Surrender Certificate and OCI Trackers

J

JPBoston

Registered Users (C)
I thought it would make sense to get a thread going on tracking timelines for both Surrender Certificate application and OCI application timelines. It makes sense also to include your consulate because things can vary tremendously between the different consulates here.

I applied for SC and OCI simultaneously because the CGI-NY website falsely say that you can but then they will hold up your OCI app because of missing SC in the OCI application package. Bloody idiots. Anyway my details:

Consulate: New York
SC application received at NY: 7/23/2010
OCI application received at NY: 7/23/2010

The saga continues ...
 
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I applied for SC and OCI simultaneously to Chicago. Waiting for my turn to handle probable issues.

Consulate: CHICAGO
SC application received at CHICAGO: 7/29/2010
OCI application received at CHICAGO: 7/29/2010
 
MY application is being processed out of the New York consulate

I applied for OCI on 7/6/2010..was notified on 7/21/2010 that the surrender cert was required.
Applied for that on 7/28/10, just heard via email that application was processed and that it is being mailed out on 8/9/10(today) by Express mail.
I requested them to hand over a copy to OCI cell, if not i'll have to fax a copy over and hope that processing resumes.
Not sure how long more I need to wait.
All the documentation that I found, did NOT clearly state that surrender cert should be sent along with OCI app...anyways my mistake I guess..
Hoping that the delay isnt too bad...
any one have any updates on timelines?


OCI Application date: 7/6/10
Request for surrender cert: 7/21/10
Application for surrender cert mailed: 7/28/10
Approval of surrender cert: 8/3/10
OCI Acknowledgement: ???
OCI Approved: ???
OCI Documents To be sent to Embassy:???
OCI Stamped: ???
 
I have sent the application for surrender certificate on 7/13/2010 to the Chicago consulate. No response or updates yet... starting to get worried they may have misplaced it. Signing a piece of paper and returning it shouldn't take that long. I am thinking it would have been worth the effort to drive there and get it the same day. Anyone else in Chicago jurisdiction who has received it by mail?
 
Ricky, I have applied for SC and OCI together in May. Received cancelled Indian passport and SC in about two weeks by mail. OCI in about 2 months. I did follow up after my OCI application was acknowledged (a month after applying) regularly by phone (like every 3 days). I have collected OCI in person at Chicago consulate and I have seen couple of either misplaced applications, application number mix ups, etc. overall not a pleasant experience but patience seemed virtue and a necessary quality when dealing in person (more than over phone). Advantage of going in person may be that they can get your application, eventually while you are there.
Trivia if it helps: per OCI cell, Indian government publishes rules and each consulate can update (read implement) this same rule as consulate seems to understand.
 
Just wanted to update that we received the surrender certificates and Indian PPs in mail on 8/14, a month after sending it on 7/14 to the Chicago consulate. I see that they had it stamped on 7/23, but didnt send it until now. I did send them an email a few days ago; maybe that triggered the response or just a coincidence. Well.. time to move on to the another painful journey, OCI.
 
Update on my adventures at CGI-NY is that I am back to square one with one month lost when they sent both SC and OCI applications back to me. Read about that here.

I will resume by sending in my SC application again in on Monday. Did you Chicago folk apply for SC with a complete duplicate set? The NY instructions do not clearly ask for everything (supporting docs) to be submitted in duplicate except for the actual completed application.
 
My resubmitted SC application reached CGI-NY today:

Consulate: New York
SC application received at NY: 8/25/2010
 
Hi JP,
I have been reading your ordeals with these folks in NY and hope some soul with a little bit of logical reasoning opens your application this time. I have been at the receiving end of "Instructions in the site not interpreted the same by the consulate folks" and it is frustrating.

Hang in there and best wishes,
V!
 
Thanks V. These people would make their lives so much easier if they had clear, consistent instructions on the whole application process. The adventure continues ...
 
