OCI - Washington DC Tracker
- Thread starter madabushi
- Start date
Now there is a new twist. My son's OCI is granted on 11/18, over a month after mine. See the timeline in my signature for more details. All these days, I kinda assumed that his application was approved and his status was being tracked with mine. But I was wrong. I already sent both our passports and his PIO card to the embassy last month. Now I have to wait for his documents to be received at the embassy before they can send our passports back.
What a nightmare..
Finally received our Passports and OCI cards back on Thursday. My son's documents were received at DC on 12/1 and we received them by 12/3, so it was not that bad. The real reason for the delay was due to my son's application getting stuck in Delhi for whatever reason for a very long time.
All in all, the whole process took a little les than 4 months and we are glad its over...
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Finally received our Passports and OCI cards back on Thursday. My son's documents were received at DC on 12/1 and we received them by 12/3, so it was not that bad. The real reason for the delay was due to my son's application getting stuck in Delhi for whatever reason for a very long time.
All in all, the whole process took a little les than 4 months and we are glad its over...
Glad to know that. whew! Have a smooth life! I can't wait to go to India in January 2010 (already booked my airline ticket. whew!) for vacation.
When the Indian consulate or Indian embassy gets OCI documents from Delhi then you go to them with your US passport and Indian passport OR can mail US passport and Indian passport and they paste the U visa in your US passport and give you OCI booklet and cancel the Indian passport with stamp. No need of Renunciation form to cancel the Indian passport.
FYI one of my friend applied OCI through NYC Indian consulate and when his OCI arrived at NYC (he checked online status of OCI) he went to Indian consulate NYC with US passport and Indian passport. After about 2 hours the clerk at the window gave him his OCI booklet and U visa in his US passport. When he asked for his Indian passport the clerk pointed to bunch of Indian passports kept before window and asked him to pick up his Indian passport. He found his Indian passport and checked that the Indian passport was not cancelled and did not have cancelled stamp. He pointed to the clerk and clerk said no need for cancelled stamp as the passport number is cancelled by Delhi and they enter that in Ministry data. He came back with OCI document, U visa in US passport and Indian passport without any cancelled stamp.
Cancelled Indian PP not returned with OCI
Hi,
I had applied for OCI four months ago and I sent our indian passports, US passports to Washington Embassy office. Couple of weeks back, We have received OCI and US passports(U Visa stamped) but NOT cancelled indian passports. I called and left voice messages and sent emails to embassy but no response yet.
I heard that Indian Embassy returns Cancelled Indian passports too. Will I be asked for indian passports anywhere in future? Did they change any rules recently to affect this.
Thanks in advance.
Hi,
I had applied for OCI four months ago and I sent our indian passports, US passports to Washington Embassy office. Couple of weeks back, We have received OCI and US passports(U Visa stamped) but NOT cancelled indian passports. I called and left voice messages and sent emails to embassy but no response yet.
I heard that Indian Embassy returns Cancelled Indian passports too. Will I be asked for indian passports anywhere in future? Did they change any rules recently to affect this.
Thanks in advance.
You did a mistake of sending Indian passport when applied OCI. You were supposed to send only Copy of Indian passport with OCI application. Other person who posted in this thread also did not got his Indian passport back from embassy. Embassy is supposed to cancel the Indian passport when you collect OCI booklet and US visa is stamped in US passport. Indian embassy Washington service is very bad and they don’t pick up the phone and don’t reply the phone. If you are staying near to embassy then visit the embassy and ask for your cancelled Indian passport. update the info once you get back the passport.
*** You need the cancelled Indian passport to prove that you were Indian citizen when your children or grand children need evidence of you being Indian citizen.
prashanthk
Registered Users (C)
Received our OCI cards/Passport with Visa yesterday..
I followed the OCI guidelines. Also, I sent indian passports after I received an email from embassy asking for them. Also I read that indian passports need to be send to embassy for cancellation. So I believe It was not my mistake.
As I am stayng far from Embassy, is there any other way I can get my indian passports back.
As I am stayng far from Embassy, is there any other way I can get my indian passports back.
If you still have any of your older passports, you should be OK since you can use them to prove Indian citizenship if required.
Maybe try calling the Passport officer and give him your name,and passport number. He may be able to help you.
I had sent my Indian Passport for cancellation along with my US Passport. After a month, with 6-7 voice mails and three - four faxes, I got my Indian Passport back with a Cancelled Stamp - Acquired US Citizenship on it.
