OCI - Houston Tracker
- Thread starter needurhelp
- Start date
nss
My OCI is already approved and Documents reached Houston on 30th May.
since I have to travel to India next week (ticket already booked for me and my family), I am not sure I will get back my passports before my travel if I send it to Houston for OCI sticker.
Hence I was thinking to get tourist VISA for 3 months at the VISA camp on sat, june 2nd (Atlanta).
Will there be any issue in getting tourist VISA at the VISA camp since OCI is already approved.
What documents needed for getting tourist VISA...??
My OCI is already approved and Documents reached Houston on 30th May.
since I have to travel to India next week (ticket already booked for me and my family), I am not sure I will get back my passports before my travel if I send it to Houston for OCI sticker.
Hence I was thinking to get tourist VISA for 3 months at the VISA camp on sat, june 2nd (Atlanta).
Will there be any issue in getting tourist VISA at the VISA camp since OCI is already approved.
What documents needed for getting tourist VISA...??
Beema
I think you should not have a problem with getting a 3 month visa though your OCI has been approved. I would suggest that you fill-in the online application form, 2 photographs, copy of your Indian passport and original Indian and US passport and go to the Visa Camp and check with them. My guess they will issue the 3 month visa. You can buy money order at Post Office for the visa fees, but keep it blank till you check with them.
Actually, getting an Indian Visa at the Visa camp is very quick and fast. They have a separate line and it is pretty quick. It hardly took us around 45 minutes to get through the process. But you need to return in the evening to collect the passport with the visa stamped.
You can get the form at http://www.cgihouston.org/visaform.pdf
Our OCI is also granted. But we got the tourist visa before applying for the OCI. Hope this info is useful
I think you should not have a problem with getting a 3 month visa though your OCI has been approved. I would suggest that you fill-in the online application form, 2 photographs, copy of your Indian passport and original Indian and US passport and go to the Visa Camp and check with them. My guess they will issue the 3 month visa. You can buy money order at Post Office for the visa fees, but keep it blank till you check with them.
Actually, getting an Indian Visa at the Visa camp is very quick and fast. They have a separate line and it is pretty quick. It hardly took us around 45 minutes to get through the process. But you need to return in the evening to collect the passport with the visa stamped.
You can get the form at http://www.cgihouston.org/visaform.pdf
Our OCI is also granted. But we got the tourist visa before applying for the OCI. Hope this info is useful
Rama Bashyam
Registered Users (C)
This is my experience at the Dallas camp for the India visa (should be similar for you too). Since you are going to be dealing with the same folks it would be useful for you.
I reached there at 7 am to get the token (they issue limited # of tokens). People do come as early as 5 am. Then they start calling by token #. I believe you need the forms filled out and the PP photos (follow the requirements given). Get a cashier's check or money order (you need to pay $10 more than the regular fee). I got CC (since it is free at my bank) payable to CGI-Houston. You can get one CC for all. Also write down the CC# in the application form at the bottom for reference. They asked us to do that there. When they call you, they will verify all the documents and give you a reciept(you can also cancel your Indian PP at that time if you have not done so - took only 10 seconds for them to put the stamp). Then they will ask you to come in the eve. It took us a long time because there was some issue with security clearance for some of the other applicants (so they had to put on hold for all the VISA applicants there). I was done around 8.30 pm (but it would be have been sooner by 2-3 hours or so, if not for the security clearance that put everyone on hold). Like I said earlier, it would be long day, but faster than sending it there.
Superman, Did you send in your passports to Houston? My passports have reached CGI Houston today. Now the wait begins for them to come back with OCI.
Prasad,
Not yet. I am planning to send passports on June 8th. I will be on Company business in Brazil until 7th. So, not in a rush. Kepp us posted. Thanks
Help !
I'm planning to make a trip July 1st to India. I just got my US Passport. Not sure if it makes sense to apply for OCI now, since the timeline is short. I'm thinking to go for a 1 year multiple entry now, and when i comeback i can apply for OCI.
Do you think is this the right approach? I checked with CIBT (passport/visa agent) agent. They help only with visa and not with OCI or PIO
Do you guys know if any other agents who can expidite OCI/PIO?
