OCI - Washington DC Tracker

The OCI Process now looks like a mess. It used to be only getting back USA PP with 'U' visa sticker. Last month they messed up mailing the PP's back. Now this surrender/cancellation of india PP mess. It is not clear.
CGNY is has different info than Washington DC embassy. Houston Consulate is not asking for the same Fee or certification of PP surrender...
There is no clear direction yet all.
Has anyone got their PP's with OCI in this week or last week after sending the PP's to Washington??

This is really ridiculous, if the rule of cancelling indian passport applies to all Citizens of India, then how come Houston consulate is not asking for the same fee or certifcate of PP surrender. Does the laws and rules change depending on where you live in the US?

Totally confused souls.. I too can smell a law suit
 
question for anyone in DC embassy region: could you let me know how long cancelling the Indian passport takes? thanks!

so i send them:
letter requesting cancellation
passports
check for 175 pp
SASE
...... anything else? i wasnt able to find any information on the website.
 
I am getting ready to send my package for OCI. I plan to send the $175 and request cancellation of Indian PP along with the OCI request.
Don't want to do this twice. I hope it works.
chola

ps - did you guys just send $20 for returning ths PP for the whole family, or is it per head?
 
Chola, if you don't have any emergencies or travel plans, I would recommend to wait for another week before this dust is settled. I am expecting to see clear guidelines by the end of this week. As there may still be many things that they might want to include/exclude this week ...

Just my .2 cents
 
Thx sam. I applaud your optimism.
I am sure we will NOT get any clarification from the embassy. You might get lucky with your appl, or get it back like that other guy.
Newer applicants like me will continue to struggle with lack of details. I don't expect any clarification from the embassy.

Here's another link I found in the Wash DC site under Indian PP services. This renunciation form is different. Go figure!
http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/consular/Renunciation form.pdf
 
Guys,

Please help me out. As I said in my previous posts, We both(myself and my wife) applied on the same day in the same ups cover(letter) , she recieved her OCI card at home. Mine still says Granted. I have sent email to ociwashington@indiagov.org but no reply from them. I really worried. don't know to resolve this problem. There is no number to contact. Since the date of acknowlegment there is no momentum on the appllication. Whether they misplaced or stuck some where. There are no emails from them , whether there is problem with application.
Your suggestions are welcome.


Applicant's Name xxxxxxx
Date Of Acknowledgment 21-APR-2010
Application Status
Registration Status Granted On 23-APR-2010
Documents Printing Status NOT PRINTED
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office on NOT DISPATCHED
Documents Received at WASHINGTON NOT YET

Thanks
Sam
 
Here's an email clarification I recd from the India Embassy in DC.

" If you need a renunciation certificate and surrendering Indian Passport, contact Consular section for the procedure. With OCI application, you just need to enclose $175, and we will cancel your Indian passport and return it with OCI. In case of renunciation certificate, get it first and then apply with this certificate for OCI."

So do they need the renunciation certificate to process the oci? or not?
chola
 
Clueless... I am now started to think that I had taken the best decision of my life to get away from INDIA... yes it unfortunate but only because of these babus who don't care about anything ...

a Process is a process ... you should have it in place to help your customers not to give them so much pain that they would never want to come to you ...
 
OCI received today. PPs have been cancelled. I did not pay $175 fee for cancellation.
Good luck to everybody in this process..


04/09/2010: OCI Docs mailed to Washington, DC
04/12/2010: Received at Washington, DC
04/13/2010: Acknowledged
04/20/2010: Scanned
04/29/2010: Granted
04/30/2010: Printed
05/05/2010: Dispatched from Delhi
05/12/2010: Received at Washington
05/13/2010: Mailed US Passports to Washington
05/14/2010: Passports received at Washington
05/18/2010: OCI Received by Me
 
CONGRATS!! Marais - You are really very lucky, considering with all the mess that is currently going on.

I

OCI received today. PPs have been cancelled. I did not pay $175 fee for cancellation.
Good luck to everybody in this process..


04/09/2010: OCI Docs mailed to Washington, DC
04/12/2010: Received at Washington, DC
04/13/2010: Acknowledged
04/20/2010: Scanned
04/29/2010: Granted
04/30/2010: Printed
05/05/2010: Dispatched from Delhi
05/12/2010: Received at Washington
05/13/2010: Mailed US Passports to Washington
05/14/2010: Passports received at Washington
05/18/2010: OCI Received by Me
 
Marais, Congrats dude, but kab tak bachoge ;-) next time you deal with those @#$% you would have to pay $175. But for now you are all set enjoy ...
 
Here's some clarity finally for fresh applicants....

Here was my query to the Indian Embassy...
"Is Renunciation/Surrender Certificate a PREREQUISITE for OCI applicants?
Or Does it suffice to send the $175 along with the OCI application?"

and here's the response I recd.

"Hello,
it is suffice to send the $175 along with the OCI application."

chola
 
OCI+ Passport surrender

Can anybody (Washington D.C. Tracker) guide me with the following questions? Thanks in advance.

(1) Along with OCI application and relevent documents. is it sufficient to send Indian Passport (for surrender/cancellation) and Money order for $175 or we need to send a filled in Renunciation of Indain Passport form too?

(2) Should we send a single money order for OCI fee and passport cancel fee or two separate money orders are reqired one each for OCI application and Passport surrender?

