Last  Updated  19 August,  2008

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – 2009

       The 7^th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is scheduled to be held at the Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai from 07-09 January, 2009. Organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the State Government of Tamil Nadu and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), it would be the first PBD Convention organized in Chennai. (Click for more info)

Postponement of outsourcing of the Visa and Consular Services

       In this Consulate’s Press Release of June 30, 2008 about “outsourcing collection of visa/passport applications” in the Western region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia falling within the jurisdiction of Consulate General of India, Jeddah, it was inter-alia announced that the three outsourcing firms with whom the contract was signed on June 30, 2008, shall take over the work w.e.f. August 16, 2008.  At that point of time, it was expected that all formalities required for undertaking the work by the outsourcing firms, including acquisition of requisite software from NIC, New Delhi, would be completed by the stipulated date and the switchover be effective immediately after 62^nd India’s Independence Day.  Since the work relating to grant of visa and passport at this Consulate has been computerized from May 2007 onwards, it is essential that the software to be used by the outsourcing firms is compatible in all respects with the software in use in the Consulate.  The software for use in the Consulate was provided by NIC New Delhi (Ministry of Information Technology) and hence these service providers are required to obtain compatible software from NIC. 

2.     Though the three outsourcing firms have been in constant liaison with the NIC, Patiala House, New Delhi, they could not obtain the requisite software till now.  It is likely that these service providers shall be in a position to acquire the software from NIC in a week’s time or so for which this Consulate has also requested the concerned authorities to expedite.  With these developments, it has not been find feasible to take over the work by the three service providers whom this Consulate has signed the agreement from the agreed date of take over.  It has, therefore, been decided that he outsourcing work of visa and passport application collection in the Western region under the jurisdiction of CGI, Jeddah shall now be taken over by the concerned firms with effect from September 1, 2008, coinciding with the commencement of Holy month of Ramdan.  In case of further delay for reasons beyond control of the Consulate and outsourcing firms, necessary information for the benefit of the applicants would be provided well in time.

MBBS ADMISSINS FOR  NRI STUDENT

Jhalawar Medical College in Rajasthan offers 15% seats for NRI students for the academic season 2008-09.

Candidates must have passed 10+2 Senior Secondary examination of the Indian School certificate examination or equivalent examination or acquired qualification which is equivalent to 10+2 Examination after a period of 12 years study, the last two years of study  comprising Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English. The candidate must have obtained an aggregate of 50% (40% for SC/ST/OBC) in Physics, Chemistry and Biology and pass marks in English.

 The application form can be obtained from Dr. M. L. Jain, Director RCH, Swasthya Bhawan, Tilak Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur 302004. (Tel. No. 0141-2228707) on payment of Rs. 100/- by cash/postal order/demand draft in favour of Jhalawar Hospital and Medical Society, Jhalawar or can be downloaded from website: rajswasthya.nic.in. a draft of Rs. 100/- will be enclosed in favour of Jhalawar Hospital and Medical Society, Jhalawar with downloaded application form.  Last date for receipt of application is 14 August, 2008.

For further details please visit the website: www. Rajswasthya.nic.in.

Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children - 2009

       The Government of India has introduced a Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) in 2006, to assist children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)  and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for their higher education. Under this programme, over 220 PIO/NRI children have benefited during the last three academic years.  During the year 2009, 100 admission-cum-scholarships shall be offered for Undergraduate courses in Engineering / Architecture / Technology, Humanities / Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management, -BBA / BBM, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture / Animal Husbandry, Sciences, Law etc. The scholarships will be offered on merit on the basis of entrance tests conducted.

The broad guidelines of the SPDC are as follows:-

1.    100 scholarships are being offered for undergraduate courses.

2.    The Programme is open only to PIOs/NRIs from the specified 40 countries having a larger concentration of Indian Diaspora. 

3.    50% of the scholarship would be  reserved for PIOs. However, in the event of the non-availability of suitable PIO candidates, the unfilled slots could be assigned to NRI candidates.

4.    NRI candidates  would be eligible for the grant of scholarship only if their total family income per month does not exceed an amount equivalent to US $ 2,250/- (US dollars two thousand two hundred and fifty only).

5.    Children of NRIs should  have pursued at least  three years of education inclusive of 11^th & 12^th or equivalent  (non beyond), in a foreign country during  the last six years, and should have passed the qualifying examination abroad.

6.    PIO/NRI students already studying in India on a self-financing  basis or under any other arrangement will not be eligible under this scheme, which  is open only for fresh admissions in the first semester/year of undergraduate courses.

