For People who plans before getting the Visa/OCI/PIO ...

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sam012007

Registered Users (C)
Indian Embassy clearly writes up on the websites, unless until you receive your VISA/PIO/OCI, do not plan your travel or buy tickets. You people still do it? Now who's fault it is?

Not sure why I am writing this but I am just fed-up of reading people planned or bought tickets before getting permission to enter in the country.

Did you plan or bought tickets to come to USA before you got your VISA stamped on your passport?

Think about it, and flame me if I said anything wrong.

Emergencies you don't have any control but otherwise you can control what you expect and plan.
 
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Why do people do it?
#1. Expectation is already there they can do it ... based on "someone"'s experience.
#2. In many cases, they are trying to figure out options. As you know India runs on Jugaad, and they believe even this can be managed.
#3. Of course plans can be changed. But if people say that on the website, will you provide advice?
 
sanjoseaug20 said:
Why do people do it?
#1. Expectation is already there they can do it ... based on "someone"'s experience.
#2. In many cases, they are trying to figure out options. As you know India runs on Jugaad, and they believe even this can be managed.
#3. Of course plans can be changed. But if people say that on the website, will you provide advice?
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Expectations are there, understandable, but on this board or any other board this is widely known how inconsistent Indian Embassy processes are, so basically people take chances and when chances aren't met with the expectations then they get mad and curse embassy folks.

Now I understand the embassy process needs to improve to help people, as I myself curse them for lot of reasons. But in this thread we are just focusing on, why people plan if they don't have permission to get into the country.

Advise, just do not plan/buy tickets until you have permission to enter in the country IN HAND.

This is exactly what I did for my family earlier this year, I got Visa for my wife and applied for my OCI (which got delayed due to SC fiasco, but I had no plans to travel). Until I got the VISA in hand for my wife I did not buy the tickets and I did not confirm anybody in India that my family will be traveling to India for vacations. But as soon as we got her visa, I booked the tickets and she left for vacation with kids (kids already have PIO). Pretty simple isn't it? I know tickets were a bit expensive at that point, but atleast I didn't have to worry about postponing/cancelling the trip/tickets.

Now after they got back in the country, I applied for their OCI and have no plans or pressure to travel at all.
 
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I think you are confusing immigration with natural born citizenship (in this case Indian citizenship). one wouldn't check with embassy/consulate if they are traveling with that country's passport. if visiting country needs a visa, yes; one needs to plan.
For naturalized Indians, it's not their choice that they renounce Indian citizenship, but; it's GOI law that requires it. And an individual holding Indian passport should not be required to go through so many hassles just as soon they acquire foreign citizenship. These same individuals have invested in India (regardless of motivation; we all have choices, and some made decision to invest in India), when US government has separate investment quota for green cards, wouldn't it make sense for Indian origin US citizens to have expectations from India that they will be treated fairly?
The process can be made really simple; Have all former Indian citizens surrender passports as soon as they become foreign citizens, let consulate issue OCI booklets (consulate can issue passport locally, not OCI cards) and put U-visa stamp in OCI booklet. OCI booklet may look similar to Indian passport, but instead of "Passport" it can be OCI (on front cover and inside). Charge $500 ($275+$175+mailing fee) for routine issue of booklet, and $600 for expedited OCI booklet. in fact if OCI booklet is issued just as passport, no need for U-visa stamp in US passport. Probably we are not encouraging GOI to think in simple terms.
 
olddude, I agree to what you are saying for the process needs to be streamlined but this thread is focused on people who plan before getting permission to enter the country ... and than curse Embassy folks if they don't get Visa/OCI/PIO in time ...

Process should be improved and it should help people not torture people, which is what is happening right now.
 
Damn the GoI..

They are making it so difficult for former citizens for OCI approval, since the David Headley issue happened with a passport misuse.
 
David Headley was a born Pakistani. OCI are former Indian citizens. So I do not see a link between those two. It is far faster for a Pakistani-American to get a Indian Visa then former Indian national to get Indian Visa.

I cannot imagine the delays in Houston Consulate.

3 Months to get SC and 8 months to get OCI.
 
GreenGuy said:
Damn the GoI..

They are making it so difficult for former citizens for OCI approval, since the David Headley issue happened with a passport misuse.
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But the Bangladeshi who enter India illegally and are staying in India are getting Ration Card by paying 1000 rupees bribe then get PAN card by paying about 200 rupees and then get the Indian passports.
This SC (surrender certificate) is big joke they started just to collect money. One can change his/her date of birth and place of birth by affidavit and can apply Passport in India with different date of birth or place of birth. Or get any agent he can get you passport and can create the documents needed for Indian passport . Those who follow the law are being penalized.
 
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ginnu said:
But the Bangladeshi who enter India illegally and are staying in India are getting Ration Card by paying 1000 rupees bribe then get PAN card by paying about 200 rupees and then get the Indian passports.
This SC (surrender certificate) is big joke they started just to collect money. One can change his/her date of birth and place of birth by affidavit and can apply Passport in India with different date of birth or place of birth. Or get any agent he can get you passport and can create the documents needed for Indian passport . Those who follow the law are being penalized.
Click to expand...

So true my friend I am with you on this one. Money speaks...
 
But is it wrong to expect service? I paid $175 for my wife and there is a current 3 month back log for getting SC from Houston and 8 months for OCI. Money speaks to some extent...
 
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