(3) Along with OCI card will they provide us a certificate stating that our Indian passport has been surrendered on such and such date? I heard that certificate may be required for obtaining any future service from the Indian Embassy
 
Chola my friend, can you please give me the email id that you are sending emails to ... I might have to just try to get in touch with them now, to find out my fate ... in all this mess... thanks buddy
 
Thanks sam012007..
What do you mean by next time when I deal with I have to pay $ 175? Thoda teekh se samazhavji..

Marais, Congrats dude, but kab tak bachoge ;-) next time you deal with those @#$% you would have to pay $175. But for now you are all set enjoy ...
 
Some extract on this topic

Thanks sam012007..
What do you mean by next time when I deal with I have to pay $ 175? Thoda teekh se samazhavji..

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In spite of strong objections from the India [ Images ]n-American
community, the government of India has abruptly introduced another set
of rules for those who have taken up United States' citizenship.

The websites of the consulates have been publishing new rules and
penalties almost every day without any advance notice.

It began with the rule that those applying for the Overseas
Citizenship of India Card should renounce their Indian citizenship by
paying $175 and obtaining a Surrender Certificate. They should produce
their old passports (valid/expired) while doing so. That is in
addition to the $275 for the OCI card.

Most Indian Americans branded it as a ploy to make an extra $175. More
than the money, what irked most was the rule to obtain a surrender
certificate in advance, which might take at least two weeks.

Renouncing the old passport could be done at the time of applying for
the OCI card. The consulate could have asked for the old passports and
issue a surrender certificate then. But as per the new rules, one has
to renounce Indian citizenship within three months of taking up the
citizenship of another country.

Many thought they could circumvent this rule by applying for a tourist
visa to visit India, instead of an OCI card. But new rules for tourist
visas state 'Persons of Indian Origin, his/her spouse and dependent
children will be granted only an entry visa and should not apply for a
tourist visa.'

To get an entry visa, one has to produce a surrender certificate by
paying $175. For availing any consular service, the person of Indian
origin needs the surrender certificate.
The embassy has also laid out fees and heavy penalties that will be
clamped if the PIO doesn't renounce Indian citizenship.

The Indian Americans question the use of Section 8 of the Citizenship
Act 1955 for the renunciation, as they point out that they are covered
under Section 9.

"The provisions for termination of citizenship are separate and
distinct from the provisions for making a declaration of renunciation.
While, renunciation of citizenship is covered in Section 8 of the
Citizenship Act 1955 and has to be applied on a prescribed form,
automatic termination of citizenship is covered under Section 9 and
requires no formal application to the Indian government," noted Inder
Singh, chairman of Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin.

"Indians in the United States, who have acquired American citizenship,
are covered under section 9 and not under Section 8," he said.

Section 8 of the Citizenship Act says, "Any citizen of India of full
age and capacity, who is also a citizen or national of another
country, makes in the prescribed manner a declaration renouncing his
Indian citizenship, the declaration shall be registered by the
prescribed authority; and, upon such registration, that person shall
cease to be a citizen of India."

However, as per Section 9 of the same Act, "Any citizen of India who
by naturalisation, registration or otherwise voluntarily acquires, or
has at any time between the 26th January, 1950 and the commencement of
this Act voluntarily acquired, the citizenship of another country
shall, upon such acquisition or, as the case may be, such
commencement, cease to be a citizen of India."

There are thousands of people who have obtained US citizenship in the
last sixty years. They have been traveling to India on an American
passport and Indian visa granted by the same consulates whose websites
have new rules which are applicable retroactively, Singh noted.

"The requirement of surrendering their Indian passports after the
lapse of many years of their naturalization would cause undue hardship
and delay in getting consular services," he said.

John Titus, president of the Federation of Malayalee Associations,
said the rules will only alienate the community and used to harass the
people.

"The babus in the bureaucracy look at the NRI with contempt and the
bill is another example of it. For 175 dollars, they are creating
heartaches among the people," said Paul Karukappilli, president of the
Federation of Kerala [ Images ] Associations in North America.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Yep you got the information, anytime you need to do business with the Indian Consulate, they would want you to produce the "Surrender Certificate" which you may not have today since your Indian passport is already canceled...
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In spite of strong objections from the India [ Images ]n-American
community, the government of India has abruptly introduced another set
of rules for those who have taken up United States' citizenship.

The websites of the consulates have been publishing new rules and
penalties almost every day without any advance notice.

It began with the rule that those applying for the Overseas
Citizenship of India Card should renounce their Indian citizenship by
paying $175 and obtaining a Surrender Certificate. They should produce
their old passports (valid/expired) while doing so. That is in
addition to the $275 for the OCI card.

HOW THE HECK DO THEY COME UP WITH THE NUMBER 175 DOLLARS ???

IT LOOKS RIDICULOUS MAN.
I CAN UNDERSTAND IF THEY CHARGE SOME 10 DOLLARS.........CONSIDERING THE TASK INVOLVED.
IT IS JUST CANCELLING ...........RIGHT ?
AND ALL THE OTHER TASKS, THAT THEY NEED TO DO PRIOR TO GRANTING THE OCI.....WILL ALWAYS BE DONE REGARDLESS OF THIS CHANGE....
JUST STAMP IT AND BE DONE..........DEAL.

AND.......FOR THIS.....THEY CHARGE $ 175 ?
IT's A HIGH WAY ROBBERY ..........AND ON THE TOP OF THIS......IF SOME ONE WERE TO CALL THEIR OFFICE TO CHECK ON THE STATUS.......THERE WILL BE NO DAMN GUY TO PICK UP THE PHONE...........NOR WILL THERE BE ANY PROPER RESPONSE.....GOD ONLY SHOULD SAVE US FROM THESE GUYS...

GEE24
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top