7.    The last date for receipt of duly filled-in application forms in the prescribed format by Ed.CIL is 9^th September, 2008.

8.    Candidates would be selected on the basis of a common entrance test  to be conducted by ED.CIL on 26^th October, 2008. Exact timings would be intimated by Ed.CIL.  The candidates would also have to fulfil the all the criteria prescribed for the purpose.

9.    The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75% of the Institutional Economic Cost (IEC)  or US $ 3,600/- (US dollars three thousand six hundred), whichever is less. IEC includes Tuition fee, Hostel  fee  and other institutional charges. 

            For further  details please visit the websites www.edcil.co.in  & www.educationindia4u.nic.in

Indian Consulate Outsource its Visa & Passport Services

            As per the policy of Government of India, Consulate General of India, Jeddah has decided to outsource visa support services for foreign nationals entering into India and passport support services to Indian expatriates to the following three firms viz. (1) M/s Al Fifa for General Services, Dammam; Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia (2) M/s Al Tayyar Travel Group, Jeddah, Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia; (3) M/s VFS GCC LLC, Dubai, UAE (local partner M/s Abyaar Modern Commercial Services – Tas Heel) respectively.  These three firms are expected to take over the work relating to collection of application of visa/passport aspirants in the Western Region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, falling within the jurisdiction of the Consulate from August 16, 2008 subject to their completing all formalities/infrastructure before that date.  In case they fail to meet the Consulate’s requirements by stipulated date, the date of undertaking the task being entrusted to them shall be deferred.

2.         After outsourcing, the visa/passport aspirants, instead of coming to the Consulate’s premises, would approach the outsourcing firms with all required documents.  The office of these outsourcing firms at Jeddah shall remain open 6 days a week (closed on Fridays) from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm (with usual lunch break) except on Saudi National Day and a couple of days during Ramadan and Haj holidays.  These firms shall have dedicated collection centres at all places for receiving applications for obtaining new passports and visas and distributing processed documents, where Consulate’s Consular Teams had been visiting periodically on weekends in the Western Region to provide Passport & Consular services.  In addition, they have been authorized to open additional collection centres depending on the requirements of visa/passport aspirants.

3.         This is with a view to provide quality services to the aspirants at their doorsteps or nearest convenient place with more ease at a very low charge.  The outsourcing firms shall charge an additional amount of SR 27/- from passport aspirants and SR 55 from visa aspirants over and above the prescribed fees for these services by the Government of India.  For this purpose, an agreement has been signed between the officers of this Consulate and the three firms individually on June 30, 2008 in the presence of Dr Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General.

4.         As per the agreed terms and conditions, broadly these outsourcing firms shall ensure:

a)      Distribution of visa/passport applications, as prescribed by the Consulate, free of cost (can also be downloaded from the website of the outsourcing firms);

b)      Assistance to visa/passport aspirants in completion of forms by providing factual information;

c)      Accepting visa/passport applications along with passport, prescribed service fee and company’s service charges and providing bar coded receipt to each applicant showing relevant details;

d)      Scrutiny of various documents and forms and their submission to Consulate without much loss of time;

e)      Return of processed visas and/or passports to successful applicants in time and orderly fashion including informing those aspirants who are required to be interviewed before grant of such services;

f)        Publish and distribute an official leaflet explaining clearly how to apply for an Indian visa and issue of new passport to Indian nationals complete with relevant guidance;

g)      A viable and effective security and vigilance system;

h)      Maintenance of quality control on service standards;

i)        Operate an e-mail/tele-enquiry facilities and electronic display in order that applicants can track the progress of their application with the upper time limit of 2 days to respond.

5.         Besides, these outsourcing firms shall deal and handle personal information as if the provisions of Privacy Laws applicable both in India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia applied to it, in particular, use it only for the purpose for which it is collected, protect all personal information in their possession, and not disclose it without prior permission of this Consulate.

6.         The tenure of the agreement shall be for 3 years initially unless terminated earlier for infringement of the agreed terms and conditions by the Consulate.

7.         The outsourcing firms are also required to maintain a website containing detailed information inter-alia Government of India’s prescribed visa/passport charges and lodgment charges, addresses and contact details, list of holidays, office operating hours, a passport tracking system, a link to Consulate General of India, Jeddah’s website.  These firms shall have a separate hotline telephone number and a separate e-mail address to answer queries promptly (not later than 24 hours).  In case the outsourcing firms cannot answer the query on their own, they shall notify the same to the Consulate.

