OCI - San Francisco Tracker
- Thread starter tdesai
- Start date
Nutty_nick
New Member
OCI done in 5 weeks
Received my OCI cards with stamped passports on November 5, 2008. Consulate took about 10 days to send back the passports with OCI visa sticker and cards.
Date Of Acknowledgment :11-OCT-2008
Registration Status Granted On 14-OCT-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned On 14-OCT-2008
Documents Printed On 14-OCT-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 15-OCT-2008
Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO On 25-OCT-2008
I mailed my US & Indian passports and PIO cards to the consulate the same day status was updated after being received in SFO ( 10/25/08 ).
4 weeks was pretty fast and is unbelievable efficiency from a GoI entity. Here are a few pointers when you apply:
- Fedex Kinko's US passport photos with white background are ok with the SFO consulate. Prior to submitting the application, I sent them an email with a copy of the passport photo scanned and they replied with 24 hours and confirmed it is fine. However, try to wear a dark shirt that provides a contrast with the background.
- I made separate cashier's checks for each applicant. We were 2 adults and 2 kids. So 4 checks with 275, 275, 25 and 25 were sent ( Kids have PIO.) You could aggregate the amount into one cashier's check and it would be fine, but I thought of keeping payment separate for each applicant as it was probably easier for the person reviewing to reconcile the payment with the status of each applicant.
Awaiting to get documents backed from consulate. Will update status as soon as I receive them.
Now, we can technically revert to Indian citizenship in 5 years
Received my OCI cards with stamped passports on November 5, 2008. Consulate took about 10 days to send back the passports with OCI visa sticker and cards.
Ravi Mecheril
Registered Users (C)
Getting OCI-card and visa at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco
I would like to get your recommendations and suggestions on getting the OCI-card and on getting the OCI-Visa stamped in my daughter's passport. My daughter's application for the OCI-card has been approved and the documents have been received in the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. We live in Bakersfield. In my apartment, the mail boxes are not dependable, and hence I feel that it would be risky to receive the stamped-passport in mail. So, I am planning to go to the San Francisco consulate in person to get the OCI-card and the passport stamped.
I did not find information at the Consulate-site that the OCI-card can be obtained in person. The Web-site of the San Francisco Consulate (http://cgisf.org/ ) states that there is no option for personal pick-up, and asks us to send the passport by mail. I could not get anyone at the Consulate on telephone so as to explain my specific situation. I am worried whether my trip from Bakersfield to San Francisco will be futile, if the card can not be obtained in person.
I know that that the Indian Embassy in New York would provide the card in person, but I am interested in the practice at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. If any of you have exprience in getting the OCI-card in person at the Consulate, please give me an E-mail-reply with your suggestions and recommendations.
Thanks,
Ravi
I would like to get your recommendations and suggestions on getting the OCI-card and on getting the OCI-Visa stamped in my daughter's passport. My daughter's application for the OCI-card has been approved and the documents have been received in the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. We live in Bakersfield. In my apartment, the mail boxes are not dependable, and hence I feel that it would be risky to receive the stamped-passport in mail. So, I am planning to go to the San Francisco consulate in person to get the OCI-card and the passport stamped.
I did not find information at the Consulate-site that the OCI-card can be obtained in person. The Web-site of the San Francisco Consulate (http://cgisf.org/ ) states that there is no option for personal pick-up, and asks us to send the passport by mail. I could not get anyone at the Consulate on telephone so as to explain my specific situation. I am worried whether my trip from Bakersfield to San Francisco will be futile, if the card can not be obtained in person.
I know that that the Indian Embassy in New York would provide the card in person, but I am interested in the practice at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. If any of you have exprience in getting the OCI-card in person at the Consulate, please give me an E-mail-reply with your suggestions and recommendations.
Thanks,
Ravi
I am assuming that you have sent (or can send) them a stamped/addressed USPS Express Mail envelope. The delivery of that requires a signature, so the mailman will not leave it in your mail box. If you are not available, they will leave a claim slip which you can take to the post office to claim your envelope. Express mail come with a tracking number so you will know exactly when the envelope came back (from the consulate) to your post office - or if a delivery attempt was made.
1485waiter
Registered Users (C)
I am planning to apply for OCI. Can someone explain how does the return mail works, when sending the passport? SF-CGI advises to use Self-Addressed Stamped Express Mail. Is this the Express-envelope available at USPS? How do I determine the Stamp amount?
Yes, it's the Express Mail envelope found in post offices. Just use the flat-rate postage of $16.50. You can send the self-address stamped envelope with the application, or later on when you send your passports for visa sticker.
Question about sending passports
Hi All
I have filled in the OCI form for me, my wife and 2 kids.
