Refund and Cancellation Policy

Last Updated: November 2025

1. Introduction and Overview

Ekayan Consultancy Private Limited (“Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to providing transparent and fair refund and cancellation policies. This Refund and Cancellation Policy explains our procedures for handling cancellations, refunds, and payment adjustments for consultancy services related to passport applications and travel document assistance. This policy complies with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and other applicable Indian laws.

2. Applicability and Scope

This Refund and Cancellation Policy applies to:

• All consultancy services provided by Ekayan Consultancy Private Limited
• All payments made by clients for our services
• Both online and offline service bookings
• Individual and bulk consultancy packages

This policy does NOT apply to:

• Payments made directly to government authorities (e.g., passport fees paid to Ministry of External Affairs)
• Third-party payments (e.g., courier services, digital signatures, stamps, notarization fees)
• Payments made to external professionals or partners engaged for service delivery

3. Classification of Fees

3.1 Consultancy/Service Fees

Definition: Professional fees charged by Ekayan Consultancy for consultancy services, including guidance on document preparation, application assistance, appointment booking support, form filling assistance, and other consultancy-related services.

Refund Window: 7 days from the date of order/payment placement

Refund Rules:

• Within 4 hours of payment, if no work has commenced: 100% refund
• Between 4 hours and 7 days, if no work has commenced: 75% refund (25% administrative fee deducted)
• After 7 days: No refund – service fees are considered earned
• If work has commenced: Refund eligibility depends on nature of work and client responsibility

3.2 Government Fees

Definition: Fees that we collect on your behalf for remittance to government authorities, including passport application fees, identity verification fees, and other government-mandated charges.

Refund Window: Any time, without time restrictions, provided the fee has NOT been paid to government authorities

Refund Rules:

• Fully refundable at any time before payment to government (minus payment gateway charges)
• Non-refundable after payment to government authorities
• We will provide written confirmation of payment to government upon request
• Excess government fees collected are fully refundable

3.3 Third-Party Payments

Definition: Payments made by us to third parties on your behalf, including courier services, digital signatures, stamps, notarization, and other external service providers.

Status: STRICTLY NON-REFUNDABLE once paid to third parties

Examples: Courier fees, digital signature charges, stamp duty, notarization fees, video conferencing platform charges

3.4 Payment Gateway Charges

Definition: Transaction processing fees charged by payment service providers.

Status: Non-refundable as these are charged by third-party payment processors

Amount: Typically 2-3% of transaction value

4. Cancellation Procedures

4.1 How to Request Cancellation

To request cancellation of any service, you must submit a written cancellation request through one of the following channels:

• Email: [email protected]
  Subject: Cancellation Request – [Your Name] – [Order ID]
• WhatsApp: +91 9408949695
  Message format: “Cancellation Request – Order ID: [Your Order ID] – Reason: [Brief reason]”
• Mailing Address: SF 201, Eva-1 Complex, Pl No. 2136 Atabhai Chowk, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364001, India

Required Information in Cancellation Request:

• Your full name and contact details
• Order ID or Invoice number (if available)
• Service name and package details
• Specific reason for cancellation
• Supporting documentation (if applicable)
• Preferred refund method (bank transfer, credit to original payment method, etc.)

4.2 Cancellation Acknowledgment and Processing Timeline

Step 1: Acknowledgment (Within 1 Business Day)

• We will acknowledge receipt of your cancellation request
• We will provide you with a cancellation reference number
• We will confirm receipt via email or WhatsApp

Step 2: Assessment (Within 3 Business Days)

• We will assess your refund eligibility
• We will determine the applicable refund amount
• We will provide detailed refund calculation breakdown
• We will notify you of the final decision

Step 3: Approval and Processing (Within 7 Business Days)

• Upon approval, we will immediately cease all work
• We will notify engaged professionals to stop work
• We will initiate the refund process
• We will process the refund to your original payment method or bank account

Step 4: Refund Receipt (Within 7-10 Business Days)

• Refund will appear in your account (depending on your bank’s processing time)
• We will send you refund confirmation with full breakdown
• You will receive GST-compliant credit note (if applicable)

5. Refund Eligibility Matrix

6. Conditions for Full and Partial Refunds

6.1 Eligible for Full Refund (100%)

• Payment made in duplicate or error (multiple payments)
• Service not available in your location
• Technical issues preventing service initiation (within 4 hours of payment)
• Server/payment gateway error causing duplicate charge
• Service explicitly canceled by us due to our inability to perform

6.2 Eligible for Partial Refund (75%)

• Cancellation requested between 4 hours and 7 days after payment
• Work has not commenced (no materials/documents prepared, no professional engagement)
• No legal impediments to cancellation
• All required documents were provided on time

6.3 Eligible for Discretionary Refund (25% – Case by Case)

• Work has commenced but is incomplete due to reasons other than client non-responsiveness
• Service failure due to our inability to perform (force majeure excepted)
• Significant deficiency in service quality that warrants partial refund
• Professional determination after internal review

6.4 NOT Eligible for Refund

• Cancellation requested after 7 days from payment (service fees considered earned)
• Client changes mind about service
• Work has been completed
• Client non-responsiveness preventing service completion
• Document non-submission by client despite reminders
• Government rejection of application (not our fault)
• Client delay in providing required information
• Client ineligibility for the service discovered after payment
• Client decision to abandon plans
• Substantial delays caused by client
• Client unavailability or lack of responsiveness

