We have sent our Indian and American passports for getting the oci stamps. Its been over 7 weeks. And we have not received them yet. When I contact them they say they do not find out passports. I told them I have the acknowledgment card back from houston and it has to be somewhere there. Faxed all the information over to them. They are saying they are searching. And I know they are not searching or really doing anything. Did anybody have to go through a similar situation?
OCI - Houston Tracker
- Thread starter needurhelp
- Start date
Rama Bashyam
Registered Users (C)
Based on other experiences in the forum, they have tried the following approach in a similar situation. What they did was they told the consulate that they are going to file a police complaint for missing passport. The consulates did say that they did not recieve their passports etc (they had the acknowledgement from Fedex, UPS etc). They had the documents come back to them from the consulate within a few days after that conversation. It took me about 6-7 weeks to get our passports back after a lot of back and forth. My experience has been detailed in this thread.
That is just sad and unfortunate. This happening even after showing proof of receipt is just deplorable. Not to mention the security risk (falling into wrong hands). I have a cousin who is on the TSA watch list just because she once had her US passport stolen/replaced! She was a natural born citizen!
So its not just the inconvenience of having to replace the passport, but the ramifications beyond it.
So its not just the inconvenience of having to replace the passport, but the ramifications beyond it.
trichy2tampa
New Member
OCI Houston - Do we mail in passports once the documents are received at Houston
The OCI online status check page shows the date of "Documents Received at HOUSTON" for my OCI application as 01-JUL-2008.
I have not gotten any correspondence from them so far.
Do I have to wait for an email from CGI Houston before I send my passport for the U stamp or do I mail in my passport regardless?
The CGI Houston website is confusing in this regard.
One page asks you to wait for an intimation from them.
Another asks you to send your passport once the "Documents Received at HOUSTON" shows a date.
Your experience in this regard will be very helpful.
Thanks in advaance
The OCI online status check page shows the date of "Documents Received at HOUSTON" for my OCI application as 01-JUL-2008.
I have not gotten any correspondence from them so far.
Do I have to wait for an email from CGI Houston before I send my passport for the U stamp or do I mail in my passport regardless?
The CGI Houston website is confusing in this regard.
One page asks you to wait for an intimation from them.
Another asks you to send your passport once the "Documents Received at HOUSTON" shows a date.
Your experience in this regard will be very helpful.
Thanks in advaance
You can send your passports once the online status shows that your docs have been received.
Mail the following as soon as the status is updated on the website to "Received at Houston" -
- valid US passport (for stamping of U visa)
- most recent (but now invalid) India passport (for cancellation)
- PIO card (if you are currently a PIO card holder)
- a print out of the OCI status page.
- valid US passport (for stamping of U visa)
- most recent (but now invalid) India passport (for cancellation)
- PIO card (if you are currently a PIO card holder)
- a print out of the OCI status page.
OCI Received - total processing time: 23 weeks!!
OCI Status:
Application form mailed by USPS on 08-FEB-2008
Application Received at Houston on 11-FEB-2008
Application Sent back to me -- 21-APR-2008 (supposedly for missing documents - which wasn't the case)
Application resent to Houston -- 22-APR-2008
Date of Acknowledgment -- 03-JUN-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned on -- 05-JUN-2008
Registration Status "Granted" On -- 24-JUN-2008
Documents Printing Status -- PRINTED
Documents Printed On -- 25-JUN-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On -- 27-JUN-2008
Documents Received at HOUSTON -- 01-JUL-2008
US/Cancelled Indian Passports mailed to CGI Houston - 02-JUL-2008
Passports with "U" Visa/OCI Certificate(Booklet) Received - 24-JUL-2008
OCI Status:
Application form mailed by USPS on 08-FEB-2008
Application Received at Houston on 11-FEB-2008
Application Sent back to me -- 21-APR-2008 (supposedly for missing documents - which wasn't the case)
Application resent to Houston -- 22-APR-2008
Date of Acknowledgment -- 03-JUN-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned on -- 05-JUN-2008
Registration Status "Granted" On -- 24-JUN-2008
Documents Printing Status -- PRINTED
Documents Printed On -- 25-JUN-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On -- 27-JUN-2008
Documents Received at HOUSTON -- 01-JUL-2008
US/Cancelled Indian Passports mailed to CGI Houston - 02-JUL-2008
Passports with "U" Visa/OCI Certificate(Booklet) Received - 24-JUL-2008
What's Happening with Houston OCI ?
I mailed my OCI forms to Houston end of March2008. I've not heard back anything from them. I did not see any updates on the online status checker as well.
Is this normal ?
I can't get hold of anyone on phone. No one picks up the call. Help
I mailed my OCI forms to Houston end of March2008. I've not heard back anything from them. I did not see any updates on the online status checker as well.
Is this normal ?
I can't get hold of anyone on phone. No one picks up the call. Help
I sympathize!
