OCI - Chicago Tracker

Just wanted to post my info for the benefit of others using the forum

Date of acknowledgement - oct 20
Registration status - granted - oct 20
Photo/Signature - scanned - oct 20
Documents printed on - oct 21
Documents dispatched from Delhi on - Not dispatched
Documents Received at Chicago - Not yet

Thanks for everyone who actively contribute to this forum
 
Documents mailed: 19-May-2007
Registration Status Granted On 11-OCT-2007
Photo/Signature Scanned On 11-OCT-2007
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 14-OCT-2007
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 17-OCT-2007
Documents Received at CHICAGO On 22-OCT-2007
Passports sent to chicago for oci collection: 23-OCT-2007
Passports received at chicago: 26-OCT-2007
 
Update...

Date of acknowledgement - oct 20
Registration status - granted - oct 20
Photo/Signature - scanned - oct 20
Documents printed on - oct 21
Documents dispatched from Delhi on - oct 26
Documents Received at Chicago - Not yet
 
Update

Application sent – 5/15/07
Application received at Consulate – 5/17/07
Date acknowledged – 10/16/07
Registration Granted – 10/16/07
Photo / Signature Scanned – 10/16/07
Documents Printed – 10/20/07
Documents Dispatched from Delhi – 10/24/07
Acknowledgement copy from Consulate received – 10/26/07
Documents Received at Chicago – 10/27/07
OCI documents (US Passport etc.) sent to Consulate – 10/29/07
 
Update - DONE!!

Sent Family Application (via USPS Priority) On 8-JUNE-2007
Date of Acknowledgement 17-OCT-2007
Registration Status Granted On 18-OCT-2007
Photo/Signature Scanned On 18-OCT-2007
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 20-OCT-2007
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 24-OCT-2007
Documents Received at CHICAGO On 27-OCT-2007 :)

OCI STICKERS PICKUP:
- Went to the Chicago consulate @ 3:45 pm. Carried the online status printout, US passport and Indian passport/PIO (since it was not canceled yet) for each of my family member.
- A lady came out @ 4:10 pm from a closed "officials only" door and asked if anyone is there for OCI pickup. We were about a dozen of us to pick up our OCI stickers. The lady took all our documents and went back in through the closed "officials only" door.
- The same lady came back out @ 4:30 pm asking if anyone is there for OCI stickers pickup. There was no one and hence she went back in.
- Finally she came back out @ 5 pm and handed out our US passports and registration booklets (by calling out the names on the passports). Those who had also submitted Indian passports for cancellation, she asked us to wait longer and went back in.
- After 5 minutes, she came back out and handed our canceled Indian passports.

So the whole process took about an hour.
Just an FYI: if you do not have the acknowledgement slip (which I didn't), they need the paper copy showing File #/Online Registration # or else they will not give u the OCI stickers. So either take the hard copy of the online status/application for each of the member that you are picking up the OCI sticker.

Hope this helps. Good luck to everyone! and Thanks again....
 
Status Update:

07/12/2007: Mailed application (family) via USPS Priority to Chicago
07/14/2007: Application received at Chicago Consulate
11/02/2007: Date Of Acknowledgment
11/02/2007: Registration Status Granted
11/02/2007: Photo/Signature Scanned

Documents Printing Status Not printed
Documents Despatched From Delhi On Not dispatched.
Documents Received at CHICAGO Not Yet
 
Got my passports back on saturday by USPS next day mail.

Time line:

Documents mailed: 19-May-2007
Date of Acknowledgement: 08-OCT-2007
Registration Status Granted On 11-OCT-2007
Photo/Signature Scanned On 11-OCT-2007
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 14-OCT-2007
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 17-OCT-2007
Documents Received at CHICAGO On 22-OCT-2007
Passports sent to chicago for oci collection: 23-OCT-2007
Passports received at chicago: 26-OCT-2007
Passports received back: 03-NOV-2007
 
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Visitor visa while oci application is pending

Hi,
I applied for oci card on sept 14th. The way things are moving, I have no hope of getting my oci card in time before my visit to India on Dec 25th. If I apply for visa, do I still have to pay the visa fees since I have already paid for the oci card. I will greatly appreciate if any one who was in a similar situation can share their experience.
Thanks.
Peter Kennedy
 
peterk1961 said:
Hi,
I applied for oci card on sept 14th. The way things are moving, I have no hope of getting my oci card in time before my visit to India on Dec 25th. If I apply for visa, do I still have to pay the visa fees since I have already paid for the oci card. I will greatly appreciate if any one who was in a similar situation can share their experience.
Thanks.
Peter Kennedy
Click to expand...

