OCI - Houston Tracker

I am in the same boat as Super Duper.....My date of ACK was 3rd Feb....GRANTED..4th AUG....PRINTED 5TH AUG 2011....So what next?
I think as soon as CGI receives the documents...I may go there personally with my US passport....lets wait and see....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel
It took them 8 months from the time I mailed the package to CGI way back in Jan 2011.
 
Hi

I am in th eprocess of applying for OCI card to Houston. Couple of questions: 1) How long does it take at Houston - i have seen some saying 2 months and some saying 6 + months - whats the average? 2) Copy of Birth Certificate - Is passport accepted as a valid birth certificate?

Thanks
Babu
 
cbamidimarri said:
Hi

I am in th eprocess of applying for OCI card to Houston. Couple of questions: 1) How long does it take at Houston - i have seen some saying 2 months and some saying 6 + months - whats the average? 2) Copy of Birth Certificate - Is passport accepted as a valid birth certificate?

Thanks
Babu
Click to expand...


Most recent timing should be 2 months. 6 months is for those who applied through the consulate itself.
A passport is not accepted as a valid birth certificate. Those 2 are completely different things.
 
cbamidimarri said:
Hi

I am in th eprocess of applying for OCI card to Houston. Couple of questions: 1) How long does it take at Houston - i have seen some saying 2 months and some saying 6 + months - whats the average? 2) Copy of Birth Certificate - Is passport accepted as a valid birth certificate?

Thanks
Babu
Click to expand...

You are going through TRAVISA, an independent company that is hired by Embassy of India - Washington, District of Columbia (Washington D.C.), and following consulates here in United States of America: Consulate General of India - Houston, Consulate General of India - Chicago, Consulate General of India - New York, and Consulate General of India - San Francisco.

6+ months are for the people who have applied for their O.C.I before the introduction of the TRAVISA.

So, don't worry about the time, as time has been decreased since then three folds.

There are some cases, and this is exception to the rule, where O.C.I have been granted, printed, and in the hands of the applicant within one (1) month.

But, this is an exception to the rule.

Please be ready to wait approximately 2 months, or 30 business days to 50 business days.

anyways go ahead and apply, and keep this forum updated as to what actions you took , and what were their results.

good luck.
 
Thank you very much for your reply - Is a school certificate accepted as a birth certificate instead - I never had a birth certificate per se?
Also on further reading - i realized that the Birth certificate is being asked only for those who are not born in India - can some one confirm this please?

Babu
 
Hi Thanks for the reply - I will surely post my experinces out here


super_duper said:
You are going through TRAVISA, an independent company that is hired by Embassy of India - Washington, District of Columbia (Washington D.C.), and following consulates here in United States of America: Consulate General of India - Houston, Consulate General of India - Chicago, Consulate General of India - New York, and Consulate General of India - San Francisco.

6+ months are for the people who have applied for their O.C.I before the introduction of the TRAVISA.

So, don't worry about the time, as time has been decreased since then three folds.

There are some cases, and this is exception to the rule, where O.C.I have been granted, printed, and in the hands of the applicant within one (1) month.

But, this is an exception to the rule.

Please be ready to wait approximately 2 months, or 30 business days to 50 business days.

anyways go ahead and apply, and keep this forum updated as to what actions you took , and what were their results.

good luck.
Click to expand...
 
cbamidimarri said:
Thank you very much for your reply - Is a school certificate accepted as a birth certificate instead - I never had a birth certificate per se?
Also on further reading - i realized that the Birth certificate is being asked only for those who are not born in India - can some one confirm this please?

Babu
Click to expand...

Babu ji,
As I mentioned yesterday. Birth Certificate and School certificate/passport are different things. If you don't have a BC, then you need to provide two witnesses in an Indian Court and get the paperwork from the magistrate that states that you were never issued a BC. You may need to provide an approximate DOB.