Do you have proof of receipt via FEDEX or USPS?
There is a good chance there was something missing from the file and they never bothered to inform you.
Or, your application was misplaced!
Try emailing here: ocicgihouston@swbell.net and Fax: 713-627-2034 and 713-993-9347
Do you have proof of receipt via FEDEX or USPS?
There is a good chance there was something missing from the file and they never bothered to inform you.
Or, your application was misplaced!
Try emailing here: ocicgihouston@swbell.net and Fax: 713-627-2034 and 713-993-9347
Last edited by a moderator:
Just got a VM from Consulate
I just got a VM from the consulate.
Please validate this...
OCI Cards are ready.... Please send US Password, PIO Card (if applicable) and $20 money corder/cashiers check towards Fedex. You will get a response by 10 days.
DO i just send all the above to the same address i mailed my OCI Application ?
Is that all or am i missing anything ?
Is it safe/easier to go directly to houston Indian Consulate and get this done ?
Regards
I just got a VM from the consulate.
Please validate this...
OCI Cards are ready.... Please send US Password, PIO Card (if applicable) and $20 money corder/cashiers check towards Fedex. You will get a response by 10 days.
DO i just send all the above to the same address i mailed my OCI Application ?
Is that all or am i missing anything ?
Is it safe/easier to go directly to houston Indian Consulate and get this done ?
Regards
Honestly, I am surprised they got back to you that quick. Good job, Houston Consulate.
Nred
Done with OCI Application!
Walked in today, dropped off and picked up the documents. Things are getting better at the consulate, all application are now logged into to computer as soon as they are received. Also, for people planning on making a trip, things have become much more calmer and less chaotic. There were no more than 8 people when I went to drop off and @4.00 PM about 4 people for OCI pickup (separate window) and 10 for other reasons were in line. Visa outsourcing has made things much better.
Nred
Walked in today, dropped off and picked up the documents. Things are getting better at the consulate, all application are now logged into to computer as soon as they are received. Also, for people planning on making a trip, things have become much more calmer and less chaotic. There were no more than 8 people when I went to drop off and @4.00 PM about 4 people for OCI pickup (separate window) and 10 for other reasons were in line. Visa outsourcing has made things much better.
Nred
Hi,
We have a unique situation here and need your valuable suggestions.
We need to travel to India early next week like Aug 4th.
We have waited for OCI to come through all this time and finally have decided to take the visa to India (Filled the app and paid the fee online but haven't got the visa) for our imminent India trip.
The status has been updated to
07/28/08 - Granted
07/29/08 - Printed
Now, we are in a limbo.
I will be back in a month but my spouse needs to be in India for a few months.
With our travel dates, we might be barely missing the OCI being received at Houston.
I need your suggestions/opinions/experiences related to the following -
1. How long will they hold OCI at CGI Houston once they receive it? Is there a time-limit within which the process should be complete?
2. Is it possible to request the Consulate to send the OCI approved documents back to India for my spouse to get the OCI Stamp in India itself?
3. Any other alternate approaches?
Regards!
We have a unique situation here and need your valuable suggestions.
We need to travel to India early next week like Aug 4th.
We have waited for OCI to come through all this time and finally have decided to take the visa to India (Filled the app and paid the fee online but haven't got the visa) for our imminent India trip.
The status has been updated to
07/28/08 - Granted
07/29/08 - Printed
Now, we are in a limbo.
I will be back in a month but my spouse needs to be in India for a few months.
With our travel dates, we might be barely missing the OCI being received at Houston.
I need your suggestions/opinions/experiences related to the following -
1. How long will they hold OCI at CGI Houston once they receive it? Is there a time-limit within which the process should be complete?
2. Is it possible to request the Consulate to send the OCI approved documents back to India for my spouse to get the OCI Stamp in India itself?
3. Any other alternate approaches?
Regards!
1. Where do you live?
2. Do you have anyone in Houston who can go and get it personally?
3. My dates are the same as yours (scanned/printed) - and I hoping to get my OCI in 2 weeks.
Considering your travel dates, I would suggest that you all go to India as scheduled. When you come back, bring your wife's passport too (that is US passport and the old Indian passports), and send yours & hers to Houston. It should not take more than 2-3 weeks to get them back, at which time, courier her passport to India.
2. Do you have anyone in Houston who can go and get it personally?
3. My dates are the same as yours (scanned/printed) - and I hoping to get my OCI in 2 weeks.
Considering your travel dates, I would suggest that you all go to India as scheduled. When you come back, bring your wife's passport too (that is US passport and the old Indian passports), and send yours & hers to Houston. It should not take more than 2-3 weeks to get them back, at which time, courier her passport to India.
My advice would be to collect your OCI docs after your wife returns. I think Houston consulate would keep your docs as long as necessary. I just saw someone post on NYC thread that he didn't pick up his OCI docs for 6 montsh or so and and had no problem doing so after that much time.