OCI - Houston Tracker

Date OCI Apps sent : 18 August
Date Houston CGI received: 22 August
Date Acknowledged: 8 Sep
Date Scanned: 11 Sep
Date OCI Granted: 15 Sep
Date Printed: 16 Sep
Date Despatched: 18 Sep
Date Received by Houston: Sep 22
Date Houston emailed/Called of OCI stamping: Sep 22
Date Passports sent: Sep 21
Date stamped Passports received:

I talked to the CGI employee and she opined that if you are sending the PPs by mail, it will take 10-12 business days, from the date they receive the US and Indian PP, to issue the OCI sticker. If you are in Houston, it just takes a trip to the CGI to get the sticker affixed to you US PP on the same day.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kids of Indian citizens (both parents) are not eligible for OCI

In the Frequently asked Questions section of the OCI page, the Questions 6 and 7 clearly answers that kids of Indian citizens are not eligible for OCI. Atleast one parent should be a US citizen in order for the kid to be eligible for OCI. I think when the OCI was first issued months back, couple of my friends got OCI for their kids without either parent being a US citizen. Now the MHA is rejecting the apps if the guidelines are not followed. So, folks don't take a chance and loose the $25 processing fee. Better apply for PIO card.
 
Doesn't that sound ridiculous...

I was one of them. My daughter got her OCI while I and my wife were Indian Citizens. We had sent both our original Indian passports and CGI had no issues.

Now I am a US Citizen and my wife will be one soon. So, in effect we ourselves cannot apply for a OCI because both OUR parents are Indian citizens ? This sounds MUCH TOO STRANGE AND BIZARRE. Someone has been misinformed. I looked at the FAQ on Houston's website and I don't interpret the rules to say that.

Can anyone post a real experience in this matter. So far, I just see this to be a speculation. Thanks
 
Couple of my friends had applied for OCI for their sons/daughters. They were by themselves Indian citizens. The application was returned as is, including the uncashed cashier's check. They dont cut the processing fee. But, its a waste of time. They applied @ SFO.
 
I see it on MHA website...

I do now agree that I was unaware of this detail. Nonetheless, they did approve and grant my daughter the same in CGI-Houston back in April. I still say it is a very strange and bizarre rule, even if they are strictly implementing it in all Indian Missions. So, a minor somehow cannot be a overseas Indian Citizen if their parents are still Indians ? so , i could have waited 6 months and now that I am a non-citizen, somehow she would have become eligible ? this is craziness. I don't think even they fully understand why such a rule exists...
 
Someone say - you can collect the OCI in person - Do you know what time they service this requiest.
Thanks -
 
v1v1v1 said:
I was one of them. My daughter got her OCI while I and my wife were Indian Citizens. We had sent both our original Indian passports and CGI had no issues.

Now I am a US Citizen and my wife will be one soon. So, in effect we ourselves cannot apply for a OCI because both OUR parents are Indian citizens ? This sounds MUCH TOO STRANGE AND BIZARRE. Someone has been misinformed. I looked at the FAQ on Houston's website and I don't interpret the rules to say that.

Can anyone post a real experience in this matter. So far, I just see this to be a speculation. Thanks
Click to expand...
v1v1v1, You and your wife can apply for OCI since you are not minors. This rule of parents being eligible applies only to minors. For you, since you yourself are a "foreign national person of Indian decent", therefore are eligible for OCI in your own right.
 
achintyask said:
Someone say - you can collect the OCI in person - Do you know what time they service this requiest.
Thanks -
Click to expand...

Normal Consular business hours. You might need to drop the PPs in the morning and collect them in the evening at Houston CGI. My friend got it this way.....
 
suriyan said:
Couple of my friends had applied for OCI for their sons/daughters. They were by themselves Indian citizens. The application was returned as is, including the uncashed cashier's check. They dont cut the processing fee. But, its a waste of time. They applied @ SFO.
Click to expand...

You are right. Now they don't encash the checks if the application is ineligble. For my friend's daughter in Los Angeles, at @SFO they cashed the check and returned only $250. This was about 2 months back. I think now the CGIs might have a clear instruction on how to deal these types of cases.
 
Photos for OCI

Does anyone know if we still need to send 5 photos with OCI ? AND if all of them need to be identical ? Thanks.
 
v1v1v1,
Logically it seems its a total of 3 photographs - two stuck on application and one non-stuck. Personally, I sent 5 - two stuck and three non stuck. I have seen threads where people who sent 5, had 2 of their photographs returned back after the OCI process. And, I havent heard of a case where someone had sent non-identical photographs. It does explicitly mention (as far as I can remember) that the photos need to be identical. (mine were identical but with white background, and light T-shirt, and standard US passport size - no cropping etc)
Hope this helps.
 
I'm DONE!!!!!

Date OCI Apps sent : 18 August
Date Houston CGI received: 22 August
Date Acknowledged: 8 Sep
Date Scanned: 11 Sep
Date OCI Granted: 15 Sep
Date Printed: 16 Sep
Date Despatched: 18 Sep
Date Received by Houston: Sep 22
Date Houston emailed/Called of OCI stamping: Sep 22
Date Passports sent: Sep 21
Date stamped Passports received: OCTOBER 5, 2006

The whole process is approximately a month and a half at HOUSTON CGI
 
There is no mention of Cancellation in the Passport Services.
Is it true if someone has OCI - he/she is not a CITIZEN OF INDIA anymore.
Under that assumption only CGI approves / process the application
Why do you cancell the INDIAN passport for this?
Don't you think it will red falg when used by intenstionally or not?

???
 
achin, As per the rules (I forgot the link, but there was an earlier post with detailed information), you automatically lose Indian citizenship, once you gain citizenship of another country. India does not support dual citizenship.
 
How long does it take for acknowledgement

Mailed my application 9/22 (reached Indian Embassy 9/25).

So far, I didn't hear from the Embassy acknowledging receiving of material.
 
Mailed 9/1/06, Ack'd 9/26/06, Granted 10/5/06.
My documents received at Houston on 10/11/06.

I went on 10/12/06 dropped US PP around noon - Picked up at 4.00pm (both Visa stamped US PP and OCI Booklet)
They did't ask my Indian Passport (Which is not cancelled explicitly)

Goodluck to u all
 
Online shows Ack'd after 5 weeks

As of this morning, my online status shows "Acknowledged" after 5 weeks of receipt by CGI Houston.

No email received, though.

Hang in there, they seem to be running slower than usual.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No ack but granted

I didn't hear anything from Houton. However, online enquiry shows that my family members OCIs has been approved: Details

Received Houston: 9/25 (no ack what so ever)
Photo/Signature Scanned On 21-OCT-2006
Registration Status Granted On 04-NOV-2006
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 04-NOV-2006
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 04-NOV-2006
Documents Received at HOUSTON 09-NOV-2006
Sent Passports to Houston 10-Nov-2006
Passports + OCI received 07-December-2006
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top