Finally received my SC and cancelled Indian passport today. :) Half the headache over. Timeline:

8/25: My SC application was received at the CGINY.
8/27: Application payment receipt created for $185 ($175 + $10).
8/31: SC is signed by S.S. Dhariwal and date stamped.
9/3: Priority Mail mailing label created and probably the mailing package readied.
9/10: Priority Mail package received at home.
 
Hi JP,
That is fantastic news......
Now that you have the SC ticket, time to step into the OCI bus/train/flight now.. :) :) :)

Good luck with the remaining steps....
 
Thanks gc4us. I finally received the cancelled passport and SC exactly on my 3 month anniversary of my naturalization date. Next stop, OCI. You feel like you have climbed a huge mountain only to find another mountain waiting for you. :)
 
You are absolutely correct JP. Looks like the consulates are making applicants go through so many crests and troughs that by the end of it, folks would have attained a state of mind that can face anything that gets thrown at them......

Sages, Monks probably took eons to reach this phase of Nirvana/Moksha :):):)
 
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Quick Question

I have become US citizen in Jan 2010, so its been 9 months and i have not cancelled my indian passport. Now i need to get SC and passport cancelled. Do you guys know what would be the fee?. Is it just $175? or do i have to pay any penalty?. if yes, how much?
I am sorry it is very confusing to read the instructions and various scenarios in the NY Indian consulate website. Thanks!!!
 
Sent my and wifes old passports for cancellation to NYC
received at consulate Aug28. Its been 3 weeks. No response to email, phones have engaged tone.
How long should i wait until i assume the passports are lost (since nobody at our consulate is going to confirm), file a police report and reapply for surrender certificate?

A friend of mine got his back in less than 10 days. How much time does it generally take.

Thanks
 
will_be_there said:
Quick Question

I have become US citizen in Jan 2010, so its been 9 months and i have not cancelled my indian passport. Now i need to get SC and passport cancelled. Do you guys know what would be the fee?. Is it just $175? or do i have to pay any penalty?. if yes, how much?
I am sorry it is very confusing to read the instructions and various scenarios in the NY Indian consulate website. Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
It is only $ 20 as you got naturalized in Jan2010.. No where penalty is specified. Do not delay do it today. If penalty is there the consulate will inform you.
 
Applied SC/OCI together @ CGINY for family including (India born) minor kid.
Child only has US passport & no naturalization certificate - (I've not applied for N-600 for child yet)
For OCI processing CGINY wants the child's nat cert. I wrote them a letter mentioning that for
minor children nat. cert. is optional & we don't have one. Yet to hear back from
CGINY on this. No update on other family members applications too.

If they insist on nat. cert for the kid, I may have wait for another one year to
apply for OCI for kid!!!???. (Because currently N-600 processing takes about 10 months)

No update on SC apps too.

Quick question(s):
- Any one have similar (minor child) experience with CGINY?
- Isn't US passport alone sufficient for minors to apply for OCI??

Thanks.

Timeline:
Document mailed 7/19/2010
CGI-NY Received 7/20/2010
voice mail First week of Sept'10
 
Hi my wife and I are applying for SC/OCI. JPBoston I'll take your advice and apply sequentially. The question is do I have to add $20 (mailing fee) as a Money order to one of the applications or a separate $20 money order or the return envelope with $20 stamp. The web site is so poorly written and the people there are the least friendly.....Please let me know

Also for applying for OCI, do you have to submit the original SC or a photocopy of that..THanks...Thought that the ordeal with USCIS was over..now a new one starts..This is their time to make money and harass us.
 
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Hi my wife and I are applying for SC/OCI (New York). JPBoston I'll take your advice and apply sequentially. The question is do I have to add $20 (mailing fee) as a Money order to one of the applications or a separate $20 money order or the return envelope with $20 stamp. The web site is so poorly written and the people there are the least friendly.....Please let me know

Also for applying for OCI, do you have to submit the original SC or a photocopy of that..THanks...Thought that the ordeal with USCIS was over..now a new one starts..This is their time to make money and harass us.
 
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