Got SC from CGI Houston in 2 weeks - But there is a problem

[rpranesh]

The following incident is even more stranger. My collegue got US passport in 2001-2002. He has a Indian PP valid until 2008. He applied and got an India Tourist visa on his US passport in 2002. He has never traveled on his Indian PP after getting US citizenship.

Now fast forward to 2010, applies for SC with $20 fees on end of August. Consulate opened the app on Oct 12th or so. In December he gets a call from the consulate asking him to pay $250 penalty for not cancelling his Indian PP. It seems that there was a rule change on Oct 1st that you have to pay the fine, if you have received US citizenship before 2005 but did not get his Indian PP canceled.

Even though he applied before Oct 1st, the consulate did not open the app received on August and he had to pay.

 

[sam012007]

The following incident is even more stranger. My collegue got US passport in 2001-2002. He has a Indian PP valid until 2008. He applied and got an India Tourist visa on his US passport in 2002. He has never traveled on his Indian PP after getting US citizenship.

Now fast forward to 2010, applies for SC with $20 fees on end of August. Consulate opened the app on Oct 12th or so. In December he gets a call from the consulate asking him to pay $250 penalty for not cancelling his Indian PP. It seems that there was a rule change on Oct 1st that you have to pay the fine, if you have received US citizenship before 2005 but did not get his Indian PP canceled.

Even though he applied before Oct 1st, the consulate did not open the app received on August and he had to pay.

Too bad, did you read my story on this board? I guess not:

They processed my Indian Passport cancellation on June 4th, the day fees for this service was $20 for me cos I got my Citizenship in April 2009. But did they return the balance of $155 back to me ... oh no sir ... thanks but you sent $175 so we decided to charge you $175 for the service that should've cost you only $20.

Incompetent people, Indian Govt sux thats it.

Oh did I mention that 1st time when I sent my OCI application in April, there was no such FEE, but they did force this fee in May and sent back my application asking for the extra fee after keeping it in their possession for 3 weeks without doing nothing on it.

 

[afaafa]

Too bad, did you read my story on this board? I guess not:

They processed my Indian Passport cancellation on June 4th, the day fees for this service was $20 for me cos I got my Citizenship in April 2009. But did they return the balance of $155 back to me ... oh no sir ... thanks but you sent $175 so we decided to charge you $175 for the service that should've cost you only $20.

Incompetent people, Indian Govt sux thats it.

Oh did I mention that 1st time when I sent my OCI application in April, there was no such FEE, but they did force this fee in May and sent back my application asking for the extra fee after keeping it in their possession for 3 weeks without doing nothing on it.

Sam, sorry to hear about your troubles. I think all of us are victims of their shitty service in one way or another, except a lucky few. I don't understand the logic behind the cut-off date of May 31, 2010 to charge $20 vs $175 for SC. If they charge $175 for people who keep their Indian passports for more than a certain number of days after acquiring foreign citizenship, then that makes sense. But using a cut-off date doesn't make any sense. I became eligible to file N-400 in Feb 2009 but was in a dilemma whether to get US citizenship or not and did not file until Sep 2010. As a result, it is costing me more money now and I have to go through all these troubles.

 

[JPBoston]

While I understand yours, JPBostons, and other comments on this topic ... did you expect any differently? In this world, there are clients and there are consumers. Irrespective of whether it is government or business, consumers get treated in a particular way. If shit happens, fixing it is hard. And on top of that, you are dealing with Indian government. I am surprised you did not just say "ok ma'am" and move on.

I think it made perfect sense for afaafa to question why he needed to be paying more money to correct a problem that they caused and for which, he had already paid good money to have done. Accepting this meekly just because it is the Indian govt, is not right nor is it good practice. You have the right to question them and should. It doesn't cost you anything to do so.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

I think it made perfect sense for afaafa to question why he needed to be paying more money to correct a problem that they caused and for which, he had already paid good money to have done. Accepting this meekly just because it is the Indian govt, is not right nor is it good practice. You have the right to question them and should. It doesn't cost you anything to do so.

Of course you have the right. Of course you have the right to vent. However, no one took away your right (or is it duty) to be practical.

It is my observation that arguing with a government official usually does not help, and at worst it can screw up the situation further. Of course in an ideal world each transaction will be fair and there will be justice for all, but we are not there.

 

[okonomi]

if some time lapses in correcting this SC and the OCI is not applied for, Houston too might outsource the OCI process to the Travisa people. Perhaps after that the OCI may take less time. And if someone is looking for another silver lining, here it is: All the consular delays in getting any type of visa T, X, U etc.. to India, it is actually designed to delay your contacts with pollution, traffic, diseases, petty corruption, and miscellaneous other maladies. Happy New Year !!

 

[emno]

if some time lapses in correcting this SC and the OCI is not applied for, Houston too might outsource the OCI process to the Travisa people. Perhaps after that the OCI may take less time. And if someone is looking for another silver lining, here it is: All the consular delays in getting any type of visa T, X, U etc.. to India, it is actually designed to delay your contacts with pollution, traffic, diseases, petty corruption, and miscellaneous other maladies. Happy New Year !!

i like the positive attitute.
thanks

 

[smart84]

Hi sam012007, thanks for your response.

I am surprised that they charge $175 for SC and don't even bother to make sure whether it is signed before sending it back to the applicant.