I read that I need to send both US & Indian passports in Original along with the OCI application (http://www.cgisf.org/oc/oci_process.html & section "What is required").
Do I need to send our US & Indian passports in Original along with the OCI application or send them later once the OCI is granted?
Please let me know.
Hi All
I have filled in the OCI form for me, my wife and 2 kids.
I read that I need to send both US & Indian passports in Original along with the OCI application (http://www.cgisf.org/oc/oci_process.html & section "What is required").
Do I need to send our US & Indian passports in Original along with the OCI application or send them later once the OCI is granted?
Please let me know.
Your choice, per http://www.cgisf.org/oc/oci_process.html#eligibility
2. SUBMISSION OF US AND INDIAN PASSPORTS IN ORIGINAL:
In order to save dispatch time of US/foreign passport and OCI card, the applicants are requested to mail their passports in original along with OCI application. However, if the applicant is traveling or has any plan to travel while OCI application is in process, i.e. within 21 business days, kindly do not send US/foreign passport in original. Mail your US passport once the file number appears on http://www.cgisf.org/oc/granted_oci.html
Latter - Part A is per applicant and part B is per family.
1485waiter
Registered Users (C)
Another silly question about Express mail....
I paid for the express mail ($16.50). Postal Employee gave me a non-filled address-sticker, which had three carbon-copies. I wrote on the top slip. The bottom-most one was the sticky address-slip. I separated that and pasted the slip on the envelope. What do I do with the remaining three address-slips? Should I retain them or should I send it with the self-addressed envelope to the Consulate? Does USPS need them to process the mail when CGI attempts to return it back?
Thanks in advance.
I paid for the express mail ($16.50). Postal Employee gave me a non-filled address-sticker, which had three carbon-copies. I wrote on the top slip. The bottom-most one was the sticky address-slip. I separated that and pasted the slip on the envelope. What do I do with the remaining three address-slips? Should I retain them or should I send it with the self-addressed envelope to the Consulate? Does USPS need them to process the mail when CGI attempts to return it back?
Thanks in advance.
I have sent my OCI application on Nov 29th and it has reached on Dec 1st.
Could you let me know when the status of my case gets changed approximately?
1485waiter - Just write down the tracking number and send them with all the 3 slips. Once you write on the top slip, those details will go onto the bottom slips.
Could you let me know when the status of my case gets changed approximately?
1485waiter - Just write down the tracking number and send them with all the 3 slips. Once you write on the top slip, those details will go onto the bottom slips.
From the recent time-lines, in about 1 to 2 weeks you should see you apps acknowledged. Go to http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp and type your online reg# in the second box.
Hi akgarg
I found the status of my case as below:
Registration Status UnderProcess
Documents Printing Status NOT PRINTED
Documents Despatched From Delhi On NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO NOT YET
What are the steps in the process and when do I need to send my passport
for stamping? Please let me know.
Thanks
Homer
I found the status of my case as below:
Registration Status UnderProcess
Documents Printing Status NOT PRINTED
Documents Despatched From Delhi On NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO NOT YET
What are the steps in the process and when do I need to send my passport
for stamping? Please let me know.
Thanks
Homer
I am assuming that your application has been acknowledged. Next you will see dates assigned to other boxes like scanned/granted/printed/dispatched, etc. You send your passport for stamping as soon as you see a date next to the "Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO" box.
Homer,
My application was received by SFO Indian consulate on Dec. 3, not yet acknowledged. Looking at your timeline, I guess it should be anytime soon?
We have also put costco photographs. One of my friends did put costco photographs on their application, and it went fine.
Thanks,
Mehul.
My application was received by SFO Indian consulate on Dec. 3, not yet acknowledged. Looking at your timeline, I guess it should be anytime soon?
We have also put costco photographs. One of my friends did put costco photographs on their application, and it went fine.
Thanks,
Mehul.
Hi akgarg
I saw my status changed as following. What would be the next step(s)?
Registration Status Granted On 11-DEC-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned On 11-DEC-2008
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 11-DEC-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO NOT YET
How many days does it take for documents to reach from Delhi to SFO?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Homer
I saw my status changed as following. What would be the next step(s)?
Registration Status Granted On 11-DEC-2008
Photo/Signature Scanned On 11-DEC-2008
Documents Printing Status PRINTED
Documents Printed On 11-DEC-2008
Documents Despatched From Delhi On NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at SAN FRANCISCO NOT YET
How many days does it take for documents to reach from Delhi to SFO?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Homer
In the next 1 or 2 working days, your docs should be dispatched from Delhi and in 5-10 days after that they should reach SFO.