OCI - San Francisco Tracker

My application was sent exactly a month ago and status has not been updated and there is no e-mail for 4 weeks now. I have sent them couple of e-mail messages which they have not replied to at all.

What should be my next steps? Wait for another month and then start calling them or go there personally?
 
What does the surrender certificate look like?

Along with our OCIs, US passport and canceled passports we got back 1 original of the 2-original SC app that we had submitted. This original has been stamped and signed by the consulate and also has a DRIL no. that is also seen written on our US passports.

To anyone who has already gotten their SC, can you please confirm that is the SC or not? If not, what does your SC state?

Apparently, folks in the NY consulate got a printed/signed letter stating passports surrender on the consulate letterhead.

The people at the consulate are very helpful. They too have been surprised by this new requirement and trying to cope up with the deluge in applications and inquiries. We were at the SF consulate 05/19 and the OCI lady promised to send out the OCIs on Friday which she followed through with and we got the OCIs on Saturday.

It seems they are not updating the online status. Our OCI cards were dispatched on 05/13 and we saw them in our files during our 05/19 visit. Even now that we have received the OCIs, the status still shows up as "Not Yet" received. Apparently they are too swamped to update the OCI status.

Anyone with upcoming travel, please go in person to the consulate with proof of travel and they will try to accomodate as much as they can.

Again anyone who has already received SC, can you please confirm what you received as the SC? Thanks a lot.
 
We too have been through the ordeal of having our entire app packet mailed back for non-issues (wasting 40 bucks, approx 3 weeks in the process and getting snared in this new SC rule).

cu_, desibartender
Yes, you can re-send the app back as-is (along with the additional documents asked for by the consulate) and the same money order.
 
me too...what a pain =(
I got the application back with a checklist saying I haven't sent something. They haven't even bothered saying what I had not sent. It's a newer checklist.
I am planning to go there in person - sure it'll be a few hours waste of time, but I don't have patience to wait for another 3 weeks.
 
Anyone able to check the status online??
Since yesterday I am getting "System is under maintenance.. Please try after some time.. "
 
Received OCI & surrender

Anyone able to check the status online??
Since yesterday I am getting "System is under maintenance.. Please try after some time.. "

After my Trip mentioned above in post #1113 received my OCIs, Visas in US passposts, Surrender Certs (me and wife), cancelled Indian passports in mail yesterday.

The surrender cert is the Application we submitted for surrender cert. They added a reference number, with Vice Consulate sign and Seal. This Number is mentioned in red is written In the cancelled passport along with Cancellation Stamp
 
Last edited by a moderator:
desibartender ,

From my experience Going to the consulate is helpful. Take all the documents copies that you have with you.
 
Ramkay - could you confirm that you had to apply and pay individually for you and your wife for the SC?

I am looking for some guidance on how to apply SC for minor kids with indian pp. Sent cgisf a query on friday but no reply yet - don't know if I shld go ahead and add a sep. apps for the kid as well

After my Trip mentioned above in post #1113 received my OCIs, Visas in US passposts, Surrender Certs (me and wife), cancelled Indian passports in mail yesterday.

The surrender cert is the Application we submitted for surrender cert. They added a reference number, with Vice Consulate sign and Seal. This Number is mentioned in red is written In the cancelled passport along with Cancellation Stamp
 
Ramkay - could you confirm that you had to apply and pay individually for you and your wife for the SC?

I am looking for some guidance on how to apply SC for minor kids with indian pp. Sent cgisf a query on friday but no reply yet - don't know if I shld go ahead and add a sep. apps for the kid as well

I submitted and paid 2 seperate applications. if you apply for kids (india born) you need seperate application for each applicant.
The reason I am saying is that the certificate they give you is nothing but your application, with some ID and the seal&signature of vice consulate.
 
PROTEST RALLY MAY 26th at 10 am
A Rally in front of the Indian Consulate in NY City is planned for May 26 at 10 am to protest the new rules and fees imposed on the Diaspora. Contact Thomas T Oommen, Chairman political forum, FOMAA, and Leela Maret, treasurer, FOKANA, at 631-796-0064.
This is right out of India Abroad dated May 28th.
 
We received our OCIs, US/canceled Indian passports and canceled PIO along with the consulate stamped/signed copy of the SC app form last Saturday.

Thanks Ramkay for confirming that this is also what you received as the SC. This resolves the last remaining issue. BTW, had sent left you a visitor message last week on your profile
 
after a month long wait............ My OCI application got acknowledged yesterday.... (Sent on 04/21)
 
I provided my surrender certificate 2 weeks ago.. went in-person and took care of that.
Today the status again changed to granted and photo scanned.
 
A question: it says we can send one of a few documents, including GC, EAD, passport used to enter the US, and I130. My mom doesn't have copies of her GC, so does this mean a copy of the passport used to first enter the US is all that is needed? It'll take a while to get a GC copy under the FOIA, and she would like to travel to India soon.
 
Here is my status...
OCI application sent - 5/13
USPS confirmed delivery 5/14
Acknowledgement date: 5/25
Registration Status: Granted (27-MAY-2010)
Photo/Signature: Scanned (27-MAY-2010)
Documents Printing Status: NOT PRINTED
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on NOT DISPATCHED
 
Here is my status...
OCI application sent - 5/13
USPS confirmed delivery 5/14
Acknowledgement date: 5/25
Registration Status: Granted (27-MAY-2010)
Photo/Signature: Scanned (27-MAY-2010)
Documents Printing Status: NOT PRINTED
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on NOT DISPATCHED

Did you also submit the original surrender certificate along with your OCI application ? How long did it take for processing the surrender certificate ?
 
Yesterday I made a trip to consulate to make sure at least surrender certificate is applied (hopefully correctly now - after they examined all the docs etc.)

Two questions -
1. Can one submit OCI in person @ the consulate after getting my surrender certificate? - only reason why I want to do this is so that they will verify that I have all the docs that they need.
2. If I submit all the correct documents (hopefully again verified by ppl at consulate that they are correct ) - how long does it take to get OCI
 
I visited the CGI-SF in connection to my granted (and then, stuck) OCI application despite sending surrender certificate etc. I went to CGI-SF at around 9:30, there were about 6-8 people for OCI, in addition to other services. The OCI customers wait outside, all others are allowed inside. We queued up and waited outside, and at around 10am, the person processing OCI came to the outside ("passport pickup") counter and spoke to us individually. So if you have any urgent need and can go to SF, you could perhaps go there around 9:30am, and after some wait, you can speak to the person who processes the application.

Unlike other government organizations I've dealt with (US and Indian), the consulate was a welcome change - they are actually trying to help us instead of "just doing a job".

Also - I was also successful reaching the OCI cell over phone. I tried probably 50 times, and got lucky (around 3pm).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top