My experience at the sfo consulate for applying for surrender certificate --

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I am thankful to everyone on this blog who posted their experience under different heading- it helped me a lot.

So here it goes

Common tips;

1. Go early ard 8:30 am -- office opens at 9 am --
2. Take lot of quarters for parking
3. take someone with u -- may need some help (for copying/extending parking etc/holding on to the things not allowed inside)
4. Only take regular handbag with ur paperwork -- No laptops or back packs or big bags allowed - limited locker availability and the lockers are small -- If all the lockers are gone then u have to wait till someone returns and vacates it OR walk back to u r car to put the stuff (cannot leave outside unattended). When I was there, few people had this situation -- all the lockers were gone -- the security person was nice enuff to hold their number in line till they came back after putting stuff back in the car; few were lucky as by t he time their turn came to go in some locker were vacated -- but I would recommend not to count on this but rather only have things that are allowed inside.
5. Take a number -- The machine is to u r left as u enter the room.
6. On 5/28/10 -- the copier machine in consulate not working -- u will have to go to Office Max across the
street (if fixed -- u need 1 dollar bills to pay -- 1 $ per copy)
7. Take all the documents and passports u have (driver license, birth certi, marriage certi, all the previous
expired/cancelled indian/us passports, any document/copy with ur indian passport number/details written on
it). I even took the copy of our confirmed tickets and evidence of purchase (incase if I had to show them -- but it was not needed)
8. The people at the consulate are nice and will try to help u within the relms of law/limitations. You may have to keep on asking what else do they need if u dont have required papers. Shouting or arguing with them will not take u anywhere. Just ask politely " Can u please tell me what else u need". As to what is acceptable to them is to some extent at the discretion of the official (there is some one overseeing the people at the counter and helping/intervening when needed -- i dont know the title -- may be deputy counsel or vice counsel -- On that we had a gentleman -- he was patient and listened to us and inquired about addtional documents). I think if u dont have any documents -- they may still issue the certificates with max penalty -- 2050 $ !!!!!!!!!!. If u dont want to go thru the hassel and have enuf money - ask them. Alternatively u can ask if u can get a one time entry visa without the surrender certificate (like 1-2 months covering ur travel). If u r leaving within few days or wks, they may consider it but its entirely upto their discretion.
9. Turn the cell phone off within the consulate

?? Formal dress (I had a formal dress with tie - no jacket) dont know if it had any effect

My case;
Naturalized citizen since 10 years -- no original Indian passport
- 2 copies of application with photograph
- One set of following docs
1. Copy of US passport - all pages
2. Copy of Naturalization certi
3. Notarized affidavit mentioning the circumstances of the loss of Indian passport -- i will post the draft in the
later
4. Police report stating that u lost ur original indian passport - Go to ur local police station - request for a
police report with explanation of why u need it -- in ours they wrote that me and my spouse (had our names
clearly mentioned) were US citizens and we lost/misplaced our original Indian passports -- they charge 10 cents per original report !!!!!!!!! - we requested and got 2 original copies (one for me and one for my spouse) - if u request them they will get them ready faster.
5. Black and white copy of the front side of the green card
6. First 2-3 pages of my first US passport (the one I got after getting US citizenship) and the copy of the
INDIAN TOURIST VISA STAMP -- my first visit to India on a US passport --they accepted that for me as I
went to India in 2 months after becoming US citizen -- i had to attest on it saying" I have never used original
Indian passport (give number and date of issue) for travel or other services after becoming US citizen.
7.Copy of Indian passport -- Though I did not have original; I some how had a copy with my details including
the birth date, place and date of issue. I made it before migrating to USA so it did not have stamps and other
documents -- they accepted that

Although SFO consulate website says that u have to all the documents certified -- I did not do it -- forgot (but they were nice enough to ignore that). Ofcourse u have to have NOTARIZED affidavit/letter explaining the loss of indian passport

I also went personally to TRAVISA outsourcing office in SFO -- they also take the surrender certificate application together with ur visa application (but dont know if they take it without the visa application) -- they said that they dont require photos on surrender certificate application -- but i would still recommend taking the photos. i would recommend going to SFO consulate rather than TRAVISA if u dont have the required documents like Indian passport orignal or its copy, green card etc as TRAVISA people cannot suggest alternatives.

Fee: 175$ Cashier's check and $ 20 cashier check (separate) for overnite mail -- they provide the fedex -
envelope.

So my application is in - hopefully i will get the certificate in a week or two; They were not accepting any incomplete applications so I am hopeful that they will not ask for any more documents

Experience for my spouse -- little different -- to be contd

 

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Experience at SFO consulate contd

For my spouse
- naturalized citizen since 1994 - no original indian passport/no copy of indian passport or green card
Besides the application with photo - 2 copies; following supporting documents

1,2,3,4 -- same as mine

5. Somehow we had a copy of Income tax clearance certificate issued by GOVT of INDIA. that had her name and passport number on
it. She had gotten it at the time of her migration to USA -- they accepted that
6. Her first US passport - the one that had the INDIAN TOURIST VISA stamp showing her FIRST visit to India after becoming US citizen -- copies of first 2-3 pages and INDIAN TOURIST VISA stamp page (if u have dont have it u may request them to take copies of ur current US passport and INDIAN TOURIST VISA STAMP pages)

Same fees for her (175 plus 20).

