OCI - Houston Tracker

SecondStage,

Did you get your passports back from Houston ??? Its almost 2 weeks and we didn't received our passports back. When I called Houston embassy the operator who answers the phone (not always) told me to fax... I'm really upset with Houston how they handle the passports and return it back.
 
TPAUSER2006 said:
SecondStage,

Did you get your passports back from Houston ???
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Nope...Haven't got it yet...I think its better if I had flown to Houston and got them in person than having to wait....I find it hard to understand what takes them so long to affix the sticker and mail the passports the next day???


Is there a way to sue CGI so they disclose their processing methods and/or to find out if they have adequate staff? This will be helpful to rest of the applicants down the road....Any thoughts?
 
21-Jul-07: Filled Online
21-Jul-07: Sent Part A & Part B
23-Jul-07: Received at Houston
29-Aug-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
06-Sep-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
11-Sep-07: Registration status Granted
13-Sep-07: Documents Printed
17-Sep-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
24-Sep-07: Documents Received at Houston
XX-XXX-XX: US Passport sent to Houston
XX-XXX-XX: US Passport Received by Houston
25-Sep-07: US Passport with U Visa + OCI booklet Received (personally in Houston)

Waiting is over. Thank you for every one. And good luck.
 
I'm really frusturated with Houston. I mailed mine and my wife's passport for U Visa stamping they sent her passports back today through Fed-Ex. Now I'm waiting for mine. I don't know what these guys are doing. Why don't they mail both passports together. I mailed them together and I only sent one money order for $15 thinking they will mail it together. Do I have to send $15 for each application ?? Anybody have any clue about this ???
 
OCI processed at Houston

Friends

Here is my time line.

July 14 2007 : Mailed Application.,
Aug 28 2007 : OCI Registration Granted
Sep 05 2007 : Documents Received at Houston
Sep 12 2007 : Passports sent for VISA/booklet
Sep 27 2007 : Received Booklets/Passports back after VISA stamping

-S
 
TPAUSER2006 said:
I'm really frusturated with Houston. I mailed mine and my wife's passport for U Visa stamping they sent her passports back today through Fed-Ex. Now I'm waiting for mine. I don't know what these guys are doing. Why don't they mail both passports together. I mailed them together and I only sent one money order for $15 thinking they will mail it together. Do I have to send $15 for each application ?? Anybody have any clue about this ???
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I think you should sent $15 for your wife's + $1 for yourself. This is very clear in Chicago's site which I applied to Houston. I followed that $15 + $1 + $1 + $1 (me, wife, d1, d2). It worked. May be you should mail a money order for $15 to them. If I were you I would buy a return envelope and mail that inside a priority mail so within $20 you can get back yours.
 
KwaZulu said:
Got an email saying that:

"We are happy to inform you that your application for OCI and ‘U’ Visa has been approved.

You are requested to send your original US passport for stamping the “U” Visa and the Indian Passport(where applicable) for verification by mail. In case you are a PIO card holder, pls send your PIO card for cancellation."

I am not a US citizen, so I am assuming that they want me to send in my South African passport. However I do not have my file or acknowledgement number. I have tried calling the consulate (tried all three numbers) in Houston repeatedly with no luck. The website states that I must put this number into the cover letter accompanying my passport.

How can I get to speak to someone at the consulate. Any suggestions?
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Kwazulu,

You should have some way to know about your aplication. Should I assume that you did not make a copy of the application form ? I would need that so you can print that it is approved and send the confirmation so they can easily stamp your passport.

In your case they need your South African passport to make you are who you say you are and also the proof that links you to India.

-S
 
Pump said:
Hi Milk,

We will keep track of the progress. Your dates are identical to mine. I had a question for you. Did you try tracking your case on the web site? I guess it is still too early to do that. Perhaps, we can do it after the acknowledgement. Can the case # we get through online filing of Form A be used to track the case?

Pump
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Yes you can track it. Infact I strongly suggest that you track it and if it is approved print it for each applicant. Then write a cover letter attach the confirmation that it is approved adn then send your passports. Indicate to them if you have paid the return fee at the time of filing (I did).

This way it is easier for them to close the loop and you get your pp quickly.

-S
 
Got my passports back today!

After several faxes, emails and phone calls:mad:..I finally received my passport today..:D

Here is my final timeline:

OCI - Houston

July,02 2007: OCI docs sent to Houston
July,03 2007: OCI docs delivered to Houston
July,30 2007: Date Of Acknowledgment
Aug,01 2007: Cashier's check Cashed
Aug,02 2007: Photo/Signature Scanned
Aug,09 2007: Registration status Granted
Aug,11 2007: Documents Printed
Aug,13 2007: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
Aug,21 2007: Documents Received at Houston
Sep,04 2007: Passports Mailed to Houston
Sep,27 2007: U Visa + OCI booklet Received

I still think Houston can do a much, much better job..esp when the time comes to returning our passports!