You will have to pay fees again when you apply for Indian Visa.
 
ra7 said:
Got my passports back on saturday by USPS next day mail.

Time line:

Documents mailed: 19-May-2007
Date of Acknowledgement: 08-OCT-2007
Registration Status Granted On 11-OCT-2007
Photo/Signature Scanned On 11-OCT-2007
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 14-OCT-2007
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 17-OCT-2007
Documents Received at CHICAGO On 22-OCT-2007
Passports sent to chicago for oci collection: 23-OCT-2007
Passports received at chicago: 26-OCT-2007
Passports received back: 03-NOV-2007
Click to expand...


ra7,
Did you mail your foreign national passports to Chicago Consulate via USPS? Did you also include a pre-paid mailer to send your passports + OCI back to you?

I have already paid for the OCI documents to be mailed back to me (when I applied for OCI), but my current plans are to travel to Chicago to get OCI, since I had very bad experience during my Indian visa obtaining process in June/July 2007.

I see that you got your passports back in a very short time. Hence my above queries.

All,
Can others also chime in about the time period between mailing their passports to Chicago and getting it back with OCI stamp, etc.? I will also appreciate if you could mention the date when this happened. This will give me an idea, if Chicago consulate have gotten their act together and improved their service or not.

Thanks.
 
liamtoh1 said:
ra7,
Did you mail your foreign national passports to Chicago Consulate via USPS? Did you also include a pre-paid mailer to send your passports + OCI back to you?

I have already paid for the OCI documents to be mailed back to me (when I applied for OCI), but my current plans are to travel to Chicago to get OCI, since I had very bad experience during my Indian visa obtaining process in June/July 2007.

I see that you got your passports back in a very short time. Hence my above queries.

All,
Can others also chime in about the time period between mailing their passports to Chicago and getting it back with OCI stamp, etc.? I will also appreciate if you could mention the date when this happened. This will give me an idea, if Chicago consulate have gotten their act together and improved their service or not.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


Hi Hotmail,
I sent the passports by usps firstclass mail with tracking number. It was delivered to the consulate on the 3rd business day from detroit. One of my friends sent his passport by priority mail on the same day but his passports reached a day earlier. But we both got our passports back on the same day by USPS next day mail. I included the postage when I mailed the OCI application. So I didn't send any money for the postage now. I think if you mail tha passports to the consulate you should be ok since they are not processing visas any more. They will mail you back in a week. Hope it helps.
 
ra7 said:
Hi Hotmail,
I sent the passports by usps firstclass mail with tracking number. It was delivered to the consulate on the 3rd business day from detroit. One of my friends sent his passport by priority mail on the same day but his passports reached a day earlier. But we both got our passports back on the same day by USPS next day mail. I included the postage when I mailed the OCI application. So I didn't send any money for the postage now. I think if you mail tha passports to the consulate you should be ok since they are not processing visas any more. They will mail you back in a week. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...

RA7,

Thanks for your input.
 
Hi all,
Finally I received an acknowledgement. Hopefully none of your cases slipped through the cracks like mine.
App reached Chicago : 07-APR-2007
Date Of Acknowledgment: 09-NOV-2007
Registration Status : Granted On 09-NOV-2007
Photo/Signature : Scanned On 09-NOV-2007
Documents Printing Status : NOT PRINTED
Documents Despatched From Delhi On : NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at CHICAGO :NOT YET

Hope you all have better luck.
 
