Yeah. I just got back from the post officce after mailing the renunciation forms (old ones) and then saw this message. Why do they keep on changing the forms? I do not think I can do anything anyways so I will just wait and see. Also, the old form did not mention anything about sending copies of US passport so I did not send it. They are driving me NUTS.
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OCI - New York Tracker
- Thread starter mpotturi
- Start date
Yeah. I just got back from the post officce after mailing the renunciation forms (old ones) and then saw this message. Why do they keep on changing the forms? I do not think I can do anything anyways so I will just wait and see. Also, the old form did not mention anything about sending copies of US passport so I did not send it. They are driving me NUTS.
Once you receive the surrender certificate
1. Do you send the originals to the OCI cell or do you send copies?
2. Do you write anything on a cover letter?
3. What other documents do you send?
4. Do you wait for the docs to come to NYC before sending the surrender certificate and then send US passports together with it?
why this has to be so confusing?????
_________________________________________
Registration Status Granted On 06-MAY-2010
Photo/Signature Scanned On 01-MAY-2010
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 07-MAY-2010
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on 10-MAY-2010
Documents Received at NEW YORK CGI NOT YET
1. Do you send the originals to the OCI cell or do you send copies?
2. Do you write anything on a cover letter?
3. What other documents do you send?
4. Do you wait for the docs to come to NYC before sending the surrender certificate and then send US passports together with it?
why this has to be so confusing?????
_________________________________________
Registration Status Granted On 06-MAY-2010
Photo/Signature Scanned On 01-MAY-2010
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 07-MAY-2010
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on 10-MAY-2010
Documents Received at NEW YORK CGI NOT YET
BostonCool
Registered Users (C)
why this has to be so confusing?????
_ ET
All our sufferings and unnecessary stress should not go either unanswered, forgotten or wasted and I 'am keeping emailing professionally to many establishments to draw their attention to it
Please email to
Ambassador
The Ambassador is the highest-ranking representative of the Government of India in the United States.
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org
Deputy Chief of Mission
dcmoff@indiagov.org
Create Some noise as much as possible otherwise nothing will change in India
----- Did you got your surrender certificate?1. Do you send the originals to the OCI cell or do you send copies?
----- it has to be OCI cell They have not cleared that they will need Copy Or original surrender certificate. send email to Pushpa Kumar and Bajaj they can clear the confusion. At this time many have not got surrender certificate through mail and then got ICO collected. if one gets then they will post the info.2.
Do you write anything on a cover letter?
----- They did not say anything better to write: Send OCI Card surrender certificate in Envelope
3. What other documents do you send?
------ US passport,surrender certificate+ Copy of Cancelled Indian passport with Cancelled stamp page+ $20 Mailing fee+Copy of OCI status online Prinout (that is my Guess)
4. Do you wait for the docs to come to NYC before sending the surrender certificate and then send US passports together with it?
--------------Yes AFTER the OCI online status page show Recieved at NYC ON.....
why this has to be so confusing?????
-----
You must ask them. They all are confused and they all did not sit together and did not discuss all the problems faced by those who will apply OCI or those Who applied OCI or those who got OCI Card at NYC and they did not create any FAQ for different situations. They keep on changing the FORM after 2-3 days and they want India to be called and remain” Third World Country” They all are IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officers and they don’t know what to post on website and they are not doing the duty honestly as they were posted help other in Indian missions/consulates. Complaint against all the officials must be sent by all to Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi. No one expects this kind of Mess from IFS officer and Indian Municipality is better then them where on can go and ask the question to particular situation.
Registration Status Granted On 06-MAY-2010
Photo/Signature Scanned On 01-MAY-2010
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 07-MAY-2010
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on 10-MAY-2010
Documents Received at NEW YORK CGI NOT YET
arjundutta
Registered Users (C)
All our sufferings and unnecessary stress should not go either unanswered, forgotten or wasted and I 'am keeping emailing professionally to many establishments to draw their attention to it
Please email to
Ambassador
The Ambassador is the highest-ranking representative of the Government of India in the United States.
