# VFS Sydney has not returned Passport application for 2 months



## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

Hi Guys,
I tried searching forum for similar cases, found few issues but really no solution.
I had applied for name change in my Indian Passport, my application was received on 5th Jan 2017 by VFS Global Sydney. After getting "no record found" for my Web application on their website I enquired about the status and that's when all my troubles started. They have no clue as yet of my application. They say its incomplete and is returned but I have not received any document yet as on 20th March 2017. They keep saying we have escalated same. They even gave me an Australian Post tracking ID which turned out invalid. Multiple back and forth mails have still not yielded any results. 
What is my best option now. How long can they take to resolve the same? Should I keep fighting with them through mails. They never pick up customer care number. I don't know where to meet someone in person. Should I report lost passport with police giving complaint against them. 
Any suggestions are highly appreciated.
Thanks.


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## biggy85 (Feb 8, 2017)

rubens83 said:


> Hi Guys,
> I tried searching forum for similar cases, found few issues but really no solution.
> I had applied for name change in my Indian Passport, my application was received on 5th Jan 2017 by VFS Global Sydney. After getting "no record found" for my Web application on their website I enquired about the status and that's when all my troubles started. They have no clue as yet of my application. They say its incomplete and is returned but I have not received any document yet as on 20th March 2017. They keep saying we have escalated same. They even gave me an Australian Post tracking ID which turned out invalid. Multiple back and forth mails have still not yielded any results.
> What is my best option now. How long can they take to resolve the same? Should I keep fighting with them through mails. They never pick up customer care number. I don't know where to meet someone in person. Should I report lost passport with police giving complaint against them.
> ...


This sounds bad. Why don't you head to the post office that is handling this delivery? Invalid tracking ID is not acceptable. 

In the worst case, which I really hope not, report lost passport. Do this asap, as its been 3 months.

Wish that everything sorts out for you. Cheers.


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## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

biggy85 said:


> This sounds bad. Why don't you head to the post office that is handling this delivery? Invalid tracking ID is not acceptable.
> 
> In the worst case, which I really hope not, report lost passport. Do this asap, as its been 3 months.
> 
> Wish that everything sorts out for you. Cheers.


I enquired with Post Office, they say the ID is invalid and they have no information of any such parcel. Kindly ask the sender to get in touch with us.

Is there a place I can complain against the unprofessional handeling of VFS Global customer care, in Australia. Are they not accountable to anyone that makes them look into complaints and resolve them asap. 

The worst part is even if I report lost passport, I have to go back to them only for re issue of new passport!


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## biggy85 (Feb 8, 2017)

rubens83 said:


> I enquired with Post Office, they say the ID is invalid and they have no information of any such parcel. Kindly ask the sender to get in touch with us.
> 
> Is there a place I can complain against the unprofessional handeling of VFS Global customer care, in Australia. Are they not accountable to anyone that makes them look into complaints and resolve them asap.
> 
> The worst part is even if I report lost passport, I have to go back to them only for re issue of new passport!


I am not sure what can be done here, but have you tried reaching out to the Indian embassy? Did you go to the vfs office in person? I assume you have tried all paths. 

Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


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## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

biggy85 said:


> I am not sure what can be done here, but have you tried reaching out to the Indian embassy? Did you go to the vfs office in person? I assume you have tried all paths.
> 
> Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


I have mailed VFS again sternly this time asking for an exact status on my passport. Will mail embassy tomorrow if I hear nothing from them. I have not gone in person.
Do they (VFS) entertain people in person without appointment for an application ?


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## biggy85 (Feb 8, 2017)

rubens83 said:


> I have mailed VFS again sternly this time asking for an exact status on my passport. Will mail embassy tomorrow if I hear nothing from them. I have not gone in person.
> Do they (VFS) entertain people in person without appointment for an application ?


Yours is a special case man. I say, go to them and ask in person. Get in touch with the embassy as well. Do this ASAP, so you at least know the process to report lost passport. What is your visa situation? 

Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


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## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

This is what the VFS wesite has to say in such situations:

*Loss/Damage/Theft of your Documents or Further Documents*

_To the maximum extent permitted by law, VFS shall not be liable to you or anyone claiming though you for any loss or damage suffered in connection with your Documents and/or Further Documents (including, without limitation, any loss or damage suffered in connection with the loss or theft of, or damage to, your Documents and/or Further Documents, any misplacing of, or delay in returning, your Documents and/or Further Documents or any failure to return your Documents and/or Further Documents). 

Without prejudice to the aforesaid or any other term in these Terms, and without any admission of liability whatsoever, if your passport is lost or damaged while it was in VFS' possession, VFS will reimburse you the standard fee charged by the applicable Government department for a replacement passport upon VFS receiving from you a certified copy of a receipt which evidences payment by you of that standard fee to the applicable Government department._

Really sad that's how they handle such valuable documents


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## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

biggy85 said:


> Yours is a special case man. I say, go to them and ask in person. Get in touch with the embassy as well. Do this ASAP, so you at least know the process to report lost passport. What is your visa situation?
> 
> Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


I am on 457 work visa valid till March 2020. No problem there. Only thing is I cannot fly out of Australia without a passport!

I will contact the embassy after giving VFS another day to reply to my today's mail.


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## biggy85 (Feb 8, 2017)

rubens83 said:


> I am on 457 work visa valid till March 2020. No problem there. Only thing is I cannot fly out of Australia without a passport!
> 
> I will contact the embassy after giving VFS another day to reply to my today's mail.


Ok. You do have time. Don't worry. It will get sorted. Just start the process.

Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


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## rubens83 (Mar 20, 2017)

*Got my Passport!*



biggy85 said:


> Ok. You do have time. Don't worry. It will get sorted. Just start the process.
> 
> Sent from my MI 4W using Tapatalk


Thanks mann for all the help. Funny story but I manged to figure things out myself. Turned, my passport was lying with Australian Post since 20th Jan. The VFS guy had given me wrong tracking ID hence I could never track it. Few days back I was just sitting and brooding over the entire turn of events and planning my next move, when I realised the ID had one extra digit compared to another standard number. I tried simply by removing the last digit and it worked! I got a trace of the package and again luckily the Post still had kept the package even after 3 months. So i got it back!

Although I did put up complaint at the VFS customer feedback section (on their website) and same day got a call from one operations manager. And his involvement was reassuring never the less. 

Thanks for time out. Cheers!


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## biggy85 (Feb 8, 2017)

Great.. all the best. Cheers

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