Help : Recent Entry Visa Applicants @ CGNY

S

solicit

Registered Users (C)
I need to travel to India immediately after my naturalization. Given that I can get my US passport next day, how long does it take to obtain an SC + entry visa from CGNY.

Anyone out here who recently went through SC + Entry Visa procedures at CGNY thru Travisa? How long does the process take and any means to expedite it if we have a genuine need.

Appreciate any guidance/ experiences from people who have been thru this recently.
 
Bloody Travisa has had my SC application (WITHOUT OCI/VISA APPLICATION) for 3 weeks! They say they have a backlog in opening the envelopes. Really annoying. So, call them and check.
 
Wow, My SC application was delivered to Travisa on Last Monday (4/18/11). Still no update other then that they received my application. This really is bad as I my wife is leaving to india in 3rd week of June and I have to get the VISA also.
I guess you can't plan for everything.
 
I called them today, and they said that the processing times stated are for AFTER the consulate receives the application, and that I could not be given a timeframe. UNBELIEVABLE. I sent them a comment:

Travisa's service so far has been sub-par. First, your online software has a bug in it, and I was being charged a $250 penalty erroneously. Second, your website states processing times of about 15 days from when the application is received. You have had my application for 3 weeks, and I have received neither an email stating the certificate is ready nor any other status update. When I check the status of my application online, it states that it was received, and that a status update can take upto 7 days, which, again, was 2 weeks ago. Your phone system had problems for about 2 weeks, and whenever I get to speak to someone, they are of NO help (except for Sonia). If it takes this long for just a surrender certificate, and you require us to send in our passports for OCI services, imagine how long we have to part with our passports for. This quality of service can be expected from the Indian consulate, but we are paying an additional fee for the process to be outsourced so that it becomes MORE efficient, and o far it seems that Travisa is as inefficient as the consulate. And, Travisa has the gall to raise their service charge! I intend to get in touch with other former Indians to demand that Travisa's services be dropped as you are adding nothing to the process except for an increase in fees and the hassle of having to send in our passports for unspecified period of time. Of course, until then, I am at the mercy of your bad service, and I just hope that my application will be processed by the end of the year.

I intend to email them this too.
 
solicit said:
Does it make any difference if we submit the application in person at Travisa ?
Click to expand...

I don't know about the NY Travisa, but it makes a huge difference at the SF Travisa. Here the wait time to open a packet is alone 3 weeks. I applied in person and the next day my documents were at the embassy.
 
So, you CAN apply in person? Where does it say that? What are the times? I JUST got an email saying they had processed my payment and will soon send the application (for renunciation) to the consulate. Over 3 weeks after they received it!
 
cafeconleche said:
So, you CAN apply in person? Where does it say that? What are the times? I JUST got an email saying they had processed my payment and will soon send the application (for renunciation) to the consulate. Over 3 weeks after they received it!
Click to expand...

In the SF Travisa, you can apply in person. There are no restrictions. When you called the NY Travisa, did you speak to only 1 person? Travisa's employees tend to give you their opinion not the facts. I'd call them again just so I can get a different answer from another employee of Travisa. For instance, I applied for my renunciation by mail, but i chose the option to pick it up in person. They won't let me pick it up in person since I applied by mail. They said if I apply by mail, then I must select the prepaid envelop option. After speaking to several people at Travisa about their BUG system on the website, they let me pick it up in person. After 3 days, I applied for OCI in person on APR 14th and this is my time line so far...

SURRENDER CERTIFICATE:
03/29/2011 1:28pm PST Service order form completed online
04/01/2011 9:55am PST Order form and supporting documents received, payment processed
04/04/2011 8:45am PST Documents prepared to go to Embassy.
04/04/2011 9:08am PST Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing Office to Consulate
04/05/2011 9:13am PST Renunciation documents are pending submission to Embassy by Outsourcing Office.
04/05/2011 9:16am PST Documents prepared to go to Embassy.
04/05/2011 9:24am PST Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing Office to Consulate
04/08/2011 11:08am PST Outsourcing office has verified the Renunciation is processed correctly. Ready for pickup between 4:30pm and 6:00pm. If mail back, waiting for FedEx pick up and is likely to be mailed out tomorrow.
04/11/2011 4:34pm PST Renunciation documents picked up in person

OCI
Travisa:
Documents Received/Payment processed - apr 14 (same day when I applied in person at Travisa)
Documents prepared to go to embassy - Apr 16
Documents at the embassy- Apr 17

Acknowledgment- 17-APR-2011
Scanned On 19-APR-2011
Granted On 19-APR-2011
Printed On 25-APR-2011
Dispatched On 29-APR-2011
Received at
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks speakamericano for sharing your experience. Looks like submitting in person is the way to go especially if you have an urgent need to get the SC .
 
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