Need some info on NY CGI for OCI and Renunciation

sanket_82

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

Here my story in short.

I applied for OCI and renunciation on Dec 15, 2013 via Fedex but did not see any status on BLS website till Jan so had to take a day off and go to NY in person on Jan 15 2014 to check on the application. After about 7 hours of wait I got a receipt from them indicating they just received my application 2 hours ago, yes thats correct. Anyways fast forward today the BLS receipt number tracking in working fine but cannot see anything while using other 3 tracking options on BLS website. I receive my US passport with OCI yesterday through mail but no news on renunciation.

Is there a way to find out the status on the renunciation?

How can they issue OCI without renunciation of my Indian passport?

When can I expect to receive my renunciation certificate back along with cancelled Indian passport?

Their previous phones were not working and the new phones are going unanswered? How to contact them?

I tried opening a ticket but they came back with stupid answered that seemd to be copied and pasted from standard text. THe anseer they came back with in Feb was - "Renunciation application normally takes 15 days but a few days here or there is possible, please be patient as your application is still being processed." When I replied to them indicating it is almost 2 months now nobody answered back.

Before I applied in Dec I emailed them to inquire if I would need 2 envelopes or 1 as I was applying together I got answer within 4 hours indicating 2 envelopes and when I sent in a mroe detailed question noone is answering.

Has anybody in this situation before? If yes can you share your experience?

Will I need my cancelled passport and renunciation certificate in future?
 
That's incorrect.

You would pretty much not need the cancelled Indian Passport or Renunciation Cert. anymore.

Only if your OCI is issued before June 1, 2010 do you need one of them for OCI re-issue. This is the not the case for you.
 
Sure, but if you lose your OCI document or passport with the U visa, or, in essence, you need services from the Indian mission, you would need to show proof of having renounced Indian citizenship. It's stapled to your cancelled passport, so ask them where your old passport is. Go in person.
 
I have opened a ticket last week and am checking the status on daily basis but still no work has been done on it.

The new phone number is working it seems as I was able to speak to a human being based here in Chicage (as per the customer service rep),. All they were able to do is check the status online and read it for us. when I explained him about the case he transferred to NY office and was on hold for 2 hours but noone answered. Don't know what to do next.
 
Here is my recent experience with renunciation in NY consulate. I did the renunciation as a first step to applying for an OCI (now I am going for a tourist visa instead of OCI as I don't have enough time before the trip). It took about 3 weeks to process in NY. I sent in the 282.70 (250 penalty + 32.70 in fees) along with the application. One strange thing I noticed is that I got two receipts -- one from the consulate for 175 and another from BLS for 32.70. I became a US citizen in 2007 -- so, I am pretty sure the penalty was supposed to be 250 and not 175. I suspect that our Babus manning the consulate processed this in the wrong category and BLS guys are the beneficiary of the difference in payments ...

Given the level of incompetence with which this operation is being run, you will probably never see your canceled passport or the surrender certificate again. If you are near by, you should think of visiting the BLS office armed with evidence that you sent two envelopes, your processed OCI etc. Going there in person you can force them to do a search. The BLS office is near enough to the consulate so you can go there too if needed. Much easier for them to just ignore you on the phone ...
 
If you naturalised before 2010, why do you owe a penalty?

On the BLS website it says: "If the Indian passport is retained for more than 3 years after acquisition of citizenship of another country, a penalty of $250.00 will be charged except where the Indian passport expired before January 1, 2005." My Indian passport has an expiration date of 2020. Unless this data is outdated, I do owe a 250$ penalty.

You can also see this in the penalty section of the flow chart at this link:

http://www.visa.blsindia-usa.com/pdf/renunciation_flowchart.pdf
 
My Indian passport has an expiration date of 2020. Unless this data is outdated, I do owe a 250$ penalty.

You naturalized in 2007 but your Indian passport expires in 2020? Doesn't that mean you renewed your Indian passport in 2010 after you had already naturalized? You will have bigger penalties if this is the case.
 
You naturalized in 2007 but your Indian passport expires in 2020? Doesn't that mean you renewed your Indian passport in 2010 after you had already naturalized? You will have bigger penalties if this is the case.

My passport was renewed in 2000 for a period of 20 years.
 
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