> A Canadian Citizen currently based in Karnataka
> Applied for PIO card from Canada
> Applied for OCI online on 19-June-2007.
> Sent the documents and the demand draft (in Indian Rupees) by Registered Post to FRRO Chennai on 20-Jun-2007.
> Got acknowledgement by mail, in a week.
> I regularly checked online at the MHA website and got the following information:
QUOTE:
"Application Status
- Date Of Acknowledgment 22-JUN-2007
- Photo/Signature Scanned on 22-JUN-2007
Registration Status
- Granted On 03-AUG-2007
- Documents Printing Status PRINTED
- Documents Printed On 03-AUG-2007
- Documents Despatched From Delhi On 03-AUG-2007
- Documents Received at FRRO CHENNAI NOT YET"
---UNQUOTE---
The whole process was a very smooth one for me as I made sure all the documents and submissions met the specifications.
My advice for those who have applied at one of the FRROs in India and had their OCI granted is,
1) please call up the FRRO, where you have applied, a week after the documents being depatched from New Delhi. (For some reason the Chennai FRRO did not update online the recieving of my OCI from Delhi)
2) when you call, keep in hand the four digit file number on the acknowledgement letter sent to you by that FRRO as reference for them to pull up your file and inform you whether they have recieved your OCI from Delhi. (They can't seem to provide information if you provide the online application / reference numbers)
3) It took the lady in Chennai just 10 minutes to put the OCI sticker on my foreign passport and hand over my OCI card after taking my PIO card for surrender. The office opened at 9:30 AM and I was out by 10:30 AM.
Good luck,
Ahmed,
Bangalore
12th Sep 2007