Ya, BC is only needed for those born outside India. If there's a name discrepancy, then you may need to provide an Indian one.
 
jaggumal said:
I am in the same boat as Super Duper.....My date of ACK was 3rd Feb....GRANTED..4th AUG....PRINTED 5TH AUG 2011....So what next?
I think as soon as CGI receives the documents...I may go there personally with my US passport....lets wait and see....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel
It took them 8 months from the time I mailed the package to CGI way back in Jan 2011.
Click to expand...

Mine got dispatched today...8th Aug from New Delhi...Should be here at the Houston Consulate in a few days....the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.
 
Hello super_duper.....After it arrives in Houston....I am considering going to the consulate in the morning and hand over my passport at the counter...and hopefully
it will be ready for pickup after 4 pm.. Has anyone done this ? If so please let us know about your experience. Thanks
 
jaggumal said:
Hello super_duper.....After it arrives in Houston....I am considering going to the consulate in the morning and hand over my passport at the counter...and hopefully
it will be ready for pickup after 4 pm.. Has anyone done this ? If so please let us know about your experience. Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, someone has done that, and I have read it on somewhere on this long forum.
Based on what this person said is that you just need to take your American Passport to the consulate and nothing else. Also, this person had to drive six(6) plus hours to get to Houston. Basically, he spent his entire day just on this one process. He was cautious, so he took everything else that "might be needed", but lady at the front told him they don't need anything else other than American Passport.

Please find the post on this long forum, and read his / her experience.

good luck, and post your experience on this blog.

I, unfortunately, can not go to the Consulate to pick up the document due to the distance between Consulate and my residence. I live in the Sun Shine State, yes you guessed it State of Florida. So, therefore, I will just mail in my American Passport to Consulate, and they will mail my documents as well as the American Passport back to me. In the beginning of the O.C.I process I had already paid $20 for the mailing fee so that I could receive my documents in mail.

anyways, good luck again.

yours,

super_duper
 
Hello super_duper,
Thanks for the feedback. I work in downtown Houston, so might as well take a few hours "off" from work and make the trip to CGI...as much as I hate to
do that.it will be faster that way..rather getting it by mail...and go thru the nail biting wait...again......cheers
Jaggumal
 
hello super_duper...the CGI Houston received the documents today...10th Aug....What next?....wait for the email from CGI or shuould I just go there one of these days personally....decisions.....decisions.....LOL
 
jaggumal said:
hello super_duper...the CGI Houston received the documents today...10th Aug....What next?....wait for the email from CGI or shuould I just go there one of these days personally....decisions.....decisions.....LOL
Click to expand...

Since we are on the same boat, then I can make it easier to make your decision. First and foremost, ask yourself these two to three question(s):

Question # (1.): Did you pay $20 mailing fee in the beginning of the O.C.I process to retrieve your passport and O.C.I documents?

If your answer is Yes, then just send in your U.S.A Passport, and everything will be taken care of.

Question # (2.): Do you live near by, or work near by the Consulate General of India - Houston?

If your answer is Yes, then just walk over, or drive and then walk over to the Consulate General of India - Houston, and drop off your U.S.A Passport in the morning, and pick it up in the evening when you go home. Of course, do abide by the timings of the Consulate General of India - Houston's window Pick up and Drop off hours.

Question # (3.): Did you ever in the process of the O.C.I application send an electronic mail to Consulate General of India - Houston at "O.C.I division", or as they say in British English "O.C.I Cell" to inquire ( or in British "enquire" ) about the status of the O.C.I? OR Did you ever give an electronic mail address on the actual O.C.I's Part A of the application?

If you did, then they will send you an electronic mail stating something along the lines of: Sir / Madam we have receive your O.C.I documents from India, and it is ready to be picked up / mailed to your place. Please send in your foreign / U.S.A passport to Consulate General of India - Houston with your File Acknowledgment Number written / typed on separate sheet of paper and send it in your mail.

I hope this helps in narrowing down what decision to take.

