OCI - Washington DC Tracker
- Thread starter madabushi
- Start date
I wrote email to ociwashington about the passports. I got the following reply.
"Hello,
It takes about 20 working days to dispatch OCI from the date of receipt of passport in our office. "
Nothing about receipt of passport or anything. It looks like we are on for a long wait. They seems to be in the sleep mode. If anyone got the passports back with OCI please post.
Thanks
tsb
"Hello,
It takes about 20 working days to dispatch OCI from the date of receipt of passport in our office. "
Nothing about receipt of passport or anything. It looks like we are on for a long wait. They seems to be in the sleep mode. If anyone got the passports back with OCI please post.
Thanks
tsb
Read this .....
OCI cardholders are hot for Indian assignments
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/5231433.cms
That may be a reason for OCI staff dealing with flood of new OCI applications and not spedning time in stamping and sending back the processed OCI !!!!
FYI - Iam lucky enough to get my OCI and PP last week itself when i sent it on 03/25/2010
My son was scheduled to leave for india on 04/25, still took chance to send the PP and get back the docs in time !!!
OCI cardholders are hot for Indian assignments
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/5231433.cms
That may be a reason for OCI staff dealing with flood of new OCI applications and not spedning time in stamping and sending back the processed OCI !!!!
FYI - Iam lucky enough to get my OCI and PP last week itself when i sent it on 03/25/2010
My son was scheduled to leave for india on 04/25, still took chance to send the PP and get back the docs in time !!!
Hi Hitraj:
What does that link contain.
just curious. Could U please post the contents of that link (if you don't mind)
Not able to open that link.
If it is not that important, do NOT bother.
Thanks
Gee24
speedy1027
Registered Users (C)
For whatever it is worth, I put :
a) 1 Cover letter addressed to Indian Embassy, OCI Cell.
b) 2 forms of identification (self attested copy of DL and a utility bill) for me and my wife. Don't know if they are of any use....but I just included them.
Cheers,
speedy
Last edited by a moderator:
OCI cardholders are hot for Indian assignments
NEW DELHI: The government’s decision to get tough on business visas for foreigners has vastly improved the employability prospects of thousands of
Indian-origin people settled overseas and triggered a surge in applications for the overseas citizenship of India (OCI) scheme.
Until recently, the Indian government followed a liberal policy of allowing a large number of occupations and employees of companies to come to and work with business visas. But with the new rules, the simpler business visa is restricted to a much smaller number of people who can come to India to explore possibilities of setting up businesses. The employment visa is mandatory for skilled and qualified foreigners who come to India for employment.
Multinational companies are finding it simpler to hire these so-called OCI cardholders, who enjoy a multiple entry, multipurpose life long visa to visit India. The card provides a lifelong visa to the holder, sparing them the need to obtain separate work permits.
For these cardholders, the OCI is also not just about an emotional connect to their country of origin, it makes eminent business sense too. Especially for erstwhile Indian nationals living in the west.
Predictably, Indian missions overseas are witnessing a deluge in OCI applications, the number of OCI cards issued by consulates around the world has risen to 501,339 in the second week of November 2009 from around 350,000 issued in January this year. Several Indian consulates are grappling with a huge backlog of applications.
“The countries from where we have the maximum demand include the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand,” a senior official of the ministry of overseas Indian affairs told SundayET. According to a recent report by the Washington DC-based Migration Policy Institute, 43% of the OCI cards were issued through Indian consulates in the US and 13% in the UK.
Launched in 2005, the OCI is the closest to any form of dual citizenship permitted by India. Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), who migrated from India and acquired citizenship of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh, are eligible for grant of OCI as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship in some form or the other.
OCI holders are treated on par with NRIs for economic, financial and educational matters and only don’t have political rights and rights to buy agricultural and plantation properties. They are also exempt from registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) on their arrival in the country.
Immigration and tax experts feel that the OCI card could gain further traction and prominence as companies that need to send staff members to India tap into their available pool of people of Indian origin.
Employment consultants say companies with large operations in India are looking at their human resources pool to find OCI cardholders for key
positions in India. “This will definitely create more opportunities for the pool of people of Indian origin within such companies. In fact, even when hiring new people, many of these MNCs will now look for PIOs with the available set of skills,” says Rajesh Srinivasan, partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
With various global players looking at scaling up business operations in India, it is often becoming necessary to quickly deploy highly skilled resources in the country.
