Mine were received by them on Monday. The USPS does not show tracking status for my envelope yet. Let us see when I will get mine back.
OCI - San Francisco Tracker
- Thread starter tdesai
- Start date
Mine were received by them on Monday. The USPS does not show tracking status for my envelope yet. Let us see when I will get mine back.
I would also attest to agarg's email about CGI SF being professional in replying e-mails. Based on my expereince in sending them e-mails in last 2 years or so
A silly question maybe. What type should the return $16.59 'usps express mail' envelope be ? Just wondering if there is a particular type/size suited for this particular purpose.
I am assuming it should be one of the cardboard types since they will be returning the passports in them.
Also, since we are supposed to send it as part of the application itself in another envelope, would prefer not to bend it etc. Thanks.
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I am assuming it should be one of the cardboard types since they will be returning the passports in them.
Also, since we are supposed to send it as part of the application itself in another envelope, would prefer not to bend it etc. Thanks.
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In any post office, you can find a [medium weight] cardboard Express Mail envelope and also the address labels. Fill the label with your address as recipient and CGI address as sender, affix the stamp, and put the envelope as well as your application (and other accompanying material) in a mylar envelope - either Priority Mail or Express Mail (depending on how much you want to spend and how soon you want it to get to CGI - 1 day vs. 2-3 days). Mylar envelopes are slightly bigger than cardboard envelopes and the 8.5x11" application so nothing needs to be bent and the combined weight will still be OK so that you wont be paying anything more than the flat rate charges for Priority or Express mail.
I used http://tinyurl.com/qjavs (Express mail Tyvek envelope, larger than self addressed) for mailing the Express mail flat rate self addressed + application forms. Flat rate envelope is http://tinyurl.com/em4rp. I am a believer in doing everything online and printing on a printer as much as possible. So I created a USPS online account and printed all mailing labels online. For self addressed stamped return label, I paid by credit card and printed the return label online. Then I also printed the addresses on a larger 24 pt font and pasted on the USPS envelopes. This way it is super clear for the postman to deliver.
Noraml flat-rate envelope ($16.25) should be fine. I sent that one and got 4 PP + 4 OCI booklets + 2 Indian PP + 1 PIO card perfectly fine.
Woooo-Hooooo - Got the Stamped PP / OCI Booklets / Cancelled Indian PP / Cancelled PIO Cards. Finally the process has finished.
Here are the timelines :
Form A filled - Feb 7, 2008
Form A/B/Docs mailed to SF consulate - Feb 12, 2008
Delivered receipt (from USPS) @ SF Consulate - Feb 13, 2008
ACKNOWLEDGED - April 4, 2008
GRANTED - April 5, 2008
PHOTO/SIGNATURE SCANNED - April 5, 2008
DOCUMENTS PRINTED - April 7, 2008
DOCUMENTS DISPATHCED - April 8,2008
OCI DOCS REACHED SF - April 24, 2008
PASSPORT SENT FOR STAMPING - April 28, 2008
PASSPORT RECEIVED @ Home - May 6, 2008
Total Days for OCI Processing = 90 days (from Feb 7 to May 6)
Good luck to everyone and Thanks for all the help
Here are the timelines :
Form A filled - Feb 7, 2008
Form A/B/Docs mailed to SF consulate - Feb 12, 2008
Delivered receipt (from USPS) @ SF Consulate - Feb 13, 2008
ACKNOWLEDGED - April 4, 2008
GRANTED - April 5, 2008
PHOTO/SIGNATURE SCANNED - April 5, 2008
DOCUMENTS PRINTED - April 7, 2008
DOCUMENTS DISPATHCED - April 8,2008
OCI DOCS REACHED SF - April 24, 2008
PASSPORT SENT FOR STAMPING - April 28, 2008
PASSPORT RECEIVED @ Home - May 6, 2008
Total Days for OCI Processing = 90 days (from Feb 7 to May 6)
Good luck to everyone and Thanks for all the help
2" or 35mm
The guidelines for photo's on CGISF website say that the photo should be 2"x2". But on Part A, they say 35mm x 35mm. So, which size are we supposed to send? In our 2"x2" photo's, the dimensions for face itself are more than 35mm.
