OCI:San Francisco: Surrender Certificate and US Passport Questions

Looking at all your posts, I think I suffered less..

- First time they sent my OCI app back as by the time they received my package, SC rule had come into effect
- Then I applied for only SCs which they processed and sent them by mail to me in 10 business days (paid $175 for each, hoping they will return the extra money they took)
- Sent the OCI app again with SCs (received at consulate on 6/4) and I checked the status today and it is showing both acknowledged and granted/scanned.

EaglePutt,
Thanks and Congratulations !
Which consulate your App went to?
 
Eagleputt,

Did you send your original US passports along with your OCI application?
I sdont know if the consulate now allow us to send the US passports later once the OCI application is approved...

-Balaji
 
Yes, I did. Current instructions do have mention the option of not sending the US passports which used to be the case earlier.
 
After reading the OCI stories here... I am thinking of apply and get SC in US, get a transit visa and apply for OCI from India (I will be USC later this month). Is it a good idea to apply OCI from India? Anybody has experience doing this? We are going to India for good.
How long is it taking to get OCI from SFO consulate if I apply in July? Thanks for your advise.
 
Yes, I did. Current instructions do have mention the option of not sending the US passports which used to be the case earlier.

EaglePutt: Could you please state the timelines of your application? E,g, How long it took for them to acknowledge the application?
 
Eagleput - when you sent ur OCI app - did you include the original SC or a copy of it?
My OCI app was sent back around May 20. Applied for SC with $175 each. Sent back last week saying "fee has been reduced....". So sent back SC again this week with $20 fee. Lets see when I get that back so can apply for OCI.

Looking at all your posts, I think I suffered less..

- First time they sent my OCI app back as by the time they received my package, SC rule had come into effect
- Then I applied for only SCs which they processed and sent them by mail to me in 10 business days (paid $175 for each, hoping they will return the extra money they took)
- Sent the OCI app again with SCs (received at consulate on 6/4) and I checked the status today and it is showing both acknowledged and granted/scanned.
 
After reading the OCI stories here... I am thinking of apply and get SC in US, get a transit visa and apply for OCI from India (I will be USC later this month). Is it a good idea to apply OCI from India? Anybody has experience doing this? We are going to India for good.
How long is it taking to get OCI from SFO consulate if I apply in July? Thanks for your advise.

I did OCI from India. I used an entry visa to enter. OCI took over 3 months, with a visit to MHA to dig up the file from the piles of files they have, and then a visit to get the passport stamped.
 
EaglePutt: Could you please state the timelines of your application? E,g, How long it took for them to acknowledge the application?

Mine, luckily I guess, was acknowledged in 4 days and went to granted/scanned/printed state in the next 2-3 days. The current status says it is waiting to be dispatched from Delhi.
 
Eagleput - when you sent ur OCI app - did you include the original SC or a copy of it?
My OCI app was sent back around May 20. Applied for SC with $175 each. Sent back last week saying "fee has been reduced....". So sent back SC again this week with $20 fee. Lets see when I get that back so can apply for OCI.

I sent it on 6/3. I only attached a copy of the SC.
 
For SC application can i send one check for fees for the whole family? For mailing how do stuff in the prepaid express mail envelope (do you guys fold teh flat rate envelope....)? If I choose to send the mailing fee check also can I send combined cashiers check for application fee and mailing fee??

My husband had two Indian passport. The expired one (1999 end date) is missing. What should we do?
 
hi desibartender
i think you can guide me on this.
on the renunciation form, there is checklist. am i supposed to include only those documents or any other additional documents as well..? like copy of green card etc. problem is i donnt have those right now and USCIS will take almost two three month to supply that. will they ask me how i got citizenship here..? a frined of mine got US citizenship through asylum so he is scared, if consulate is gonna give him hard time for issuing SC..?
thanx in advance for your answer.


thanx for your answer.
Folks, I went to San francisco consulate
and got surrender certificates for myself and wife in
a day. Had to shell out $35 extra per application. So it was
$120 total for both of us.