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org
Deputy Chief of Mission
dcmoff@indiagov.org
Create Some noise as much as possible otherwise nothing will change in India
I just emailed them
All our sufferings and unnecessary stress should not go either unanswered, forgotten or wasted and I 'am keeping emailing professionally to many establishments to draw their attention to it
Please email to
Ambassador
The Ambassador is the highest-ranking representative of the Government of India in the United States.
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org
Deputy Chief of Mission
dcmoff@indiagov.org
Create Some noise as much as possible otherwise nothing will change in India
I sent Email to them and ALL should Fax/Email to them.
BostonCool
Registered Users (C)
I sent Email to them and ALL should Fax/Email to them.
I tried that but Fax# kept on ringing
Last edited by a moderator:
We all Need to send Email to All Minister of External Affairs and, Minister of State for External Affairs (She is very Active) all the Secretaries, Private Secretaries that includes PM Personal SecI tried that but Fax# kept on ringing
S.M. Krishna
External Affairs Minister
Email:eam@mea.gov.in
Phone:23011127 / 23011165
Fax23013254 / 23011463
---
K.A. Appaiah (Dr.)
Addl. PS to EAM
addlpseam@mea.gov.in
-----------
Smt. Preneet Kaur (she is very Active)
Minister of State for External Affairs
Email:mospk@mea.gov.in
Phone:23011141 / 23014070 / 23794337
Fax:23011425
K.A.P. Sinha
PS to MOS
Email: psmospk@mea.gov.in
---------
Secretaries
Smt. Nirupama Rao (she is also good)
Foreign Secretary
Email: dirfs@mea.gov.in
Email: psfs@mea.gov.in
---------------
Protocol Division
Sunil Kumar Lal
Email: jscop@mea.gov.in
---------------
Prime Minister's Office
Pankaj Saran
JS (PMO)
Email: pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in
Jaideep Sarkar
PS to PM
Email: jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs(The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is headed by Vayalar Ravi, who has the rank of a Cabinet Minister. On the administrative side, a Secretary to the Government of India heads the Ministry.)
9th Floor, Akbar Bhawan, Chankya Puri
New Delhi - 110 021, India
Phone Number: +91(11) 2419 7900
Email: contact@overseasindian.in
*** Send Email to ALL the Above and then on the Email of The Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission wrire CC to ( PM office or where you send the Email write the designation of person you sent email.
Find your Friends Who are still INDIAN CITIZEN (NRI) Let them also wrote Email and They should write that" They are Indian Citizen" in the Email and Inform the Ministers that how US consulate NYC is created mess for Indian who got US citizenship, NYC has no clear guide lines on website and They first created Backlog of about 8000 OCI application and now when OCI booklets are printed and reached NY Consulate they started this surrender certificate requirements and one is not able to get Approved OCI in hand and it will take 2 months just to get the OCI. Does the Indian government want to harass our own people who are contributing to the Indian economy and sending funds to India for Parents who are old? Do they deserve this kind of treatment from Indian consulate NYC? These IFS officers have created Mess in NYC India consulate all should be transferred or called back to India.
Write your matter in details and give it to Indian Citizens so that they can also send Email to all the above. Change the language slightly or write your own language. Let everyday all Ministers and Secretaries, Private Secretaries get 20-30 email each day and don’t stop keep on sending the emails. Also send Emails to Editor Times of India, Indian Express, Hindustan times and all the leading news papers in DELHI Edition Editors and Mumbai Editions.
HALLA BOL!!!!
Last edited by a moderator:
BostonCool
Registered Users (C)
Sure and I will get that going
We all Need to send Email to All Minister of External Affairs and, Minister of State for External Affairs (She is very Active) all the Secretaries, Private Secretaries that includes PM Personal Sec
S.M. Krishna
External Affairs Minister
Email:eam@mea.gov.in
Phone:23011127 / 23011165
Fax23013254 / 23011463
---
K.A. Appaiah (Dr.)