Thanks
PV
I'm planning to make a trip July 1st to India. I just got my US Passport. Not sure if it makes sense to apply for OCI now, since the timeline is short. I'm thinking to go for a 1 year multiple entry now, and when i comeback i can apply for OCI.
Do you think is this the right approach? I checked with CIBT (passport/visa agent) agent. They help only with visa and not with OCI or PIO
Do you guys know if any other agents who can expidite OCI/PIO?
Thanks
PV
Rama Bashyam
Registered Users (C)
pvdctm - I would suggest you to take a 6 mo visa and go (if the trip is for a few weeks). Also you can apply for OCI before you go. That is what I am doing. Got my PP May 9th, Got a 6 mo VISA on May 12th. Applied for OCI May 30th. Anyhow it takes about 2-3 months by the time you can get the PP stamped.
I have not seen or come across any agency or any method where you can get the OCI faster.
I have not seen or come across any agency or any method where you can get the OCI faster.
OCI Status at Houston
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
XX-XXX-XXX: Photo/Signature Scanned
XX-XXX-XXX: Registration status Granted
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
XX-XXX-XXX: Photo/Signature Scanned
XX-XXX-XXX: Registration status Granted
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
Its over...I am done
I am done with my OCI process. Please see the complete timeline below.
15-Apr-07: Filled Online
17-Apr-07: Sent Part A & Part B
20-Apr-07: Received at Houston
09-May-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
19-May-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
21-May-07: Registration status Granted
22-MAY-07: Documents Printed
22-MAY-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
29-MAY-07: Documents Received at Houston
30-MAY-07: Passports Mailed to Houston
31-MAY-07: Passports Reached Houston
31-MAY-07: Email from CGI Houston asking me send the passports for OCI stamping.
07-JUN-07: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
Thanks everyone for keeping this thread alive. Goodluck to all.
Prasad
I am done with my OCI process.
Please see the complete timeline below.15-Apr-07: Filled Online
17-Apr-07: Sent Part A & Part B
20-Apr-07: Received at Houston
09-May-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
19-May-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
21-May-07: Registration status Granted
22-MAY-07: Documents Printed
22-MAY-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
29-MAY-07: Documents Received at Houston
30-MAY-07: Passports Mailed to Houston
31-MAY-07: Passports Reached Houston
31-MAY-07: Email from CGI Houston asking me send the passports for OCI stamping.
07-JUN-07: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
Thanks everyone for keeping this thread alive. Goodluck to all.
Prasad
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Congrats Prasad. Just waiting to see your timeline for receiving your Pp back before we send in our passports. Since we are leaving to India during 1st week of July, we were kind of contemplating about sending in the passports.
This is good news. Maybe we will send in our passports now.
This is good news. Maybe we will send in our passports now.
Thanks NSS. When I sent my passports, wrote a detailed cover letter giving all the details. I do not have travel plans until end of July. So not in a hurry.
In your case, may be it is helpful, if you include the fact that you are travelling in 4 weeks. The CGI website says 10 working days. In my case they took 4 working days. I am sure they will get yours processed much soon.
Goodluck with that.
I have to admit, CGI Houston proved me wrong. . They stepped up big time during the OCI process and did everything in an organized way. Hey looks like they are improving their customer service. If only they pick up the phone (I know, I know..I am getting greedy now).
Anyway, it was fun following your's and Superman's timeline in the naturalization and OCI process. This forum is awesome.
Goodluck and have fun.
Prasad
In your case, may be it is helpful, if you include the fact that you are travelling in 4 weeks. The CGI website says 10 working days. In my case they took 4 working days. I am sure they will get yours processed much soon.
Goodluck with that.
I have to admit, CGI Houston proved me wrong.
. They stepped up big time during the OCI process and did everything in an organized way. Hey looks like they are improving their customer service. If only they pick up the phone (I know, I know..I am getting greedy now).Anyway, it was fun following your's and Superman's timeline in the naturalization and OCI process. This forum is awesome.
Goodluck and have fun.
