OCI - New York Tracker

Yes, all you need to send is copies of the canceled PPs, online status page, US passports and $20 MO. You should get everything back in about a week.
 
Yes, all you need to send is copies of the canceled PPs, online status page, US passports and $20 MO. You should get everything back in about a week.

If already paid $20 dollars in main OCI application along with ($275.....) why we need to pay $20 dollars again.
Add covering letter with details of already paid mailing charges of $20.
 
ABout the $175 fee for that useless SC, I have sent many emails to everyone, and keep sending it on a weekly basis. Obviously, noone has replied it...yet! And I tried calling the emabssy numbers, and as you all know, no one picks up!!

In my next mail, I am going to ask for the contact for the individual (the Boss!) in India who decided this ruling, and of course no one is going to reply. Because they can trash the email with one keystroke with the "delete" button!

I do not know how we can make it more vocal, create publicity around this issue!!
 
If already paid $20 dollars in main OCI application along with ($275.....) why we need to pay $20 dollars again.
Add covering letter with details of already paid mailing charges of $20.

No I did not pay the $20 earlier with my OCI application. I will enclose a cashier's check for their mailing charges. Thanks for the info everyone!
 
Hi pb74,

Yes, I did send them the $20 cashier's checks on May 26th. Around that time there were a bunch of announcements on the NYC Consulate website (which changed daily!), so I printed out one of those earlier announcements where it said people who became citizens before June 1st only needed to pay $20 and not $175.

I am pretty sure GOI said on June 1 that people who obtained foreign citizenship before June 1 need not pay $175/-. They are notorious about making policies effective from the current date or past date. They never give advance notice. I see my post #1986 in this same thread which is the first occurrence of this news by SFO consulate.

I myself had sent SC application on May 25 or 26, and then followed with revised fees in last week. So I was curious about your mailing date. It would help me to setup my expectations. It's fine if you don't remember. I continue to wait patiently.
 
I am pretty sure GOI said on June 1 that people who obtained foreign citizenship before June 1 need not pay $175/-. They are notorious about making policies effective from the current date or past date. They never give advance notice. I see my post #1986 in this same thread which is the first occurrence of this news by SFO consulate.

I myself had sent SC application on May 25 or 26, and then followed with revised fees in last week. So I was curious about your mailing date. It would help me to setup my expectations. It's fine if you don't remember. I continue to wait patiently.


You are correct, my bad! I was checking the tracking number for the original SC app ($175) which I mailed them on May 25th. The newer checks for $20 I mailed on June 4th and they received on June 5th. Sorry about the earlier info, I got confused by the variety of communications we have been sending to the NYC consulate. You will hear from them in a day or two, good luck!
 
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As per my knowledge, they returned the payment for Mailed application, not for people who applied in person. We applied in Person on 05/26 and was given June 4th to pickup. We showed up on 3rd to fight and submit new fees which they did not accept as they said people who applied personally are given receipt and they cannot do anything... I never pick up my Indian passport or SC on June 4th... Just handed OCI which was returned to Mr. Bajaj....These people are really crazy... they lie...they kept telling my wife the whole time that Bajaj was not in office that day and you know what my wife got hold of him when he was going out of consulate.. Also they have hired new people for this mess who does not know A or B about all this..
 
$155 refund request for Surrender Cert.

I have been sending emails to the following regularly to the following :

cg@indiacgny.org; dcg@indiacgny.org ;
gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net; ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org;
info@fianynjct.org; niravmehta@fianynjct.org;
spmart2004@yahoo.com; nimeshdave@fianynjct.org;
manmohan@sansad.nic.in; soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in;
chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in; dcmoff@indiagov.org


However on June 16th, I got an email (a newsletter) from ' Inder Singh, GOPIO Int'l (gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net) ' . The news letter talks about the request for refund they
sent to : ' Minsiter Vayalar Ravi ' and response they got from : 'Part of Communiqué from Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA)'. In the response there is no mention about decision or action they will take on refunding the excess money they have charged bet. May 05 and June 01.

Has anyone received the same?
 