Addl. PS to EAM
addlpseam@mea.gov.in
-----------
Smt. Preneet Kaur (she is very Active)
Minister of State for External Affairs
Email:mospk@mea.gov.in
Phone:23011141 / 23014070 / 23794337
Fax:23011425
K.A.P. Sinha
PS to MOS
Email: psmospk@mea.gov.in
---------
Secretaries
Smt. Nirupama Rao (she is also good)
Foreign Secretary
Email: dirfs@mea.gov.in
Email: psfs@mea.gov.in
---------------
Protocol Division
Sunil Kumar Lal
Email: jscop@mea.gov.in
---------------
Prime Minister's Office
Pankaj Saran
JS (PMO)
Email: pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in
Jaideep Sarkar
PS to PM
Email: jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in
*** Send Email to ALL the Above and then on the Email of The Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission wrire CC to ( PM office or where you send the Email write the designation of person you sent email.
Yeah. I just got back from the post officce after mailing the renunciation forms (old ones) and then saw this message. Why do they keep on changing the forms? I do not think I can do anything anyways so I will just wait and see. Also, the old form did not mention anything about sending copies of US passport so I did not send it. They are driving me NUTS.
I mailed mine just now. Surrender Certificate included at the bottom of new form doesn't include passport number, it just says above mentioned passport was returned. There is no point in including just the bottom portion if we got the old version notarized. So I didn't send copies of surrender certificates as I was planning to.
Last edited by a moderator:
We all Need to send Email to All Minister of External Affairs and, Minister of State for External Affairs (She is very Active) all the Secretaries, Private Secretaries that includes PM Personal Sec
...
....
....
*** Send Email to ALL the Above and then on the Email of The Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission wrire CC to ( PM office or where you send the Email write the designation of person you sent email.
Hi Ginnu,
Thanks for gathering all the contact details in this section. Great work. I will be sending one as I am in the line to submit my OCI application, but ran into these discussions on the new rules and planning to start the process next week.
Do you think it will benefit other threads (DC Tracker, SFO Tracker et al) if you post this as a separate topic under the "Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Issues" category? Sometimes folks in other thread might not be visiting this thread and not know all these contact details.
I am sure this could be a candidate for "Sticky"
Good luck to all!!!
Not Yet. I just mailed the forms (old) today.----- Did you got your surrender certificate?
Last edited by a moderator:
waiting_0102
Registered Users (C)
ginnu, just mailed everyone on your list describing the mess at CGNY...hopefully it has some effect.
nyoci_applicant
Registered Users (C)
So I applied for a family of 4, when I hit submit I got an error page. No Part A or B Printed.
I looked up Acknowledge Number using passport number and dob. When I use reprint option, only my details print, not rest of my family. Should I just reapply? Emails to India or NY Consulate were unresponsive.
Also, just learned about Surrender Cert. My Indian passport expired in 1995, do I have to pay $175 for processing? News sources indicate no processing fees for passports expired before 2005.
Looks like OCI revenues are drying up, GOI is looking for other revenues from NRIs?
I looked up Acknowledge Number using passport number and dob. When I use reprint option, only my details print, not rest of my family. Should I just reapply? Emails to India or NY Consulate were unresponsive.
Also, just learned about Surrender Cert. My Indian passport expired in 1995, do I have to pay $175 for processing? News sources indicate no processing fees for passports expired before 2005.
Looks like OCI revenues are drying up, GOI is looking for other revenues from NRIs?
-----Hi Ginnu,
Thanks for gathering all the contact details in this section. Great work. I will be sending one as I am in the line to submit my OCI application, but ran into these discussions on the new rules and planning to start the process next week.
Do you think it will benefit other threads (DC Tracker, SFO Tracker et al) if you post this as a separate topic under the "Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Issues" category? Sometimes folks in other thread might not be visiting this thread and not know all these contact details.
I am sure this could be a candidate for "Sticky"
------Then make "Sticky" or Post in other threads. It is for ALL those apply OCI/PIO/Visa.
Good luck to all!!!
So I applied for a family of 4, when I hit submit I got an error page. No Part A or B Printed.
I looked up Acknowledge Number using passport number and dob. When I use reprint option, only my details print, not rest of my family.
Should I just reapply?
-----Again Print the New Application ( Through Old application in Trash)
Emails to India or NY Consulate were unresponsive.