“OCI cardholders can travel at very short notice and take up assignments in India, while others could get caught up in bureaucratic delays over their employment visa. I know of many companies that are following an active policy of moving PIOs to India for business expansion,” says Mumbai-based immigration lawyer Poorvi Chothani.
NEW DELHI: The government’s decision to get tough on business visas for foreigners has vastly improved the employability prospects of thousands of
Indian-origin people settled overseas and triggered a surge in applications for the overseas citizenship of India (OCI) scheme.
Until recently, the Indian government followed a liberal policy of allowing a large number of occupations and employees of companies to come to and work with business visas. But with the new rules, the simpler business visa is restricted to a much smaller number of people who can come to India to explore possibilities of setting up businesses. The employment visa is mandatory for skilled and qualified foreigners who come to India for employment.
Multinational companies are finding it simpler to hire these so-called OCI cardholders, who enjoy a multiple entry, multipurpose life long visa to visit India. The card provides a lifelong visa to the holder, sparing them the need to obtain separate work permits.
For these cardholders, the OCI is also not just about an emotional connect to their country of origin, it makes eminent business sense too. Especially for erstwhile Indian nationals living in the west.
Predictably, Indian missions overseas are witnessing a deluge in OCI applications, the number of OCI cards issued by consulates around the world has risen to 501,339 in the second week of November 2009 from around 350,000 issued in January this year. Several Indian consulates are grappling with a huge backlog of applications.
“The countries from where we have the maximum demand include the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand,” a senior official of the ministry of overseas Indian affairs told SundayET. According to a recent report by the Washington DC-based Migration Policy Institute, 43% of the OCI cards were issued through Indian consulates in the US and 13% in the UK.
Launched in 2005, the OCI is the closest to any form of dual citizenship permitted by India. Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), who migrated from India and acquired citizenship of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh, are eligible for grant of OCI as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship in some form or the other.
OCI holders are treated on par with NRIs for economic, financial and educational matters and only don’t have political rights and rights to buy agricultural and plantation properties. They are also exempt from registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) on their arrival in the country.
Immigration and tax experts feel that the OCI card could gain further traction and prominence as companies that need to send staff members to India tap into their available pool of people of Indian origin.
Employment consultants say companies with large operations in India are looking at their human resources pool to find OCI cardholders for key
positions in India. “This will definitely create more opportunities for the pool of people of Indian origin within such companies. In fact, even when hiring new people, many of these MNCs will now look for PIOs with the available set of skills,” says Rajesh Srinivasan, partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
With various global players looking at scaling up business operations in India, it is often becoming necessary to quickly deploy highly skilled resources in the country.
“OCI cardholders can travel at very short notice and take up assignments in India, while others could get caught up in bureaucratic delays over their employment visa. I know of many companies that are following an active policy of moving PIOs to India for business expansion,” says Mumbai-based immigration lawyer Poorvi Chothani.
End of waiting time ....... I just received our US passports back after stamping of U-sticker. I got back my US passport after 11 working days. They also returned our Indian passports after cancellation.
Good luck to all of you ...... waiting for their passport.
Rahi
______________________________
02/15/10: Mailed to Washington
02/16/10: Received at Washington.
03/12/10: Acknowledged
03/16/10: Scanned
03/17/10: Granted
03/18/10: Printed
03/19/10: Dispatched from Delhi
03/24/10: Received at Washington
03/24/10: Mailed US Passports to Washington
03/25/10: Passports received at Washington
04/09/10: Received US Passport back after OCI stamping along with Card & Cancelled India Passport
Good luck to all of you ...... waiting for their passport.
Rahi
______________________________
02/15/10: Mailed to Washington
02/16/10: Received at Washington.
03/12/10: Acknowledged
03/16/10: Scanned
03/17/10: Granted
03/18/10: Printed
03/19/10: Dispatched from Delhi
03/24/10: Received at Washington
03/24/10: Mailed US Passports to Washington
03/25/10: Passports received at Washington
04/09/10: Received US Passport back after OCI stamping along with Card & Cancelled India Passport
eggpullsu,
I used USPS to send any documents to DC consulate. For returning your passport from DC, you can enclose either enclosed mailing fee $20 (if not paid with OCI application fee) or send them self addressed UPS stamped envelop NOT stamped USPS. They only return the passport or any documets through UPS.