FYI for future OCI applicants...if you see there is a delay in getting your passport(s) back, start writing/faxing them, emailing them and calling them...you just don't want to lose your passport in the red tape....
 
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Yesterday after posting my previous post, I called Houston Embassy, I was able to talk to the operator after a while and she gave me a number 713-626-2148 to call to speak someone in OCI Section. I called the number operator gave me around 4:30 EST and some one answered. Person who answered got my information and told me that he will give me a call after some time and will let me know my passports were not delivered along with my wife's passport . After 10 minutes he called me and said I should have sent 2 * $15 money orders.Since I sent one for $15 they didn't sent me. I asked him why not they call me and inform me. He didn't answer for that question. He told me if I give a credit card number he will Fed-Ex with the stamping immediately. I gave my credit card number over the phone , after he got my credit card number he gave me the Tracking number immediately.Today I received my passports.

Finally its over...Good luck....This forum helped a lot in tracking what was going on...:p. Number I posted should help everyone in getting some answer if you want to talk....
 
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Ignorantperson said:
sent application on aug22nd, no
response...nothing online!
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Sent this mail today. It is simply stupidity not to open the mail promptly.
Feel free to use the same wording and start sending emails.

I cc'ed to several MEA ministry officials too.

(usnri@mea.gov.in; usds@moia.nic.in; usds1@moia.nic.in)
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To whomever it concerns at the Consulate General India at Houston,

I sent my OCI application more than a month ago. You haven't acknowledged until today. I have a upcoming India trip in the last week of November and I need my OCI approval as soon as possible. That’s the reason for sending the OCI app 4 months before my trip. So far, you haven't EVEN acknowledged it.

Let me know if you have ANY reason for this delay.

As usual, ALL the phone lines at the Consulate office are either busy or no one picks it up and when reached the mail boxes to leave a voice mail...they are ALWAYS FULL..can not leave a voice mail.

Phones are not attended, the mail is not opened, one can not leave a voice mail..faxes don't work...how can any one get the service who are not locals of Houston?

I see on your website that you outsourced visa processing to reduce the work load at the consulate and I expect the outsourcing should speed up the OCI/PIO card processing at the consulate and not cause further delays.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Its hard to believe the level of service at the Embassy, agreed they must be overloaded with phone calls and inquiries, can't they offshore the answering part of it or can't they post some processing time online.

Its frustrating to post a 2-4 pm time to call and have no one answer the call
 
Ignorantperson said:
sent application on aug22nd, no response...nothing online!
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And I thought I was the only one from Aug 22nd. It's ridiculous:mad: Well I had some extra time and started playing with numbers on OCI Status website and according to that they are just acknowledging USAHI174xx07 application number. I am in 17900 series so I guess they have about 500 applications to acknowledge before mine. As you might have already observed 07 at the end is for year and USAHI for Houston
 
netesh said:
And I thought I was the only one from Aug 22nd. It's ridiculous:mad: Well I had some extra time and started playing with numbers on OCI Status website and according to that they are just acknowledging USAHI174xx07 application number. I am in 17900 series so I guess they have about 500 applications to acknowledge before mine. As you might have already observed 07 at the end is for year and USAHI for Houston
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looks like they skip some numbers in between, so it may be less than 500 more to go
 
Please call/email/fax then constantly

Ignorantperson said:
sent application on aug22nd, no response...nothing online!
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Am sorry its taken you this long:mad:...I think mine got thro' only because I was persistent in emailing them, calling them and faxing them...

I don't know what else you can do other than driving upto Houston and talking to them directly but keep faxing them and use your case number as a reference in any communication..
 
Applications acknowledged

Finally my wife's and daughters application submitted on Aug 20 to CGI Houston were acknowledged on OCt 8. My cashier's check had expired since it was over 90 days old but my bank (Bank of America) told me that they honor all cashiers check for up to 1 year.

So I guess we are ok for the time being unless Houston advises us otherwise.
 
ap74mo said:
Finally my wife's and daughters application submitted on Aug 20 to CGI Houston were acknowledged on OCt 8. My cashier's check had expired since it was over 90 days old but my bank (Bank of America) told me that they honor all cashiers check for up to 1 year.

So I guess we are ok for the time being unless Houston advises us otherwise.
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mine got akooonoladged :) at last.
 
Those who want to talk call the number I mentioned in my post before this..you should be able to talk to someone at the OCI section. Call between 4PM and 5PM EST...
 
Any recent OCI acknowledgments from Houston CGI?

They received my app on 9/6, and the LAZY bums haven't acknowledged it until today (almost 6 weeks). Since they outsourced their other visa services (starting from Oct 1), OCI and PIO processing supposed to speed up, but I doubt it is the case. This is too much.
 
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