I have been sending emails to the following regularly to the following :

cg@indiacgny.org; dcg@indiacgny.org ;
gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net; ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org;
info@fianynjct.org; niravmehta@fianynjct.org;
spmart2004@yahoo.com; nimeshdave@fianynjct.org;
manmohan@sansad.nic.in; soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in;
chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in; dcmoff@indiagov.org


However on June 16th, I got an email (a newsletter) from ' Inder Singh, GOPIO Int'l (gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net) ' . The news letter talks about the request for refund they
sent to : ' Minsiter Vayalar Ravi ' and response they got from : 'Part of Communiqué from Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA)'. In the response there is no mention about decision or action they will take on refunding the excess money they have charged bet. May 05 and June 01.

Has anyone received the same?

I have also received the same. That looks like a newsletter of GOPIO. While GOPIO has requested for refund asking govt to kindly bear the administrative inconvenience of processing the refund, the reply from the government totally ignored that. The appeal should have been vociferous considering that NY organized a camp a day before bringing down the fee and impacting thousands of people.

They are just waiting for the public memory to fade in my opinion.

I also got one liner reply from GOPIO stating 'Decision still pending with Govt' and one from CGNY stating 'what was charged was the fee as prevailing on that date' .
 
I have been sending emails to the following regularly to the following :

cg@indiacgny.org; dcg@indiacgny.org ;

gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net; ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org;

info@fianynjct.org; niravmehta@fianynjct.org;

spmart2004@yahoo.com; nimeshdave@fianynjct.org;

manmohan@sansad.nic.in; soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in;
chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in; dcmoff@indiagov.org


However on June 16th, I got an email (a newsletter) from ' Inder Singh, GOPIO Int'l (gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net) ' . The news letter talks about the request for refund they
sent to : ' Minsiter Vayalar Ravi ' and response they got from : 'Part of Communiqué from Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA)'. In the response there is no mention about decision or action they will take on refunding the excess money they have charged bet. May 05 and June 01.

Has anyone received the same?
Go to ministry of External affairs site and ministry of home affairs and note the email id. Consulates are under ministry of external affairs. On Ministry of external affairs site you can find Minister Email, state minister email, under sectary email, secretary email (you can search the thread and in past I have provided emails of all) send emails to SM Krishna and also to Praneet Kaur. Send the email to all.
write clearly what NYC did and is doing and what action you need. ask why the fees should not be refunded? Ask the copy of letter who signed the letter to collect $175? did Sonia Gandhi pay for her Italian passport cancellation when she got Indian citizenship?
Sending emails to NYC is not going to help.
 
Go to ministry of External affairs site and ministry of home affairs and note the email id. Consulates are under ministry of external affairs. On Ministry of external affairs site you can find Minister Email, state minister email, under sectary email, secretary email (you can search the thread and in past I have provided emails of all) send emails to SM Krishna and also to Praneet Kaur. Send the email to all.
write clearly what NYC did and is doing and what action you need. ask why the fees should not be refunded? Ask the copy of letter who signed the letter to collect $175? did Sonia Gandhi pay for her Italian passport cancellation when she got Indian citizenship?
Sending emails to NYC is not going to help.

I consolidated all the emails including the ones mentioned already and here they are :


eam@mea.gov.in;
mospk@mea.gov.in;
diream@mea.gov.in;
dirmospk@mea.gov.in;
dirfs@mea.gov.in
psfs@mea.gov.in;
jsskc@mea.gov.in;
jsams@mea.gov.in;
jscpv@mea.gov.in;
jscons@mea.gov.in;
pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in;
jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in;
jsds@moia.nic.in;
jscpg-mha@nic.in;
dirpg-mha@nic.in;
hm@nic.in;
vayalar@sansad.nic.in;
asfah@nic.in;
rpnath@nic.in;j
sbm@nic.in;
cg@indiacgny.org;
dcg@indiacgny.org;
gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net;
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org;
info@fianynjct.org;
niravmehta@fianynjct.org;
spmart2004@yahoo.com;
nimeshdave@fianynjct.org;
manmohan@sansad.nic.in;
soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in;
chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in;
dcmoff@indiagov.org