I had sent my Indian Passport for cancellation along with my US Passport. After a month, with 6-7 voice mails and three - four faxes, I got my Indian Passport back with a Cancelled Stamp - Acquired US Citizenship on it.
Self Attest/Notarize
Hi,
How do we send the passport copies?
Wash. Embassy site says that the US passport copies need to be notarized and Indian passport copies should be self attested. Please confirm.
Also I assume we need to sign on each page (for self attestation or notarized)?
Hi,
How do we send the passport copies?
Wash. Embassy site says that the US passport copies need to be notarized and Indian passport copies should be self attested. Please confirm.
Also I assume we need to sign on each page (for self attestation or notarized)?
richmondva
Registered Users (C)
That's Right! US passport copies should be signed and notarized on each page and Indian passport copies should be self-attested (signed and write 'True copy of Original'). I followed the exact instructions on their Web site and in a little over 3 weeks my OCI is approved, printed and expected back in DC in a couple of days. I will then send our original US passports. I expect my entire process door-to-door to be completed in a little over a month or so.
I have seen a number of people complaining here but on the contrary my experience so far has been very positive. Bottom line is to follow instructions and submit a very organized application (with cover letter, good copies, signed appropriately etc), send docs/originals on time per request and things should work out smoothly.
Thanks richmondva.
Also my daughter has an indian passport (now invalid as she became US citizen along with us). I assume the documentation for her will be similar to mine, do I need to send her birth cirtificate, etc. OR just send copies of US pp, indian pp like I am doing for me.
Why I am asking is others have mentioned that they had sent birth certificate, mom's passport copies, dad's passport copies etc for kids and I think this is because they don't have indian passport.
Also my daughter has an indian passport (now invalid as she became US citizen along with us). I assume the documentation for her will be similar to mine, do I need to send her birth cirtificate, etc. OR just send copies of US pp, indian pp like I am doing for me.
Why I am asking is others have mentioned that they had sent birth certificate, mom's passport copies, dad's passport copies etc for kids and I think this is because they don't have indian passport.
Birth certificate, etc. is only needed when the child never held Indian passport.
Thanks akgarg..
RV,
I got my US passport copies notarized. I haven't signed on the copies. Is this OK?
I have signed and wrote "TRUE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL" on Indian passport copies.
Is this right (especially for US passport copies - I haven't signed but notarized).
Thanks.
I got my US passport copies notarized. I haven't signed on the copies. Is this OK?
I have signed and wrote "TRUE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL" on Indian passport copies.
Is this right (especially for US passport copies - I haven't signed but notarized).
Thanks.
richmondva
Registered Users (C)
cpzinga:
I am a little confused. Is it possible to get it Notarized without signing? I always thought Notarization meant that the Notary is certifying your sign (Doesn't Notarizing mean that the person signing the document is the person claimed in the signature?). Apparently there is something I was unaware of since the notary has obviously Notarized it; he/she is likely to know more than me. In India there is something called as "attestation" which means the "gazetted office who attests" verifies the original and certifies that the copy is of the original. I thought that concept did not exist in the US but looks like I was wrong. And if the concept does exist, it is probably a step better than my case where the notary just certified my signature.
I am thinking it should be OK to submit it. Also what did he put in the note besides the sign and seal? It is generally something like "Signed and Sworn before me......."? Does that sentence imply that he has certified the copy of the passport or does it mean he has certified the signature?
You should be good in my opinion and embassy will come back to you if they need anything. In fact I know that a few people people send it even without Notarizing; so you are a couple of steps ahead.
I had applied for OCI for my wife and kid in Sept 09, but no news of it as yet. See timelines below. Anyone has this kind of experience?
Applied on 15 SEP 2009
Ack 20 OCT 2009
Granted 4 NOV 2009
Documents Printed: ?
Documents dispatched from Delhi:?
Documents received at DC: NOT YET
Thanks for your feedback.
Applied on 15 SEP 2009
Ack 20 OCT 2009
Granted 4 NOV 2009
Documents Printed: ?
Documents dispatched from Delhi:?
Documents received at DC: NOT YET
Thanks for your feedback.
I applied on Nov 3rd and my application was returned yesterday due to issues with fees. I had per instructions on the Embassy website included $140 for OCI card for a PIO card holder under age of 18. But it seems the fee was changed at some point to $145.
Did anyone else experience the same problem?
Did anyone else experience the same problem?