of new passports  in lieu of   handwritten passports under the following circumstances:-

(a) The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24 November 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). From 25^th  November 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny Visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-Machine Readable Passport.

(b) The Government of India has been issuing Machine Readable Passports since 2001. The Passports, however, issued before 2001 and particularly those issued during mid 1990s with a validity of 20 years will fall in the category of non-MRPs. All handwritten passports with pasted photographs are also considered non-MRPs.
(c) Indians living in Kuwait holding handwritten passports as explained in Para(b) above, with validity beyond 24^th  November 2015 are advised to apply urgently for re-issue of their passports well before the deadline in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining valid visa for international travel. 

(c) For more details related to passport services, visit the website – http://www.indembkwt.org/Pages/Passport.aspx- or call Mr. Thomas Joseph, Attache(Consular) at Mob: 97229946 or Mr. K.K. Pahel, First Secretary(Consular) at Mob: 97229948. 

Indian Industry to showcase its mettle at “BIG 5 Kuwait”

14-16 September 2015

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), New Delhi with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, New Delhi is organizing an “INDIA PAVILION” at ‘THE BIG 5 Kuwait’, an International Construction Technology & Building Materials Trade Exhibition, being held at the Kuwait International Fair Ground (Hall 6), Mishref, Kuwait from 14-16 September 2015.

2.         Kuwait’s Development Plan (2015-2020) envisages diversifying its economy away from oil and increasing investment in sectors such as real estate, construction of new cities, hospitals, housing units, infrastructure, roads, airports, metro and railway projects, power and transmission, petrochemicals, gas processing and pipelines among others. This represents a major opportunity for Indian companies to step up its bilateral economic relations with Kuwait.   Total bilateral trade between India and Kuwait during the Financial Year 2014-15 was US$ 14.58 billion.  Out of this, India’s import of POL from Kuwait amounted to US$ 12.22 billion, while non-oil bilateral trade was a little over US$ 2 billion. As there is a need to deepen and widen the trade basket between our two countries, “India Pavilion” at “The BIG 5 Kuwait will provide an excellent platform for networking and one-to-one business meetings with potential customers.

3.         50 leading companies from India are expected to participate in the India Pavilion. These companies will showcase a wide range of products including building material & construction equipment; bathrooms, kitchens & sanitaryware; marble, ceramic & stone; metal, steel & aluminum; concrete & related products; construction tools; conveying systems; decorative products; electrical systems; facilities management services; finishes (coating, painting, gypsum, tiling); fire suppression & protection; glass & glazing; HVAC; landscaping products & services; building services; communications; pipelines; plumbing  & water technology; PMV & related products; safety & security equipment; scaffolding; software & IT; special construction (swimming pools, fountain); thermal moisture, protection & insulation; windows, doors & cladding; wood, plastic & composite, etc.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is examining the feasibility of extending voting rights to overseas Indians through E-postal ballot or proxy voting. Meanwhile, the measures are also being taken under ECI’s Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme to reach out to the Non-Resident Indians to facilitate their registration in the electoral roll.

2.         The National Voters Service Portal (NVSP) has recently been launched for Indian nationals to provide online registration facility, besides all other services related to electoral registration such as correcting entries, change in address, searching names on electoral roll. The link to this portal is http://www.nvsp.in which will enable the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to enroll themselves.

Since 2009, the Embassy has set-up an Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) to provide assistance to Indian community, on a means tested basis in most deserving cases. Following services are rendered under ICWF:

(i) Boarding and lodging for distressed overseas Indian workers in Household / domestic sectors and unskilled workers; (ii) extending emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need; (iii) providing air passage to stranded overseas Indians in need;(iv)providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases, and; (v)incurring expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indian in such cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost.

2.     The Embassy has been utilizing the funds under ICWF for providing required assistance to distressed Indian workers as per guidelines prescribed. The details of amount spent from ICWF and the total number of beneficiaries and cases of transportation of mortal remains assisted from 2009 till July 2015 are given below for information.

National Pension System (NPS) for Non Resident Indians

The Government of India has launched the National Pension System (NPS) for the benefit of 10 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) so as to provide old age security to Indians, both in India and abroad. A copy of Embassy’s press release on 9 April 2015 is enclosed for ready reference. Recently, in this regard, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) held a conference on NPS for NRIs at New Delhi, where based on discussions with the various stakeholders, following steps towards making NPS available to NRIs were taken.

a. Upload of the FAQs specific to NPS for NRI segment.

b. Simplification of the application form of NPS for NRIs and its upload on our website.

c. Streamlining the distribution channel for operationalizing the scheme through the Bank branches doing/ authorized to do NRI business.

d. Developing specific communication strategy for promoting the scheme.

e. Information emailers to various non-resident Indian associations.

The details of NPS for NRIs are enclosed (which includes eligibility, source of contribution, contributions in NPS, salient features of Investment choices, Salient Features of Fund Management Schemes, Exit & Withdrawal Rules, 7-step Registration procedure, etc.). For any clarification/ further details, please contact Mrs. Mamta Rohit, Chief General Manager, PFRDA e-mail: mamta.rohit@pfrda.org.in; (ii) Mr. Akhilesh Kumar, Deputy General Manager, PFRDA, e-mail: akhilesh.kumar@pfrda.org.in; (iii) Mrs. Sumeet Kaur Kapoor, General Manager, PFRDA, e-mail: sumeet.kapoor@pfrda.org.in; telephone: +91-11-26897937. Details on the NPS are also available on PFRDA’s website: www.pfrda.org.in.

The Embassy requests all the Presidents and Secretaries of the Associations to disseminate the information amongst all the members of the associations/communities and bring awareness with wide publicity about NPS for NRIs.

From 19 July 2015 onwards, Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres at Sharq and Fahaheel will function from 8 AM - 12 noon and then 4 PM - 8 PM on all working days. Visa charges for Kuwaiti nationals are as under:-

(i)         Tourist visa: 6 months multiple entry----------------KD 13

(ii)       Business visa : 1 year multiple entry-----------------KD 38

(iii)     Business visa: 5 years multiple entry-----------------KD 63  

(iv)            Transit visa     : 15 days single/double entry---------KD 7

(v)               Student visa : 5 years multiple entry-----------------KD 24

(vi)            Medical visa         : one year multiple entry-----------KD 38

2.        In cases of emergency, visas can be taken directly from Embassy on payment of applicable charges.

The Embassy will be closed on Friday, 17 July 2015 on the happy occasion of Idu’l Fitr. Emergency services will be however, available on that day.

2.        The Embassy will function as usual on Sunday (19 July 2015) and Monday (20 July 2015).