Anyone know if you can pick up OCI in person or only by Mail. It is not clear on their web site. [At the top it states you need to mail but somewhere bottom it states if you want to get it mailed send $20.] I don't want these morons misplace the US PP and say they did not receive.
OCI - Washington DC Tracker
- Thread starter madabushi
- Start date
Went there by 4.15 pm today - they call by categories. The small ticket number they give should be preciously stored - renunciation certs was 3rd category. By 4.50 pm was out with the 2 passports and renun certs!
Now on to OCI!
Guys - whats the fees to be sent ?
Per website: "Application Fee is US$275 per applicant"
So $275 Money Order with the OCI application, correct ?
Once the processing is done:
Per Website:"In case delivery is desired by mail, the applicant has to pay the postage charge of $20 through a postal money order/cashier’s check favoring "Embassy of India”"
This means, we should be able to "hand-over" the US passports at the counter and pick them back up, right ? Did anyone do that ?
This what Embassy Web site states:
"OCI - ARRIVAL DETAILS OF CARD
The applicant will not receive any letter regarding the OCI status. He should check the OCI status online. There is no need of confirming by phone or by e-mail. After the status shows that the card has reached the Embassy, he/she should mail the US (foreign) passport(s) to the Embassy of India, OCI Cell, 2536 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20008 so that the Embassy can issue the OCI card and OCI visa sticker.
The Applicant should not forget to write their file numbers in a cover letter along with the passport/s (this file no. is found when applicant checks status online with the assigned ref. no.).
To find out applicant's "file no.", please enter "reference no." here: http://ociindia.nic.in
If the applicant is a PIO card holder, he/she is also required to surrender the same to Embassy.
In case delivery is desired by mail, the applicant has to pay the postage charge of $20 through a postal money order/cashier’s check favoring "Embassy of India”. This money is not refundable. No personal check is acceptable."
It is not clear. I guess we can go and pick it up. Since, I live nearby, I was thinking to pick it up though I did include mailing charges along with OCI application fee.
linuxrox:
That is awesome news that you were able to get the SC resolved. One hurdle crossed
As for OCI, you should get $275 per application and make it payable to "Embassy of India". If converting Kid's PIO, then it will be $145.00 for the kid
In regards to getting the Visa stamped in the US PP...... If I read this
"In case delivery is desired by mail, the applicant has to pay the postage charge of $20 through a postal money order/cashier’s check favoring "Embassy of India”. This money is not refundable. No personal check is acceptable."
and Question# 16 in the FAQs http://www.indianembassy.org/oci.php#5 it looks like they allow in-person stamping/submission....
16. What is the time taken for registration as OCI?
Within 60 days of the application, if there is no adverse information available against the applicant. If any adverse information is available against the applicant, the decision to grant or otherwise is taken within 3 months. Once the online status shows as granted and reached Embassy of India, Washington, DC (also the file No. will be updated in Arrival details of OCI Card) please bring or send applicant's passport/s (don't forget to send your original U.S. passport , PIO card and mailing charges ) for pasting the Universal visa sticker and the passport will be returned along with the OCI Card. In some cases after granting also the application is pending because of the improper photograph. Once you see a file number above the reference number. it means the application has reached at our office and it is registered from our side.
We can try sending email(s) to their office to clarify this and carry it as proof, if they reply allowing in-person stamping of US PP.
My OCI application (UPS Next day) reached their office on July-21-2010. I have been checking with my bank (BofA) to see if they have negotiated the Cashier checks..... Not yet - as of Jul-28-2010.
Good luck to all of us...
V!
That is awesome news that you were able to get the SC resolved. One hurdle crossed
As for OCI, you should get $275 per application and make it payable to "Embassy of India". If converting Kid's PIO, then it will be $145.00 for the kid
In regards to getting the Visa stamped in the US PP...... If I read this
"In case delivery is desired by mail, the applicant has to pay the postage charge of $20 through a postal money order/cashier’s check favoring "Embassy of India”. This money is not refundable. No personal check is acceptable."
and Question# 16 in the FAQs http://www.indianembassy.org/oci.php#5 it looks like they allow in-person stamping/submission....