------They have nothing to do with OCI application registration it is NIC delhi problem)
Also, just learned about Surrender Cert.
My Indian passport expired in 1995, do I have to pay $175 for processing?
---YES, and $175+ $20 for mailing chage for Surrender Cert.
News sources indicate no processing fees for passports expired before 2005.
Looks like OCI revenues are drying up, GOI is looking for other revenues from NRIs?
May be the OCI Application Page has Problems and you can send Email to Dr. B. N. Shetty (He is in Delhi) and his Email ID is: shettybn@nic.in
arjundutta
Registered Users (C)
Reply from Anjuia Kumar via ambassador
Dear Mr. Dutta,
You may please let us know regarding your specific case which, as per your assessment, has not been given due attention by the Consulate.
Requirement of Surrender Certificate is a stipulation of Government of India and the Consulate is bound to implement it as per the directives of the Government.
While the Consulate is neither short on manpower nor will power, you may appreciate that the new requirement has greatly increased Consulate’s workload. Despite this, we are extremely sensitive to any hardship that may be faced by the applicants on account of this requirement. We have opened special counters to receive SC applications for the applicants facing emergency travel. We are also exploring the options of holding special camps to expedite processing of these documents.
I agree with you that the Consulate has a space constraint in the public area and that is why we are encouraging applicants to send their documents by mail (with only emergency cases submitting their documents at the Consulate).
The form has been modified keeping in mind the local situation and Consulate’s requirements in order to comply with Ministry’s instructions. May I inform you, however, that no applications have been rejected for submitting outdated forms. Applicants, therefore, have not been inconvenienced in any way on account of modifications in the form.
Your statement ‘hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor’ is not true. We do receive US passports for OCI and visa stamping but the Consulate accounts for each and every passport which is submitted for service. So far, not a single case of misplaced US passport has been reported at the Consulate.
We need a copy of naturalization certificate as a proof of when the applicant acquired US citizenship. There is a legally prescribed way to get a duplicate copy of the NC. Applicants are encouraged to contact the US immigration authorities to get a copy of this document. We do not require the certificate to be notarized.
I presume you made your career choice keeping your best interests in mind.
Dr. Anju Kumar
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:37 PM
To: Ambassador Office E/I Washington
Cc: DCM_Office E/I Washington
Subject: CGI-NY
Dear Madam Ambassador,
I would like to bring to your attention the very dismal and stressful situation at the NY consulate. We expatriates are being given the run-around. The home ministry makes a sudden decision about surrender certificates. They should allow some phase in period. The NY consulate either short on manpower or will power is simply unable to respond to us expatriates.
The scenario within the consulate is dismal, just few people with no answers, a pathetic lack of common sense, with abject conditions. Hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor.
The consulate has since last week put 3 different versions of the same form. No consideration for people who have to travel urgently on whom this was suddenly sprung. A lack of knowledge of what can be copied or cannot (e.g. the naturalization certificate cannot be notarized by a notary).
What is this Indian fascination for notary, I do not see USCIS asking for this. Learn to change " when in Rome..."
I am loosing my confidence in the IFS system. Maybe we should have stayed back to lead the country instead of the current officers.
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.
Dear Mr. Dutta,
You may please let us know regarding your specific case which, as per your assessment, has not been given due attention by the Consulate.
Requirement of Surrender Certificate is a stipulation of Government of India and the Consulate is bound to implement it as per the directives of the Government.
While the Consulate is neither short on manpower nor will power, you may appreciate that the new requirement has greatly increased Consulate’s workload. Despite this, we are extremely sensitive to any hardship that may be faced by the applicants on account of this requirement. We have opened special counters to receive SC applications for the applicants facing emergency travel. We are also exploring the options of holding special camps to expedite processing of these documents.
I agree with you that the Consulate has a space constraint in the public area and that is why we are encouraging applicants to send their documents by mail (with only emergency cases submitting their documents at the Consulate).
The form has been modified keeping in mind the local situation and Consulate’s requirements in order to comply with Ministry’s instructions. May I inform you, however, that no applications have been rejected for submitting outdated forms. Applicants, therefore, have not been inconvenienced in any way on account of modifications in the form.
