OCI - Chicago Tracker

[savvygurl]

kochiking / desi@heart,

I recently applied for my OCI on Feb 8th. However, I made the mistake of forgetting to note down the Online Registration #. So, I'm not sure how to check my application status at this time. I have tried calling the OCI enquiry number many times but to no avail.

I was informed in this forum that an acknowledgement letter will be sent in the regular mail. Have you received any such ack letter? So far, I haven't received anything. Since your dates are close to my date, I was wondering if you could share your online registration number so I can try to backtrack and find my number. If you could share it in private you would be helping me immensely. Right now, that is the only way I can think of for trying to find my status. I'm open to any suggestions you may have.

Thank you.

 

[akgarg]

Last file/acknowledgement# for Chicago (as of right now) is USAC00260708, acknowledged on April 7th. If you want to backtrack from there, go to http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp
and type that # in the top box, and start going backwards (keep the 08 at the end fixed and go 2607, 2606, 2605, etc. for the other 4 digits before 08) and see if your name shows up.

Hope this helps.

 

[yoshodeep]

Last file/acknowledgement# for Chicago (as of right now) is USAC00260708, acknowledged on April 7th. If you want to backtrack from there, go to http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp
and type that # in the top box, and start going backwards (keep the 08 at the end fixed and go 2607, 2606, 2605, etc. for the other 4 digits before 08) and see if your name shows up.

Hope this helps.

Akgarg,

Thanks for the info.

Howver, when I sent my app, the online autogenerated number started with USACI, and your example started with USAC0. Is that how the file #/acknowledge # gets generated from the online registration #.... just change the USACI to USAC0, and everything after that remains the same?

 

[akgarg]

No, the two sets of numbers are generated independently and for a given applicant, one has nothing to do with the other. For example, someone who filled online form in Dec. 2007, may get an Online registration# USACInnnnn07 and when that application gets acknowledged in, say, Feb. 2008, it will get a file/acknowledgment# like USACnnnnnn08. Last two digits in each # indicate the year in which it was assigned (or generated).

Online application/registration# have the following pattern:
3 letters for country, one letter for consulate, I for online#, 5 digit seq. number for online applications being filled in at that consulate, followed by 2 digits for year. For example (spaces added for clarity - they are not part of actual numbers),

USA C I nnnnn YY - for Chicago
USA S I nnnnn YY - for San Francisco
CAN T I nnnnn YY - for Toronto, Canada and so on.

File/Acknowlegdment# are similar, except 'I' gets replaced by a 0 (zero), e.g,

USA C nnnnnn YY

and are assigned in Delhi, but the nnnnnn portion is in sequence for a given consulate. Hence 200th acknowledgment in 2008 for each of Chicago and San Francisco will have the following numbers:

USAC00020008 and USAS00020008

Hope this helps.

 

[yoshodeep]

No, the two sets of numbers are generated independently and for a given applicant, one has nothing to do with the other. For example, someone who filled online form in Dec. 2007, may get an Online registration# USACInnnnn07 and when that application gets acknowledged in, say, Feb. 2008, it will get a file/acknowledgment# like USACnnnnnn08. Last two digits in each # indicate the year in which it was assigned (or generated).

Online application/registration# have the following pattern:
3 letters for country, one letter for consulate, I for online#, 5 digit seq. number for online applications being filled in at that consulate, followed by 2 digits for year. For example,

USA C I nnnnn YY - for Chicago
USA S I nnnnn YY - for San Francisco
CAN T I nnnnn YY - for Toronto, Canada and so on.

File/Acknowlegdment# are similar, except 'I' gets replaced by a 0 (zero), e.g,

USA C nnnnnn YY

and are assigned in Delhi, but the nnnnnn portion is in sequence for a given consulate. Hence 200th acknowledgment in 2008 for each of Chicago and San Francisco will have the following numbers:

USAC00020008 and USAS00020008

Hope this helps.

A-ha. Thanks for providing all the details. There is however no way to see when these applications were sent in though, right?

 

[akgarg]

A-ha. Thanks for providing all the details. There is however no way to see when these applications were sent in though, right?

Right! Other than the applicants themselves keeping track of their priority/express mail packages (i.e., when they sent them and when the consulates received them), the OCI online status page only shows dates beginning from acknowledgment dates.

 

[skd1]

Does Chicago require notary signatures?

Hi,

Does the Chicago consulate require notary signature on the passport copies? It doesn't anything on the website. But I see people posting about getting notary seal on the passport copies.

Thanks,

 

[akgarg]

Hi,

Does the Chicago consulate require notary signature on the passport copies? It doesn't anything on the website. But I see people posting about getting notary seal on the passport copies.

Thanks,

I don't know about Chicago, but SFO accepts everything self-attested. Successful Chicago applicants can clarify further.

 

[kochiking]

Online Application Status -Forgotten Reg 3

kochiking / desi@heart,

I recently applied for my OCI on Feb 8th. However, I made the mistake of forgetting to note down the Online Registration #. So, I'm not sure how to check my application status at this time. I have tried calling the OCI enquiry number many times but to no avail.

I was informed in this forum that an acknowledgement letter will be sent in the regular mail. Have you received any such ack letter? So far, I haven't received anything. Since your dates are close to my date, I was wondering if you could share your online registration number so I can try to backtrack and find my number. If you could share it in private you would be helping me immensely. Right now, that is the only way I can think of for trying to find my status. I'm open to any suggestions you may have.