7. Non-Refundable Components

The following items are STRICTLY NON-REFUNDABLE and will be deducted from any refund:

7.1 Third-Party Payments

• Courier services already shipped
• Digital signature certificates
• Stamp duty
• Notarization charges
• Video conferencing platform charges
• Portal access fees
• Any external service already availed

7.2 Payment Processing Charges

• Payment gateway charges (2-3% of transaction)
• Bank transfer fees
• Transaction processing fees
• Currency conversion fees (if applicable)

7.3 Government Fees (If Already Paid)

• Passport application fees paid to Ministry of External Affairs
• Government filing fees
• Official processing charges
• Identity verification fees
• Any fees remitted to government departments

8. GST Compliance and Tax Considerations

8.1 GST on Refunds

• Original tax invoice will be reversed to the extent of refund
• Credit note will be issued showing original invoice details
• Credit note will include reason for refund
• GST reversal will be claimed in our returns
• Net refundable amount will be transferred to you

8.2 GST Reversal Example

When a refund is approved:

• We will reverse the original GST collected
• If you paid ₹100 (including 18% GST = ₹18 GST), and receive 75% refund:
• Refund amount: ₹75 (including GST reversal)
• GST reversed: 75 × 18/118 = ₹11.44
• Net amount transferred: ₹75

8.3 No GST on Government Fees

Government fees are collected and passed through to government without GST markup. Refunds of government fees will not include GST calculations as no GST is charged on government fee collections.

9. Dispute Resolution and Appeals

9.1 Appeal Process

Step 1: Initial Appeal (Within 3 Business Days)

• Submit appeal in writing to [email protected]
• Subject: “Refund Appeal – [Your Name] – [Order ID]”
• Provide detailed reason for disagreement with decision
• Attach supporting documents

Step 2: Review (Within 5 Business Days)

• Your appeal will be reviewed by our management team
• A different team member will review (not original decision maker)
• Decision will be made independently
• You will receive written response with final decision

Step 3: Escalation (If Still Unresolved)

• Formal escalation to company director
• Comprehensive review of entire case
• Final binding decision will be communicated

Timeline: Total 15-20 working days for complete appeal process

9.2 Legal Disputes – Consumer Court

Forum: Consumer Protection Commission under Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Jurisdiction:

• District Consumer Commission: For claims up to ₹1 crore
• State Consumer Commission: For claims ₹1 crore – ₹10 crore
• National Consumer Commission: For claims above ₹10 crore

Filing: Complaints can be filed online through E-Daakhil portal: https://edaakhil.nic.in

Timeline: Consumer courts are required to resolve cases within 90 days

Legal Rights You Can Claim:

• Refund of amount paid
• Interest on refund amount from due date
• Compensation for mental agony and harassment
• Litigation costs incurred
• Any other relief as deemed appropriate by the commission

10. Special Circumstances and Exceptions

10.1 Medical or Emergency Situations

If cancellation is requested due to genuine medical emergency or family emergency:

• We may grant discretionary refund even after 7 days
• Proof of emergency (medical certificate, death certificate, etc.) must be provided
• Case will be reviewed individually by management
• Refund decision will be communicated within 5 business days

10.2 Government Policy Changes

If government changes policy or fee structure after your payment:

• Government fee adjustments will be processed immediately
• If fee increases, you will be notified and additional payment requested
• If fee decreases, refund of excess will be processed
• No consultancy fee will be charged for this adjustment

10.3 Service Unavailability

If service becomes unavailable in your region or category:

• Full refund of consultancy fees will be granted
• All government fees will be refunded if not paid
• Notification will be sent within 3 business days
• Refund will be processed within 7 working days

10.4 Client Eligibility Issues

If you are found to be ineligible for the service:

• We will notify you immediately upon discovery
• If discovered before work commences: Full refund of all fees
• If discovered after work commences: Partial refund after deducting work done
• All government fees will be refunded if not submitted
• No responsibility for government rejection

11. Client Responsibilities

To maintain refund eligibility, clients must:

11.1 Document Provision

• Provide complete and accurate documentation promptly
• Submit all required information as requested
• Provide government identification details correctly
• Ensure all documents are genuine and valid

11.2 Communication and Responsiveness

• Respond to information requests within 48 hours
• Review and approve drafts promptly (within 3-5 business days)
• Maintain active communication via email or WhatsApp
• Inform us of any changes to contact information

Consequence: Failure to maintain these responsibilities may void professional fee refund eligibility but does NOT affect government fee refund rights.

12. Contact Information

For Refund and Cancellation Inquiries

Social Media

• Facebook: Ekayan on Facebook
• X (Twitter): @Ekayan_Official
• LinkedIn: Ekayan Consultancy
• Instagram: @ekayan_consultancy
• YouTube: Ekayan Consultancy Channel

13. Acknowledgment and Consent

By using our services and making payment, you acknowledge:

• You have read and understood this Refund and Cancellation Policy
• You agree to be bound by the terms of this policy
• You understand the refund eligibility criteria and timelines
• You accept the non-refundable components
• You will follow required procedures for requesting refunds
• You understand government fee handling and non-refundability after payment
• You consent to GST compliance on refunds
• You understand your rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Continued use of our services implies your acceptance of these terms.

© 2025 Ekayan Consultancy Private Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Registered in Gujarat, India under the Companies Act, 2013
Governed by Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and other applicable Indian laws