Oci pickup at chicago

my friends family 4 oci application has been granted and received at chicago

my questions
1. he hasnt received any acknowledgement from chicago for fickup oci card at chicago does he have to wait for the acknowlegment card.

2. does he have to make an appointment for oci pick up any specific day or time

3. also how to make an appointment for pick up any phone number and when to call

4. for pick up can he go alone with the family members passport or they have to be present for pickup

5.finally his daughter us passport expired 2 months back so she got a new
10 year passport for oci stamping sticket does she has to give old us passport or new us passport
 
Status Update:

07/12/2007: Mailed application (family) via USPS Priority to Chicago
07/14/2007: Application received at Chicago Consulate
11/02/2007: Date Of Acknowledgment
11/02/2007: Registration Status Granted
11/02/2007: Photo/Signature Scanned
11/03/2007: Documents printed
11/06/2007: Documents dispatched from Delhi
11/20/2007: Documents received at CHICAGO

Planning to mail my passports tomorrow with a printout of online status.
 
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Done!!!

Application sent – 5/15/07
Application received at Consulate – 5/17/07
Date acknowledged – 10/16/07
Registration Granted – 10/16/07
Photo / Signature Scanned – 10/16/07
Documents Printed – 10/20/07
Documents Dispatched from Delhi – 10/24/07
Acknowledgement copy from Consulate received – 10/26/07
Documents Received at Chicago – 10/27/07
US Passports sent to Consulate – 10/29/07
Cashiers’ check cashed by Consulate – 10/30/07
US Passports received by Consulate – 10/31/07
US Passports + OCI registration received – 11/20/07

Thanks for all those who responded to my questions during the process. Best wishes to those of you who are waiting.
 
Mailed our passports to Chicago Consulate on 11/20 and some really inept people at the Chicago Consulate refused my package on 11/23 (as seen on the delivery confirmation tracking website).

I had clearly written with Bold typeface "FOR OCI COLLECTION" on the front and back of the envelope, so they do not confuse it with new OCI application.

I guess they are beyond any hope as far their efficiency is concerned. Now, I plan to go down to the office in person to get my OCI.
 
masters said:
my friends family 4 oci application has been granted and received at chicago

my questions
1. he hasnt received any acknowledgement from chicago for fickup oci card at chicago does he have to wait for the acknowlegment card.

2. does he have to make an appointment for oci pick up any specific day or time

3. also how to make an appointment for pick up any phone number and when to call

4. for pick up can he go alone with the family members passport or they have to be present for pickup

5.finally his daughter us passport expired 2 months back so she got a new
10 year passport for oci stamping sticket does she has to give old us passport or new us passport
Click to expand...

I hope it is not too late to reply. For what it is worth, here are my answers.
1. No, there is no need to wait for the acknowledgement letter. He has to take a hard-copy (printout) of the online status for each of the family member.
2. & 3. No, there is no appointment. The OCI card pickup is from M-F 4-5 pm. Better to arrive at the consulate before 4 pm.
4. Yes, he can go alone for the pickup of OCI cards for the whole family. He needs to carry the passport and the online status copy for each of his family member.
5. It is better to carry both old and new passport and explain the situation to the official there. I am sure they will put the OCI stamp on the new passport only.
 
Hi OCI people,
Can u pls tell me as to what size of photos did u use in the application? I am unable to find any studio which will give me 3.5CM * 3.5 CM.

- Sandy boy
 
OCI acknowledgement at Chicago

It seems the OCI process at Chicago is up and running, in earnest, after the two months suspended time. It also seems that Chicago's timeline will become at par with other consulates in USA (that is, total 2 months for the whole process).

I along with my family (total 4 members) submitted our application on 7th December. The application has been acknowledged today (7th January).

App reached Chicago : 07-Dec-2007
Date Of Acknowledgment: 05-Jan-2008
Registration Status : NOT YET
Photo/Signature : NOT YET
Documents Printing Status : NOT PRINTED
Documents Despatched From Delhi On : NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at CHICAGO :NOT YET
Passport Recieved (with OCI registration): NOT YET

I will update the process as and when it happens.

Hope you all have better luck.

SHARK
 
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