I am actually waiting for an actual electronic mail from them, although I can see on the Online O.C.I Enquiry Form provided by the N.I.C ( Central Government of India ) , that Consulate General of India - Houston have received my O.C.I booklet / card and 'U' Visa have arrived on August / 10 / 2011.

I hope this helps.

Also, I will post the exact electronic mail on this forum as soon as I receive it from Consulate General of India - Houston.

Yours,

Super_Duper
 
Thanks for your reply super_duper....finally our loooooong saga is about to come to an end.......untill 2013...when my US passport expires and again I will have to get the U visa on my new passport....but thankfully I will be dealing with TRAVIS...maybe much faster turnaround...will keep you guys posted. Thanks
 
jaggumal said:
Thanks for your reply super_duper....finally our loooooong saga is about to come to an end.......untill 2013...when my US passport expires and again I will have to get the U visa on my new passport....but thankfully I will be dealing with TRAVIS...maybe much faster turnaround...will keep you guys posted. Thanks
Click to expand...

No problem!!!

To just update this forum, I just received a phone call from Consulate General of India - Houston stating that send in your U.S.A passport. It was a lady on the phone. I did not pick up the phone, but she left a voice message on the answering machine that I have set up at the house.

Anyways, to Jaggumal, No Problem, and yes looooooooong saga is about to come to an end......until 2015 ( for me, and my brother ), and my mother would be in 2014, and my father would be in 2013 ( just like you jaggumal )... when all of our U.S.A passports will expire accordingly / respectively and again we will have to get the 'U' visa on the new passport...but Yes we will have to deal with TRAVISA...and yes it will be much faster than what it took to get initial approval.

Until then see you around on this long forum.

yours,

Super_Duper
 
I received this email yesterday..10th Aug 2011 from CGI Houston...

Sir/Madam,


Please refer to your application for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI).

We are happy to inform you that your application for OCI and ‘U’ Visa has been approved and the OCI Card/s with the U Visa/s has/have been received by us from India.

You are requested to send your original US passport for stamping the “U” Visa and the Indian Passport(where applicable) for verification by mail. Though the Indian passport is cancelled we need to verify it, so please do enclose it. In case you are a PIO card holder, pls send your PIO card for cancellation.

In case you have not already paid the return fee, please send a Cashier’s cheque or a money order for $ 20/- payable to “Consulate General of India, Houston” to return your Passport and OCI Card by express mail.

In case you want to come and collect the OCI cards in person, pls give your passports at the counter between 9am and 12:30pm and collect then between 4pm and 5pm.


Pls. mail the documents to the address given below, " Attention: OCI "



Thanks,

OCI Section
 
Update of my OCI saga...

Went personally to the CGI Houston office around 930AM. Stood in the line..there were about 8 to 10 people in line line and one at the window.
Only one window was open. After the lady got done with that person..she called out if anyone here for OCI...I raised my hand and rushed to the window.
She asked if I had applied here or at TRAVISA...I said here. She took my US passport and told me to come and pick it up after 4pm.
I had also taken my cancelled Indian passport (just in case), but so far they have not asked for it. Met some other people who had come for their OCI all the way from DALLAS. They did not want to mail in their passports from DALLAS fearing that CGI Houston might lose them.... I was in and out of CGI Houston within 20 mins...lets hope it goes as smooth at 4pm, when I go back to pickup my passport and OCI booklet.......to be continued
 
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Finally our OCI journey is over after many months of waiting and uncertainity.
Received our passports with U Visa stamp and OCI booklets. Everything looks fine.

I am thankful to this great forum as it was the only source of info, when there was no way to contact the Houston consulate for any info.
I would like to thank each and everyone who contributed their suggestions and experiences here.

Goodluck to all who are waiting.
 
Planning to submit OCI + SC together. How many return shipping labels for OCI + SC family of 4? Want to make sure before submitting. One for SC and one for OCI. Or per each person two shipping lables of OCI + SC ?
 
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