I hope they dont ask for more documents esp for my wife; they were not accepting any incomplete applications and so as they took the fee etc I am hopeful/praying they dont ask to get more documents for her.

All the best to everyone

NP:

If u r parents have indian passport - get their copies -- all pages too - they make ask for it if u dont have any documents

Although sfo consulate websites says that they need certified copies of everything - we did not and they did
not insist - ofcourse u have to have a NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT explaining the loss of indian passport

This applies to chicago consulate: Someone I know had to travel this week - no indian passport or other documents - went to chicago with police record and Notarized affidavit (explaining loss of passport) -- they got a one time visa (i dont know the duration - but was not a 5-10 yrs one for sure). I dont think they were issued the surrender certificate - but atleast they were able to travel esp. if the reason for travel was not emergency -- worth trying in desparate situation

Hope this helps




1

Common tips;
1. go early ard 8:30 am
2. Take lot of quarters for parking
3. take someone with u -- may need some help (for copying/extending parking etc)
4. No laptops or back packs or big bags allowed - limited locker -- only take regular bag with ur paperwork
5. On 5/28/10 -- the copier machine in consulate not working -- u will have to go to Office Max across the
street (if fixed -- u need 1 dollar bills to pay -- 1 $ per copy)
6. Take all the documents and passports u have (driver license, birth certi, marriage certi, all the previous
expired/cancelled indian/us passports, any document/copy with ur indian passport number/details written on
it)
7. The people there are nice and will try to help u within the limits of law. You may have to keep on asking
what else do they need if u dont have required papers.
8. cell phones not allowed within the consulate

My case;
Naturalized citizen since 10 years -- no original Indian passport
- 2 copies of application with photograph
- One set of following docs
1. Copy of US passport - all pages
2. Copy of Naturalization certi
3. Notarized affidavit mentioning the circumstances of the loss of Indian passport -- i will post the draft in the
later
4. Police report stating that u lost ur original indian passport - Go to ur local police station - request for a
police report with explanation of why u need it -- in ours they wrote that me and my spouse (had our names
clearly mentioned) were US citizens and we lost/misplaced our original Indian passports -- they charge 10 cents per original report !!!!!!!!! - we requested and got 2 original copies (one for me and one for my spouse) - if u request them they will get them ready faster.
5. Black and white copy of the front side of the green card
6. First 2-3 pages of my first US passport (the one I got after getting US citizenship) and the copy of the
INDIAN TOURIST VISA STAMP -- my first visit to India on a US passport --they accepted that for me as I
went to India in 2 months after becoming US citizen -- i had to attest on it saying" I have never used original
Indian passport (give number and date of issue) for travel or other services after becoming US citizen.
7.Copy of Indian passport -- Though I did not have original; I some how had a copy with my details including
the birth date, place and date of issue. I made it before migrating to USA so it did not have stamps and other
documents -- they accepted that

Fee: 175$ Cashier's check and $ 20 cashier check (separate) for overnite mail -- they provide the fedex -
envelope

So my application is in - hopefully i will get the certificate in a week or two

Experience for my spouse -- little different -- to be contd

 

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DRAFT FOR NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT - explaining the loss of original indian passport

I went online and used this format with my own modification. I am not a legal expert but they did accept this version. You can use u r own language or any legal help in this matter if u want. I made separate one for me and my spouse.

Hope this is helpful

All the best




General Affidavit



State of_______ (insert US state name where u live)
County of_________ (insert US county name where u live)

Before the undersigned, an officer duly commissioned by
the laws of _______ (give state name in full eg-- New York), on this ________day of _______[Month],_______[Year],
personally appeared __________( Insert u r name)
who having been first duly sworn depose and say:

I,___________ (insert u r name) reside at_________ ( insert u r complete address)
That, I was born on_________ (birth date) at ___________ (birth place and country)
That, I am a Naturalized US Citizen holding US Passport number_________ (give current US passport number)
That, my INS registration number is________ (give your Alient number from Naturalizatin certi) and the Naturalization Certificate number is __________ (give INS certi #)
That, I do not have my original Indian passport which is lost. (Passport number (______), issued on______(date)
at _________(place), expired on _________(expiration date).
That, I have no recollection of exact time, date, place, duration and circumstances of the loss of my original Indian passport.
That, this affidavit is submitted as a part of process for Renunciation of Indian Citizenship and obtaining
Surrender Certificate.
I declare under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is a true and correct statement.


________________________________________________
[Name and Signature]



Sworn and subscribed before me this [numerical] day of [Month],
[Year] A.D.


Notary Public: ______________________________
[clearly print name after signature]

My Commission expires: [Date]

___________________________________________________________________________

Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. Please, if in doubt, be sure to use the services of a professional lawyer whom you trust.