Prasad
OCI Status updatehoto scanned
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
XX-XXX-XXX: Registration status Granted
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
hoto scanned25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
XX-XXX-XXX: Registration status Granted
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
Thanks NSS. When I sent my passports, wrote a detailed cover letter giving all the details. I do not have travel plans until end of July. So not in a hurry.
In your case, may be it is helpful, if you include the fact that you are travelling in 4 weeks. The CGI website says 10 working days. In my case they took 4 working days. I am sure they will get yours processed much soon.
Goodluck with that.
I have to admit, CGI Houston proved me wrong.
Anyway, it was fun following your's and Superman's timeline in the naturalization and OCI process. This forum is awesome.
Goodluck and have fun.
Prasad
Congratulations......! Prasad. Thank you for the Information.
I am back from Brazil. We are planning send our Passports with a cover letter today.
Good Luck on your Future Endeavers.
Application Still not acknowledged
We have sent our OCI application for me, wife and kid (Pio to oci) on 5/25. Reached Houston CGI on 5/26. I still haven't recd any notification from CGI to say it recd. the application neither the Online OCI inquiry form is offering any useful information, when I put in my online registration number it still says 'Application with this number not yet Acknowledged'.
What is the time line should I expect? If my application is not accepted, do I get an email/letter or will it be online?
Also when you get acknowledged, do I get any notification?
thanks
s_a_kumar
We have sent our OCI application for me, wife and kid (Pio to oci) on 5/25. Reached Houston CGI on 5/26. I still haven't recd any notification from CGI to say it recd. the application neither the Online OCI inquiry form is offering any useful information, when I put in my online registration number it still says 'Application with this number not yet Acknowledged'.
What is the time line should I expect? If my application is not accepted, do I get an email/letter or will it be online?
Also when you get acknowledged, do I get any notification?
thanks
s_a_kumar
Patience!
Here is the time line:
Send FormA/B 11th May
Ack: 29th May
Scanned 1st June
Granted 13th June
Printed 13th June
Dispatched from Delhi 13th June
Arrived in Houston 18th June
US Passport sent: 19th June
Waiting for my passport back. Still waiting 9th July.
After keep on trying, finally some courteous lady took all my information and yesterday. And was posted yesterday with next day delivery.
Here is the time line:
Send FormA/B 11th May
Ack: 29th May
Scanned 1st June
Granted 13th June
Printed 13th June
Dispatched from Delhi 13th June
Arrived in Houston 18th June
US Passport sent: 19th June
Waiting for my passport back. Still waiting 9th July.
After keep on trying, finally some courteous lady took all my information and yesterday. And was posted yesterday with next day delivery.
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OCI Status update at Houston
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
15-Jun-07: Registration status Granted
15-Jun-07: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
15-Jun-07: Registration status Granted
15-Jun-07: Documents Printed
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
Rama Bashyam
Registered Users (C)
I did not get any acknowledgement of any sort (like email or snail mail). Once you enter your online reg #, typically the ack # pops up, if it is entered in their system. Just to give you my timeline (since it is about the same - yours earlier by 1 week) so that you can act accordingly.
5/25/07 : Filled online
5/29/07 : Sent by Post
5/30/07 : Reached CGI Houston.
6/5/07 : Date of acknowledgement
6/7/07 : Photo/Signature Scanned
6/15/07 : Registration status Granted
6/15/07 : Documents Printed
Looks like I have a similar timeline like desi2go. I am surprised that it has been very fast so far. The only major difference I see in yours is that you have one PIO 2 OCI. I wonder if it goes in a separate track...
Hang in there and it should get there soon (once it is acknowledged and scanned, it seems very fast). Good luck.
OCI Status update
My docs seem to have been dispatched from delhi.
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
15-Jun-07: Registration status Granted
15-Jun-07: Documents Printed
19-Jun-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received
My docs seem to have been dispatched from delhi.
25-May-07: Filled Online
26-May-07: Sent Part A & Part B
29-May-07: Received at Houston
05-Jun-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
07-Jun-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
15-Jun-07: Registration status Granted
15-Jun-07: Documents Printed
19-Jun-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XXX: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Mailed to Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: Passports Reached Houston
XX-XXX-XXX: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet + Cancelled Indian Passport Received