The OCI and Surrender certificate cells are different.
So not sure if the OCI folks will do surrender certificate
and oci both.

It's really a mad house at the consulate. So I would not
risk sending both.
 
send one check combined everything.
fold the express envelop and put it inside the packet you are sending.
i think they are requesting the latest pp not the earlier ones.

For SC application can i send one check for fees for the whole family? For mailing how do stuff in the prepaid express mail envelope (do you guys fold teh flat rate envelope....)? If I choose to send the mailing fee check also can I send combined cashiers check for application fee and mailing fee??

My husband had two Indian passport. The expired one (1999 end date) is missing. What should we do?
 
I believe they need only the ones mentioned in the form checklist.
GC copy is mentioned for obtaining OCI - not for SC.

hi desibartender
i think you can guide me on this.
on the renunciation form, there is checklist. am i supposed to include only those documents or any other additional documents as well..? like copy of green card etc. problem is i donnt have those right now and USCIS will take almost two three month to supply that. will they ask me how i got citizenship here..? a frined of mine got US citizenship through asylum so he is scared, if consulate is gonna give him hard time for issuing SC..?
thanx in advance for your answer.


thanx for your answer.
 
Is the US passport copy a must for the Surrender certificate application or can we apply with the Naturalization certificate alone.?
 
Anyone with an answer?

Can we apply for the Surrender certificate with a copy of the Naturalization certificate. Or do we need to wait till we get a US passport and send in copies of the US passport as well?
 
Can we apply for the Surrender certificate with a copy of the Naturalization certificate. Or do we need to wait till we get a US passport and send in copies of the US passport as well?

Technically, you are suppose to surrender the passport within 90 days of Naturalization. Since Getting US passport is optional, one should be able to get Surrender certificate without US passport. However check list mentions photocopy of US passport. This is what happens when people with empty Top floor occupies government offices. The best bet is to get the answer from Consulate itself. They do reply some times.
 
Thanks for the response kimo,

I already emailed SF consulate a week ago. No response yet.... they are either busy watching world cup or feasting on the $155 refund money that is due to many applicants. Bunch of jokers asking for applications in duplicate/triplicate... and loads of documents with every application. I guess its better to apply with the US Passport copy in addition to the Surrender Certificate.
Do we need to send the Original Surrender cert?
 
I read someone on this forum applied for the SC and OCI together and it worked out. I'm in NY, and here the website says you can apply for both together, but I don't see that on the SF website (for my mom). Such a mess, and the applications are different too. What exactly does the SC look like? Someone said it's just a copy of the passport data page and some sort of annotation. Is this true?
 
I read someone on this forum applied for the SC and OCI together and it worked out. I'm in NY, and here the website says you can apply for both together, but I don't see that on the SF website (for my mom). Such a mess, and the applications are different too. What exactly does the SC look like? Someone said it's just a copy of the passport data page and some sort of annotation. Is this true?

I asked this question to oci@cgisf.org & got following reply.
Here it is...
-------------------------------
Dear Sir/Madam,

No, Sir. Apply for a Surrender certificate first. After you get that, mail us a copy of it, and your cancelled Indian ppt


Thanks,

Sincerely,

OCI TEAM
CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA
540 ARGUELLO BLVD
SAN FRANCISCO CA-94118
________________________________________
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:48 AM
To: oci@cgisf.org
Subject: I know you guys are busy !

Hello,

I sure can understand the amount of workload you guys must be facing due to changes in recent rules.
It must be very frustrating for you and all of us.

I visited many forums and one query remain open & is in much discussion.
If U could address one question, probably on your Website, it will result in less volume of emails to you.

That Questions is…

1. Can OCI/PIO applications be sent along with Surrender Certificate application? If so what additional documents are required such as SC application, additional passport copies etc. Or just Fees for SC will do.

Whatever your procedure is, please put it on your Website as official guideline.

Thanks & all the best.

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