Your statement ‘hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor’ is not true. We do receive US passports for OCI and visa stamping but the Consulate accounts for each and every passport which is submitted for service. So far, not a single case of misplaced US passport has been reported at the Consulate.
We need a copy of naturalization certificate as a proof of when the applicant acquired US citizenship. There is a legally prescribed way to get a duplicate copy of the NC. Applicants are encouraged to contact the US immigration authorities to get a copy of this document. We do not require the certificate to be notarized.
I presume you made your career choice keeping your best interests in mind.
Dr. Anju Kumar
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:37 PM
To: Ambassador Office E/I Washington
Cc: DCM_Office E/I Washington
Subject: CGI-NY
Dear Madam Ambassador,
I would like to bring to your attention the very dismal and stressful situation at the NY consulate. We expatriates are being given the run-around. The home ministry makes a sudden decision about surrender certificates. They should allow some phase in period. The NY consulate either short on manpower or will power is simply unable to respond to us expatriates.
The scenario within the consulate is dismal, just few people with no answers, a pathetic lack of common sense, with abject conditions. Hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor.
The consulate has since last week put 3 different versions of the same form. No consideration for people who have to travel urgently on whom this was suddenly sprung. A lack of knowledge of what can be copied or cannot (e.g. the naturalization certificate cannot be notarized by a notary).
What is this Indian fascination for notary, I do not see USCIS asking for this. Learn to change " when in Rome..."
I am loosing my confidence in the IFS system. Maybe we should have stayed back to lead the country instead of the current officers.
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.
nyoci_applicant
Registered Users (C)
May be the OCI Application Page has Problems and you can send Email to Dr. B. N. Shetty (He is in Delhi) and his Email ID is: shettybn@nic.in
Yup, emailed India and NY, no response. I used the link from NY Consulate to India web site for OCI application, is that an old link? Where is a new link?
Several newspaper indicated no fees for Indian passports that expired before 2005, however no Consulate website indicates this?
Last edited by a moderator:
Yup, emailed India and NY, no response. I used the link from NY Consulate to India web site for OCI application, is that an old link? Where is a new link?
Several newspaper indicated no fees for Indian passports that expired before 2005, however no Consulate website indicates this?
SFO consulate states that there is no fee if passport is already canceled..
http://www.cgisf.org/renunciation/ricscpenalty.html
arjundutta
Registered Users (C)
My response to Anju Kumar
Dear Dr. Kumar,
It is Dr. Dutta not Mister. However, overlooking the sobriquets I am happy that you took the time out of your busy schedule to answer my complaint.
I hope you understand that it is obviously causing people some distress otherwise one would not resort to complaints for the fun of it. Ever-since the new SC issue, the consulate has changed forms (at least thrice), asked for a notarized copy of the NC and then changed the requirement; has not been clear on the process for people whose OCIs are waiting for pickup and their Indian passports are not with them.
A more detailed explanation of the process instead of reactionary changes would have helped us internalize the process better. A simple statement like the USCIS has (older versions accepted) would help us enormously.
In fact what does a person (like my self) do whose OCI is at the consulate and has to send in the SC application so that instead of going back and forth two departments can just send it to one place ? I have to travel on the 16th of June and it leaves me 3 weeks to get a SC and pick up my OCI by mail only.
In terms of the passports lying on the floor. It is true. There are several if not hundreds of US passports lying unattended on a table that was knocked down and hence on the floor. It is lucky that none has been misplaced and I do not want to be the unlucky one.
My emails to cpv@indiacgny.org passport@indiacgny.org on 5/13 (from arjun.dutta...) requesting further information on the OCI and the SC have been unanswered. While I understand the understaffed conditions, maybe the onus should be on the consulate to be more responsive in terms of having an ombudsman or more monitoring of email queries, or a clearing house?
I have personally thanked Mr. Bajaj and Mrs Kumar the way they have responded to this OCI demand. However, it seems when a new requirement like the SC was thrown in, the system seemed like it would fall apart. All that I am suggesting is a more proactive approach than a reactive one.