8.         It is also clarified that outsourcing firms will ensure that no visa/passport applications are entertained by proxy.  In case an applicant failed to submit his/her application in person due to certain extreme conditions, the application must accompany with authority letter from the applicant.  Further, the outsourcing firms will be solely responsible in case fraud is detected by the Consulate and contract will be cancelled without being given one month’s notice.

9.         Visas to Diplomatic/Official Passport holders shall continue to be issued from the Consulate directly.

10.       Likewise all other Consular services (attestation, etc.) shall continue to be provided by the Consulate directly.

11.       At present, this Consulate issues about 40,000 passports and 8000 visas annually.  Of around 1.6 million expatriate Indians, 7.5 lakhs are within the Jeddah Consulate’s jurisdiction.  As of now, the Consulate offers services on five full days a week, excluding Government of India’s national holidays, and on Thursdays from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm to expatriates staying away from Jeddah and Mecca besides undertaking Consular tours on every weekend on Thursdays and Fridays to, at least, one location in the Western Region.

12.       As per Government of India’s new policy, several Missions/Posts have entered into agreement for outsourcing both visa services and a few of them for obtaining visa and passport support services.  Consulate General of India, Jeddah is the second Mission in the Middle East to sign the agreement for outsourcing both visa and passport services after Consulate General of India, Dubai signed in the 1^st week of April 2008.  However, Consulate General of India, Jeddah would be the first Mission to award the services to three firms by providing them level playing field and it is hoped that the visa/passport aspirants in the Western Region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shall receive efficient and quality services with much ease and convenience by this new arrangement.

13.       The outsourcing firms, with whom this Consulate General has signed agreements on June 30, 2008, shall publicize separately the procedures in details for obtaining applications on behalf of this Consulate General for the knowledge/benefit of visa/passport services aspirants in due course.

Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC)

         The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has set up an Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) as a not-for-profit-Trust under the Indian Trust Act, 1882 in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The Centre will be a one-stop-shop for serving the interests of the Overseas Indian Community and has the mandates to cover two broad areas viz: Investment Facilitation and knowledge Networking.

The objectives of the Centre are:-

(1)  Promote Overseas Indian Investment into India and facilitate business partnership by giving authentic and real time information.

(2)  Function as clearinghouse for all investment related information. This would be done by processing information on a real time basis through ICT platform.

(3)  Establish and maintain a Diaspora Knowledge Network (DKN) by creating a database of overseas Indians, who would act as Knowledge Diaspora and whose knowledge resources could be using  ICT platform;

(4)  The objectives of the OIFC will be to bring the Indian States, Indian Business and potential Overseas Indian Investors on the same platform and to facilitate the investors to identify the investment opportunities;

(5)  Provide a host of advisory services to PIO and NRIs. These could include matters such as consular questions, stay in India, investment and financial issues etc.

The OIFC was formally launched on 28th May, 2007 with the signing of MoU between the MOIA and CII. The Centre is being managed by the CII. Further details for the CII may be obtained from

Ms. Subha Rajan

CEO,

Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre,

Plot No. 249-F, Sector 18,

Udyog Vihar, Phase-IV,

Gurgaon - 122015, Haryana,

India.

Attestation fee waived for documents related to death of

Indian abroad

        The Indians living in the Gulf region have been demanding a waiver of the fees levied by Indian Missions for attestation of documents related to death of Indian nationals.  The issue has been examined by the Government of India and it has been decided that no fee will be charged by our Missions abroad  for attestation of or drawing up or assistance in drawing up any documents required for transportation of dead bodies of Indian nationals to India or buried locally.

Free Medical Camps at the Consulate Premises

          Community Welfare Wing of the Consulate has been organizing free Medical Camps at the Consulate premises on a monthly basis for those workers who are not covered by any medical insurance and for those unskilled and semi-skilled workers who cannot afford exorbitant medical treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Medical teams from various hospitals/clinics visit the Consulate every second thursdays of the month from 2.00 P.M. to 5.00 P.M. to examine the patients and give them advice on their ailments. The medical examination, blood pressure check and some minor tests area also carried out, which require additional investigations, are referred to eminent Indian doctors. In addition, free medical counseling is also provided to patients. The medicines prescribed by the doctors in the camps, for the deserving cases, are given free of cost on the spot itself. These camps have been very successful so far. A considerable number of workers have benefited from these camps.

Consulate’s Library