Thank you.

SavyGurl,
I just recieved my OCI and never recieved anything from the consulate other than the status update through online status enquiry page. It is very hard to get through the phone lines , its worse than any Govt offices in India. they just dont pick up phones!

 

[kochiking]

OCI Recieved

Latest Update
App arrived Chicago : 15th Feb 2008
Date Of Acknowledgment: 13th March 2008
Registration Status : Granted - 19th March 2008
Photo/Signature : Scanned - 19th March 2008
Documents Printing Status : PRINTED: 20th March 2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On : 25 th March 2008
Documents Received at CHICAGO : 3 rd April
Picked up from the Consulate on April 7 th between 11:30 AM and 12:30 AM , Good Luck Every one

 

[sureshRB]

Nope...you do not need notary signature on any documents...just attach only copies.
Mine is in process at Chicago without any problem.

 

[sureshRB]

Did not get Acknowledgment till now

Hi All:

I haven't recieved any acknowledgment from Chicago, but it is in the process. The documents are already mailed from India to Chicago....it is in that advance stage. But, when i enter my USACI number, ofcourse it does show the acknowledgment number. Is that sufficient to take a print out and send it along with the passports. Please advice or let me know if anybody in the same situation and what they plan to do.

Thanks...Suresh

 

[akgarg]

Hi All:

I haven't recieved any acknowledgment from Chicago, but it is in the process. The documents are already mailed from India to Chicago....it is in that advance stage. But, when i enter my USACI number, ofcourse it does show the acknowledgment number. Is that sufficient to take a print out and send it along with the passports. Please advice or let me know if anybody in the same situation and what they plan to do.

Thanks...Suresh

If the online status page says 'Documents received at Chicago' then by all means send them your passports. We applied thru SFO and they actually sent me an email asking me to send the passports - and shortly after I received the email, the online page was updated saying that Docs had been received at SFO.

 

[skd1]

All,

Any recent status changes for anybody in Chicago? I just sent my application a couple of days ago. Curious to see how long it takes to get the acknowledgement for the application.

Thanks,

 

[yoshodeep]

All,

Any recent status changes for anybody in Chicago? I just sent my application a couple of days ago. Curious to see how long it takes to get the acknowledgement for the application.

Thanks,

Mine was received in Chicago on 3/31. No acknowledgement yet.

 

[kond]

Mailed on: 20th Mar 2008
App arrived Chicago : 22nd Mar 2008
Date Of Acknowledgment: 6th May 2008
Registration Status : Granted - 8th May 2008
Photo/Signature : Scanned - 8th May 2008
Documents Printing Status : PRINTED: 8th May 2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On : 9th May 2008

 

[yoshodeep]

OCI Acknowledged!

Is seems they're taking around 1.5 months to acknowledge and send out the sticker from India. Here's my timeline:

Application received by Chicago Consulate: 31-MARCH-2008
Date Of Acknowledgment: 14-MAY-2008
Registration Status Granted: 15-MAY-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned: 15-MAY-2008
Documents Printed: 15-MAY-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi: 16-MAY-2008

 

[yoshodeep]

Mailing in Passport to get OCI stamp

Now that my OCI has arrived in Chicago, just wondering if I need to include a self-addressed return envelope when I mail my passport to get the OCI U-Visa sticker stamped.

I paid the mailing fee at the time of sending in the application, but not sure if that is for them to mail me back the documents.



I would really appreciate it if someone, who has done it via mail, can provide me the detail.

 

[akgarg]

Now that my OCI has arrived in Chicago, just wondering if I need to include a self-addressed return envelope when I mail my passport to get the OCI U-Visa sticker stamped.

I paid the mailing fee at the time of sending in the application, but not sure if that is for them to mail me back the documents.



I would really appreciate it if someone, who has done it via mail, can provide me the detail.

That fee has to be for mailing your passports back with U-visa sticker & OCI booklet. See (from Chicago consulate website):

(b) Via mail: Those who have paid the mailing charges with their application, can collect OCI documents via mail. For doing so please forward the following documents to the Consulate at : 455 N Cityfront Plaza Drive, NBC Tower Bldg, Suite # 850, Chicago 60611 clearly indicating on the envelope “COLLECTION OF OCI DOCUMENTS” :

· US/foreign passport, the details of which were furnished in the application;

· Print out of the Status Page from on-line status enquiry (indicating the date of receipt of OCI document in the Consulate

· Indian passport/PIO Card – if still valid. After cancellation these are handed back to applicant.

CAUTION: It is obligatory to get the valid Indian Passport and/or PIO card cancelled before using the OCI document, to avoid inconvenience at Immigration Check Points.

 

[kond]

Passports (US and Indian) sent to Chicago consulate by Priority-mail with signature : 19th May 2008
Passports (US and Indian) reached at Chicago consulate: 22nd May 2008
Passport Recieved by Post (deliver next day before noon) with OCI registration: 24th May 2008

Just for information, I am in Detroit, MI

That was way quicker than I was anticipating. Great job by chicago consulate.

Mailed on: 20th Mar 2008
App arrived Chicago : 22nd Mar 2008
Date Of Acknowledgment: 6th May 2008
Registration Status : Granted - 8th May 2008
Photo/Signature : Scanned - 8th May 2008
Documents Printing Status : PRINTED: 8th May 2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On : 9th May 2008