My career choice was to serve my self interest or so you seem to suggest. Yours, I presume is to serve Indians and expatriates here in NY. So, my suggestion is that maybe you can think of ways that will reduce the chances of people like me complaining to the ambassador.
Anyway, please do not take this as a personal vendetta but a venting of more of the same frustrations that I had to deal with when I was in India some 16 years ago.
Regards
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dr. Anju Kumar <cpv@indiacgny.org>
To: arjundutta
Cc: Nawal K. Singh <nksingh@indiagov.org>; CG <cg@indiacgny.org>
Sent: Wed, May 19, 2010 4:45:12 PM
Subject: RE: CGI-NY
Dear Mr. Dutta,
You may please let us know regarding your specific case which, as per your assessment, has not been given due attention by the Consulate.
Requirement of Surrender Certificate is a stipulation of Government of India and the Consulate is bound to implement it as per the directives of the Government.
While the Consulate is neither short on manpower nor will power, you may appreciate that the new requirement has greatly increased Consulate’s workload. Despite this, we are extremely sensitive to any hardship that may be faced by the applicants on account of this requirement. We have opened special counters to receive SC applications for the applicants facing emergency travel. We are also exploring the options of holding special camps to expedite processing of these documents.
I agree with you that the Consulate has a space constraint in the public area and that is why we are encouraging applicants to send their documents by mail (with only emergency cases submitting their documents at the Consulate).
The form has been modified keeping in mind the local situation and Consulate’s requirements in order to comply with Ministry’s instructions. May I inform you, however, that no applications have been rejected for submitting outdated forms. Applicants, therefore, have not been inconvenienced in any way on account of modifications in the form.
Your statement ‘hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor’ is not true. We do receive US passports for OCI and visa stamping but the Consulate accounts for each and every passport which is submitted for service. So far, not a single case of misplaced US passport has been reported at the Consulate.
We need a copy of naturalization certificate as a proof of when the applicant acquired US citizenship. There is a legally prescribed way to get a duplicate copy of the NC. Applicants are encouraged to contact the US immigration authorities to get a copy of this document. We do not require the certificate to be notarized.
I presume you made your career choice keeping your best interests in mind.
Dr. Anju Kumar
From: arjundutta
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:37 PM
To: Ambassador Office E/I Washington
Cc: DCM_Office E/I Washington
Subject: CGI-NY
Dear Madam Ambassador,
I would like to bring to your attention the very dismal and stressful situation at the NY consulate. We expatriates are being given the run-around. The home ministry makes a sudden decision about surrender certificates. They should allow some phase in period. The NY consulate either short on manpower or will power is simply unable to respond to us expatriates.
The scenario within the consulate is dismal, just few people with no answers, a pathetic lack of common sense, with abject conditions. Hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor.
The consulate has since last week put 3 different versions of the same form. No consideration for people who have to travel urgently on whom this was suddenly sprung. A lack of knowledge of what can be copied or cannot (e.g. the naturalization certificate cannot be notarized by a notary).
What is this Indian fascination for notary, I do not see USCIS asking for this. Learn to change " when in Rome..."
I am loosing my confidence in the IFS system. Maybe we should have stayed back to lead the country instead of the current officers.
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.
Dear Dr. Kumar,
It is Dr. Dutta not Mister. However, overlooking the sobriquets I am happy that you took the time out of your busy schedule to answer my complaint.
I hope you understand that it is obviously causing people some distress otherwise one would not resort to complaints for the fun of it. Ever-since the new SC issue, the consulate has changed forms (at least thrice), asked for a notarized copy of the NC and then changed the requirement; has not been clear on the process for people whose OCIs are waiting for pickup and their Indian passports are not with them.
A more detailed explanation of the process instead of reactionary changes would have helped us internalize the process better. A simple statement like the USCIS has (older versions accepted) would help us enormously.
In fact what does a person (like my self) do whose OCI is at the consulate and has to send in the SC application so that instead of going back and forth two departments can just send it to one place ? I have to travel on the 16th of June and it leaves me 3 weeks to get a SC and pick up my OCI by mail only.