Rahi
Rahi:
Did you send USPS stamped envelope but they still used UPS (and not USPS) to send the passports back?
Gee24: did you get your passport?
Did you send USPS stamped envelope but they still used UPS (and not USPS) to send the passports back?
Gee24: did you get your passport?
Whiteone,
I paid my mailing fee along with OCI application fee (one certified check). So I did not enclose any stamped envelope at the time sending my US passport. From previous post, I noticed they only used UPS to return the documents/passport.
In fact when I submitted my OCI application, somehow, they separated my set of application (as mentioned to send two set). They returned one set of application saying that OCI fee missing (although I paid) through UPS overnight express and asked to reapply with fee. In the mean time I noticed that my application is granted and documents received at DC. So, I sent my US passport through USPS overnight express and got back the passport through UPS overnight express.
My second set of OCI application still with me.
Rahi
deccan_guy
Registered Users (C)
Spoke a day soon. I received my passport with OCI stamp by UPS today.
01/07/2010 : Mailed to Wash.
01/08/2010 : Recd. by Wash.
02/01/2010 : Acknowledged
02/04/2010 : Scanned
02/16/2010 : Granted
02/16/2010 : Printed
02/17/2010 : Dispatched from Delhi
02/23/2010 : Recd @ Wash.
02/27/2010 : Mailed US Passports to Wash. by registered mail
03/04/2010 : Passports recd. at Wash. as per tracking info
04/09/2010 : Passport with OCI Received.
01/07/2010 : Mailed to Wash.
01/08/2010 : Recd. by Wash.
02/01/2010 : Acknowledged
02/04/2010 : Scanned
02/16/2010 : Granted
02/16/2010 : Printed
02/17/2010 : Dispatched from Delhi
02/23/2010 : Recd @ Wash.
02/27/2010 : Mailed US Passports to Wash. by registered mail
03/04/2010 : Passports recd. at Wash. as per tracking info
04/09/2010 : Passport with OCI Received.
OCI Passport question.
Hi,
I did apply for OCI for my family, my son has a passport which expires for 5 years, his passport expires in October, so I got his PP renewed and I got a new Passport, for OCI stamping, can I send the new PP, in the application I did have the old passport number
On the web site it did write to send the old one, my question is every time you get a new PP do we need to get the new passport stamped with the U visa.
Once you have the passport stamped with the visa is it not a life time, or do we need to get it stamped when ever the PP EXPIRES.
Please can some one clarify?
Thanks
Hi,
I did apply for OCI for my family, my son has a passport which expires for 5 years, his passport expires in October, so I got his PP renewed and I got a new Passport, for OCI stamping, can I send the new PP, in the application I did have the old passport number
On the web site it did write to send the old one, my question is every time you get a new PP do we need to get the new passport stamped with the U visa.
Once you have the passport stamped with the visa is it not a life time, or do we need to get it stamped when ever the PP EXPIRES.
Please can some one clarify?
Thanks
speedy1027
Registered Users (C)
My 2 Cents:
I think you potentially confused the embassy folks. That is because you wrote the old PP# in the OCI app. But that is no longer vaild since you renewed it. Obviously you can't send the old (invalid) PP. I think you would want to send both the new PP and the old PP too...but write a cover letter clearly mentioning that you are sending both and that you wrote the old PP# in the OCI app.
I think your 2nd question is applicable once you get the OCI stamped in the PP and going forward. ie., Once the PP with OCI expires, you apply for a new PP, then send both with a payment to get the U visa moved to the new one. Your scenario seems to be a bit different since you are yet to get the U-sticker.
Again, once the PP expires (whether it is 5 yrs for minors or 10 for adults), one would have to send both to get the "life time" U-sticker moved/re-issued to the new one. Of course one would have to open the wallet for paying for that. Currently it seems to be nominal amount ($25??) to move/re-issuance of the OCI. In future, it is bound to go up.
for further details:
HTML:
http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/oci.aspOCI veterans, please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks,
Speedy
Last edited by a moderator:
speedy1027
Registered Users (C)
My status changed to dispatched today (04/12)
Thanks,
Speedy
Thanks,
Speedy