Some of the emails to these people bounce when sent from public sites like yahoo. So you may have to try from different domains.
In specific, i added the following email addresses :
eam@mea.gov.in - SM Krishna
mospk@mea.gov.in - Praneet Kaur
diream@mea.gov.in - Dir of Min of Ext Affars
dirmospk@mea.gov.in - Dir of Min of State for ext Aff
dirfs@mea.gov.in - Dir of Foreign Sec
psfs@mea.gov.in - off of Foreign Sec
jsskc@mea.gov.in - Addl Sec
jsams@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (America)
jscpv@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (Passport and Visa)
jscons@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (Consulate)
pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in - Joint Sec - Prime Min office
jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in - Ps to PM
jsds@moia.nic.in - Min of Overseas Indian Affairs
jscpg-mha@nic.in - Min of Home Affairs - Complaint Cell
dirpg-mha@nic.in- Dir of Min of Home Affairs - Complaint Cell
hm@nic.in - Home ministry
vayalar@sansad.nic.in - NRI Affairs Minister
Right to Know Act email address
asfah@nic.in - Addl Sec
rpnath@nic.in - Joint Sec (Admin)
jsbm@nic.in - Joint Sec (BM)

Content of Email Could be on the following lines :

Revision of surrender fee from $175 to $20 - Refund of Amount paid

While I welcome the decision of the Indian Govt for revising the surrender certificate fee from $175 to $20 for all those who were Indian citizens prior to June 1, 2010, I'd like to represent that I have not been treated justly. In May , 2010 , I was forced to submit applications for the Surrender Certificate with the Consulate General of India along with the fees of $175 each for every member of my family . I had no option then but to adhere to the rules as penalties applied if we didnt act quick enough.

With the amended rule, I request you to refund the excess charge of $155.00 . There is no justification for charging differential amounts for the same category of people (all who obtained naturalization by June 1 , 2010). CG is trying to justify that $175 was the prevaling fee between May 4 and 30. The $175 fee is an aberration and not a fee that stood for several months and hence that argument is invalid.

A special camp was held by CGNY on May 29 and they collected $175 from thousands of people who stood for several hours in lines without food and water to comply with the law, only to know that the next day the fee is brought to the new $20 level.

The differential amount is a huge sum for me. Please do not punish people like me for trying to follow the law to the fullest , correctly and quickly all the time. Not giving the refund would amount to Indian government encouraging procrastinators and people who do not follow the law and punish those who respect and abide law at all times.

I sincerely hope that the government will act on this immediately.
 
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I consolidated all the emails including the ones mentioned already and here they are :


eam@mea.gov;
mospk@mea.gov.in;
diream@mea.gov.in;
dirmospk@mea.gov.in;
dirfs@mea.gov.in
psfs@mea.gov.in;
jsskc@mea.gov.in;
jsams@mea.gov.in;
jscpv@mea.gov.in;
jscons@mea.gov.in;
pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in;
jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in;
jsds@moia.nic.in;
jscpg-mha@nic.in;
dirpg-mha@nic.in;hm@nic.in;
vayalar@sansad.nic.in;
asfah@nic.in;
rpnath@nic.in;j
sbm@nic.in;
cg@indiacgny.org;
dcg@indiacgny.org;
gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net;
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org;
info@fianynjct.org;
niravmehta@fianynjct.org;
spmart2004@yahoo.com;
nimeshdave@fianynjct.org;
manmohan@sansad.nic.in;
soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in;
chavanprithviraj@sansad.nic.in;
dcmoff@indiagov.org

------ Good .It will be better if you write the name and Designation before the above emails so that one should not write SIR to Lady or Madam to Male.
In specific, i added the following email addresses :
eam@mea.gov - SM Krishna
mospk@mea.gov.in - Praneet Kaur
diream@mea.gov.in - Dir of Min of Ext Affars
dirmospk@mea.gov.in - Dir of Min of State for ext Aff
dirfs@mea.gov.in - Dir of Foreign Sec
psfs@mea.gov.in - off of Foreign Sec
jsskc@mea.gov.in - Addl Sec
jsams@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (America)
jscpv@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (Passport and Visa)
jscons@mea.gov.in - Joint Sec (Consulate)
pankaj.saran@pmo.nic.in - Joint Sec - Prime Min office
jaideep.sarkar@pmo.nic.in - Ps to PM
jsds@moia.nic.in - Min of Overseas Indian Affairs
jscpg-mha@nic.in - Min of Home Affairs - Complaint Cell
dirpg-mha@nic.in- Dir of Min of Home Affairs - Complaint Cell
hm@nic.in - Home ministry
vayalar@sansad.nic.in - NRI Affairs Minister
Right to Know Act email address
asfah@nic.in - Addl Sec
rpnath@nic.in - Joint Sec (Admin)
jsbm@nic.in - Joint Sec (BM)