In terms of the passports lying on the floor. It is true. There are several if not hundreds of US passports lying unattended on a table that was knocked down and hence on the floor. It is lucky that none has been misplaced and I do not want to be the unlucky one.
My emails to cpv@indiacgny.org passport@indiacgny.org on 5/13 (from arjun.dutta...) requesting further information on the OCI and the SC have been unanswered. While I understand the understaffed conditions, maybe the onus should be on the consulate to be more responsive in terms of having an ombudsman or more monitoring of email queries, or a clearing house?
I have personally thanked Mr. Bajaj and Mrs Kumar the way they have responded to this OCI demand. However, it seems when a new requirement like the SC was thrown in, the system seemed like it would fall apart. All that I am suggesting is a more proactive approach than a reactive one.
My career choice was to serve my self interest or so you seem to suggest. Yours, I presume is to serve Indians and expatriates here in NY. So, my suggestion is that maybe you can think of ways that will reduce the chances of people like me complaining to the ambassador.
Anyway, please do not take this as a personal vendetta but a venting of more of the same frustrations that I had to deal with when I was in India some 16 years ago.
Regards
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dr. Anju Kumar <cpv@indiacgny.org>
To: arjundutta
Cc: Nawal K. Singh <nksingh@indiagov.org>; CG <cg@indiacgny.org>
Sent: Wed, May 19, 2010 4:45:12 PM
Subject: RE: CGI-NY
Dear Mr. Dutta,
You may please let us know regarding your specific case which, as per your assessment, has not been given due attention by the Consulate.
Requirement of Surrender Certificate is a stipulation of Government of India and the Consulate is bound to implement it as per the directives of the Government.
While the Consulate is neither short on manpower nor will power, you may appreciate that the new requirement has greatly increased Consulate’s workload. Despite this, we are extremely sensitive to any hardship that may be faced by the applicants on account of this requirement. We have opened special counters to receive SC applications for the applicants facing emergency travel. We are also exploring the options of holding special camps to expedite processing of these documents.
I agree with you that the Consulate has a space constraint in the public area and that is why we are encouraging applicants to send their documents by mail (with only emergency cases submitting their documents at the Consulate).
The form has been modified keeping in mind the local situation and Consulate’s requirements in order to comply with Ministry’s instructions. May I inform you, however, that no applications have been rejected for submitting outdated forms. Applicants, therefore, have not been inconvenienced in any way on account of modifications in the form.
Your statement ‘hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor’ is not true. We do receive US passports for OCI and visa stamping but the Consulate accounts for each and every passport which is submitted for service. So far, not a single case of misplaced US passport has been reported at the Consulate.
We need a copy of naturalization certificate as a proof of when the applicant acquired US citizenship. There is a legally prescribed way to get a duplicate copy of the NC. Applicants are encouraged to contact the US immigration authorities to get a copy of this document. We do not require the certificate to be notarized.
I presume you made your career choice keeping your best interests in mind.
Dr. Anju Kumar
From: arjundutta
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:37 PM
To: Ambassador Office E/I Washington
Cc: DCM_Office E/I Washington
Subject: CGI-NY
Dear Madam Ambassador,
I would like to bring to your attention the very dismal and stressful situation at the NY consulate. We expatriates are being given the run-around. The home ministry makes a sudden decision about surrender certificates. They should allow some phase in period. The NY consulate either short on manpower or will power is simply unable to respond to us expatriates.
The scenario within the consulate is dismal, just few people with no answers, a pathetic lack of common sense, with abject conditions. Hundreds of US passports lying around on the floor.
The consulate has since last week put 3 different versions of the same form. No consideration for people who have to travel urgently on whom this was suddenly sprung. A lack of knowledge of what can be copied or cannot (e.g. the naturalization certificate cannot be notarized by a notary).
What is this Indian fascination for notary, I do not see USCIS asking for this. Learn to change " when in Rome..."
I am loosing my confidence in the IFS system. Maybe we should have stayed back to lead the country instead of the current officers.
Arjun Dutta, Ph.D.