Also, while printing the application, Part-B was generated only once. Are we supposed to get 2 prints for Part-B -- one for each applicant? Part B does not look applicant specific. So, if I need to submit a separate Part-B for each of us, then can I simply photocopy it?
The guidelines for photo's on CGISF website say that the photo should be 2"x2". But on Part A, they say 35mm x 35mm. So, which size are we supposed to send? In our 2"x2" photo's, the dimensions for face itself are more than 35mm.
Also, while printing the application, Part-B was generated only once. Are we supposed to get 2 prints for Part-B -- one for each applicant? Part B does not look applicant specific. So, if I need to submit a separate Part-B for each of us, then can I simply photocopy it?
The guidelines for photo's on CGISF website say that the photo should be 2"x2". But on Part A, they say 35mm x 35mm. So, which size are we supposed to send? In our 2"x2" photo's, the dimensions for face itself are more than 35mm.
Also, while printing the application, Part-B was generated only once. Are we supposed to get 2 prints for Part-B -- one for each applicant? Part B does not look applicant specific. So, if I need to submit a separate Part-B for each of us, then can I simply photocopy it?
2"x2" pics are fine - that's what we sent. You are right, part B is not applicant specific. So, if you are applying for a family of 4, then there would be 4 part As and 1 part B and then a second set (of photocopies) of the same.
Thanks again, akgarg; I don't think I could have done my OCI without your help.
My concern about our 2"x2" photo's is that the facial dimensions are more than 35mm. We don't have extra-ordinarily large faces
but don't know if that's how most people get their photo's. Our photo's from Indian passport were 35mm x 35mm.BTW, what do they do with the 3 photo's that we provide? Especially the third one that is not pasted to the application. Do they use it for the OCI stamp/book or do they simply return it.
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Thanks again, akgarg; I don't think I could have done my OCI without your help.
My concern about our 2"x2" photo's is that the facial dimensions are more than 35mm. We don't have extra-ordinarily large faces
BTW, what do they do with the 3 photo's that we provide? Especially the third one that is not pasted to the application. Do they use it for the OCI stamp/book or do they simply return it.
If your 2"x2" photos are like US passport photos, they would be OK.
I am not sure, but the 3rd photo is probably used for a scan - digital scans of the photos you submit are printed on both the U visa stickers and the OCI booklets that you will receive at the end of this process.
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Thanks akgarg for your prompt responses. So, I'm going to paste my 2"x2" photo's on Part-A, where it asks for 35mmX35mm photo's, without resizing them in any way.
I'm also including a cover letter explaining why I'm not sending return postage paid envelope at this time.
avg_joe1234
Registered Users (C)
I applied in first week of April. If I remember correctly, mailed the package on Thursday 04/03/2008. Now the online status indicates that applictaion has been acknowledged, printed and scanned. However the documents have not been dispatched yet.
WOW!!! Looks like OCI is moving faster again. I was expecting my acknowledgement by end of this month, but just checked my status and guess what?
March 30 Filed Part A online
April 1 appplication recieved at CGISF
May 7 Acknowledged
May 8 status granted, photo signature scanned
May 9 Document Printed
May 13 Documents Dispatched from Delhi
I just can not believe it. Waiting eagerly to stamp my passports with U Visa,
Then a long awaited vacation in India.
WOW!!! Looks like OCI is moving faster again. I was expecting my acknowledgement by end of this month, but just checked my status and guess what?
March 30 Filed Part A online
April 1 appplication recieved at CGISF
May 7 Acknowledged
May 8 status granted, photo signature scanned
May 9 Document Printed
May 13 Documents Dispatched from Delhi
I just can not believe it. Waiting eagerly to stamp my passports with U Visa,
Then a long awaited vacation in India.
that's great news, punk! congratulations.
Did your spouse application go thru as well? She had a name change right?
Yes it went through fine, the acknowledgement shows the correct new name. Looks like no court papers required for family name change because of a marriage.
This was really surprising to me considering CGISF takes 60 days for ack.