I can go ahead and apply for OCI because the passport has cancellation stamp. But I am a little worried because I need to attach a copy of SC with OCI application and they may return the OCI application after 2 or 3 months saying that SC is not signed. I don't want to take any risk because the estimated processing time for OCI at CGI Houston is 6 months now (according to their web site). So, I am just trying to see what other members have to say about this situation.

You can't imagine how lazy embassy babus are......... In my case, I went to Washington DC embassy to pick up my SC (OCI was already granted and printed but not received in embassy), so I can apply for entry visa. When I asked babu to get my SC, he actually pulled out my SC application and placed a stamp n canceled passport right in front of me. My application was received their office about 50 days ago, and they got a time to cash my check but not any time to place one stamp. I think they missed to place stamp in your case by mistake.

 

[afaafa]

Update - I have received my wife's SC today, signed and stamped! It took just a week this time! Now it's time to start the snail race for OCI at CGI Houston

By the way, CGI Houston is outsourcing SC and PIO processing to Travisa starting from Feb 1, 2011. I hope they do it for OCI too.

 

[JPBoston]

Congrats afaafa, what a relief to get that headache out of the way, eh? Good luck with the OCI process. It seems strange that Houston is outsourcing the SC and PIO to Travisa but not the OCI. I know the Wash DC Embassy and CGI NY have or are planning to outsource the OCI submission process to Travisa. Maybe Houston has not accurately mentioned this?

 

[emno]

Update - I have received my wife's SC today, signed and stamped! It took just a week this time! Now it's time to start the snail race for OCI at CGI Houston

By the way, CGI Houston is outsourcing SC and PIO processing to Travisa starting from Feb 1, 2011. I hope they do it for OCI too.

congrats.

 

[afaafa]

Congrats afaafa, what a relief to get that headache out of the way, eh? Good luck with the OCI process. It seems strange that Houston is outsourcing the SC and PIO to Travisa but not the OCI. I know the Wash DC Embassy and CGI NY have or are planning to outsource the OCI submission process to Travisa. Maybe Houston has not accurately mentioned this?

Hi JP, thank you! Yes, it's a big relief! I saw this info on CGI Houston web site yesterday and it mentions outsourcing only SC and PIO to Travisa. May be they will start outsourcing OCI later.

 

[afaafa]

congrats.

Hi emno, thank you!

 

[N400pg]

afaafa , one question did you get a "Consulate General of India Houston" with Ashoka Chakra stam in the SC ?

I have send the SC+ PIO on 12/10 and yesterday I have received both in a single packet .. but SC just have a signature from vice consul and a stamp for this name and designation , no "Consulate General of India Houston" with Ashoka Chakra stam .
Other than that Houston is becomming normal for processing time.

 

[afaafa]

afaafa , one question did you get a "Consulate General of India Houston" with Ashoka Chakra stam in the SC ?

I have send the SC+ PIO on 12/10 and yesterday I have received both in a single packet .. but SC just have a signature from vice consul and a stamp for this name and designation , no "Consulate General of India Houston" with Ashoka Chakra stam .
Other than that Houston is becomming normal for processing time.

N400pg, our SCs have the signature and stamp of vice consul. There is no Ashoka Chakra stamp.

 

[N400pg]

thanks for the reply ..

I guess they can take take 175 USD but can't put a official seal of "Cosulate General of India" or Govt of India seal ..

 

[viksvivek]

Wife's OCI application rejected

Hi emno, the SC is not on CGI Houston letterhead. It is nothing but one of the two copies of SC application we send them, which is signed, stamped and sent back to us (with some file number and date on it). For this "service", they charge us $175, which is nothing short of robbery in my opinion.

Yes, I agree with you; peace of mind is more important. I want to be safe than sorry.

My wife's OCI application was rejected today by CGI New York. We had a signed surrender certificate of Indian passport issued by the Consulate but the Consulate had not cancelled her passport. We applied for her OCI and after two and half months the application was sent back today saying that her Indian passport is not cancelled. I will go ahead and mail the Indian Consulate her passport once again to get this cancelled and include a $20 charge for a return. This is like paying something for these idiots fault.
Vivek

 

[afaafa]

thanks for the reply ..

I guess they can take take 175 USD but can't put a official seal of "Cosulate General of India" or Govt of India seal ..

You're welcome! Forget about the official seal, these idiots sent back my wife's SC without the signature or stamp of vice consul I had to send it back with another $20 (for return mail charges) to get it signed and stamped. I had to pay for their mistake but I am happy that I got my wife's signed and stamped SC back in one week.

 

[afaafa]

My wife's OCI application was rejected today by CGI New York. We had a signed surrender certificate of Indian passport issued by the Consulate but the Consulate had not cancelled her passport. We applied for her OCI and after two and half months the application was sent back today saying that her Indian passport is not cancelled. I will go ahead and mail the Indian Consulate her passport once again to get this cancelled and include a $20 charge for a return. This is like paying something for these idiots fault.
Vivek

viksvivek, I am sorry to hear that. Didn't they cancel your wife's passport by putting a stamp which says something like "cancelled as holder has acquired US citizenship" when you sent her passport with SC application? I don't know where these clowns have their heads, probably inside their bottoms!

 

[webxplore]

Update - I have received my wife's SC today, signed and stamped! It took just a week this time! Now it's time to start the snail race for OCI at CGI Houston

By the way, CGI Houston is outsourcing SC and PIO processing to Travisa starting from Feb 1, 2011. I hope they do it for OCI too.

Congrats...one less hassle.