Above emails are must to be sent if we need any action.Not only
US citizen of India origin send the emails those who are going to get US citizenship should also sent emails and others who have I-485 filed or on H1 should also send emails. Please make request to others in I-485 thread and H1 thread and Citizenship thread so that they know what happened and what is happening with NYC India consulate so they become aware and support by sending Emails to above email address. We need many emails to be sent. Not only OCI thread related to NYC but related to other Consulates should also send emails and post the information in other threads also. Let the emails also go to Media in India and write to all the newspaper editors, subeditors, journalists , TV channels like AAJ TAK , ZEE TV, STAR Plus, NDTV and other news channels in India.

Thanks for the good work.
 
Received Original Check, Cancelled Passport & SC!!!

On June 16th I received, the cancelled passport along with original check of 545/- (for each of the 3 family members for 175/- + $20/-) and the SC!!
I sent the original SC application on May 21st & the revised fee on June 3rd.
My sympathies are with folks who piad 175/- and are not getting the refund. (Even I sent mails to all the GOI e-mails listed on this forum, in support of the refund request)
Good Luck to all the folks.
FYI....my OCI application is finally Acknowledged on June 12th (I sent the OCI application on April 8th!!!)
- R.
 
Applying for OCI

Hello,

I got my citizenship on May 3rd and in process of applying for OCI. Can I send the application along with indian passport or do i need to cancel the indian passport, receive cancellation notification then apply for OCI. Please advise.
Thank you in advance.

Regards
Kat
 
I too received our canceled Indian passports today. I had sent application for SC on May 25 with $175 MO/per member. I got email from consulate in the 1st week of June asking for revised MO of $20/member. I sent revised MO & printout of email on June 7th, and received canceled PPs & original MO. But I have not received SCs. All I got was stamped application of SC. Anyways, it does not matter, I am mailing my US passports (with other things) on Monday since my OCI is already approved on May 27.

Received Original Check, Cancelled Passport & SC!!!

On June 16th I received, the cancelled passport along with original check of 545/- (for each of the 3 family members for 175/- + $20/-) and the SC!!
I sent the original SC application on May 21st & the revised fee on June 3rd.
My sympathies are with folks who piad 175/- and are not getting the refund. (Even I sent mails to all the GOI e-mails listed on this forum, in support of the refund request)
Good Luck to all the folks.
FYI....my OCI application is finally Acknowledged on June 12th (I sent the OCI application on April 8th!!!)
- R.
 
Dear Friends,

Please support the petition opposing renunciation of Indian citizenship at

http://www.petitiononline.com/OCIpeti/petition.html

with the subject: Opposition to mandatory renunciation of Indian Citizenship and request to consider OCI as a "standalone" document and make it a success by posting atleast 50000 signatures by July 15 2010.

Please circulate this url to all your friends by email.

Regards,

Deepak
 
Received US passport and OCI but did not receive cancelled indian passports and SC

Hello,

I am not sure what the process at Indian Consulate, NY is. I sent in all my documents along with Indian and US passports. I received my OCI and US passports but they did not return my cancelled indian passports. I sent in all in one packet ( application for SC+ Indian passts+US passpts+ $20 for SC since I got US citizenship before 6/1/10. + $20 for return mail)
 
Has anyone gone into NYC consulate to pick up OCI in the past week? If so, can you share how long it takes? Do I have to drop off in the morning and get it later or can it be done in one trip?
 
Has anyone gone into NYC consulate to pick up OCI in the past week? If so, can you share how long it takes? Do I have to drop off in the morning and get it later or can it be done in one trip?

You have to drop your US passport before 11.00 or 11.30 and have to collect after 1.00 pm
ps: You can walk in. No need to stand in a line
 
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