16. What is the time taken for registration as OCI?
Within 60 days of the application, if there is no adverse information available against the applicant. If any adverse information is available against the applicant, the decision to grant or otherwise is taken within 3 months. Once the online status shows as granted and reached Embassy of India, Washington, DC (also the file No. will be updated in Arrival details of OCI Card) please bring or send applicant's passport/s (don't forget to send your original U.S. passport , PIO card and mailing charges ) for pasting the Universal visa sticker and the passport will be returned along with the OCI Card. In some cases after granting also the application is pending because of the improper photograph. Once you see a file number above the reference number. it means the application has reached at our office and it is registered from our side.
We can try sending email(s) to their office to clarify this and carry it as proof, if they reply allowing in-person stamping of US PP.
My OCI application (UPS Next day) reached their office on July-21-2010. I have been checking with my bank (BofA) to see if they have negotiated the Cashier checks..... Not yet - as of Jul-28-2010.
Good luck to all of us...
V!
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks gc4us - thats heartening information. Once I get there I shall positively go with the US passports, hand it over and ask for pickup. The 40$ I am going to spend on money orders i will instead spend on metro and taxicab
I despatched mine on July 31st - by USPS.
Let us see how this goes!
linuxrox,
That is great speed..... Now another waiting game begins...
So far, the SFO threads appear to have faster processing timelines for OCI..... Someone is really working in SFO.... Let us not Jinx it
As for appearing in person to get the PPs stamped...... I did not realise they had this option and sent a $20.00 MO. But, if they will entertain in-person PP submission, I don't mind "forgetting" that $20.00..... It will save a lot of pain and stress if they will do it in person.....
Hope they don't apply their own interpretation of their online instructions at that time Once bitten.......
Good luck to all of us,
V!
That is great speed..... Now another waiting game begins...
So far, the SFO threads appear to have faster processing timelines for OCI..... Someone is really working in SFO
.... Let us not Jinx itAs for appearing in person to get the PPs stamped...... I did not realise they had this option and sent a $20.00 MO. But, if they will entertain in-person PP submission, I don't mind "forgetting" that $20.00..... It will save a lot of pain and stress if they will do it in person.....
Hope they don't apply their own interpretation of their online instructions at that time
Once bitten.......Good luck to all of us,
V!
It may take about 3 weeks to ack. Here is my timeline:
OCI Mailed 6/28
Recd Embassy - 6/29
Ackd - 7/21
Scanned - 7/27 (IST) / 7/26 EDT
Granted - 7/29 (IST) / 7/28 EDT
Printed - 7/30 (IST) / 7/29 EDT
Dispatched to Washington - 8/2 (IST)
Hope to see update on Documents received at Washington within a week. It seems Washington workload is much higher than of other consulates.
Miscellaneous Services - OCI
Guys,
Embassy messed up (misspelled) my name in my children's OCI card and I was told to use miscellaneous services to correct them.
I was told to pay $25 and application etc...
My question.. do I need to send US Passport and OCI card that I received in original ? website information is not clear.. please let me know...
Thanks in advance..
Guys,
Embassy messed up (misspelled) my name in my children's OCI card and I was told to use miscellaneous services to correct them.
I was told to pay $25 and application etc...
My question.. do I need to send US Passport and OCI card that I received in original ? website information is not clear.. please let me know...
Thanks in advance..
If Embassy made the error then they should correct it for gratis. Call them or make an appt with consular. Check your application if it is correct and submit a copy for proof.
Thanks for your reply krajah..
I called and sent an email also.. they told me to go through misc services..!!
I mentioned this is your mistake. Got email reply from them saying embassy will never change your details.
Anybody has similar experience.. please share , thanks
I called and sent an email also.. they told me to go through misc services..!!
I mentioned this is your mistake. Got email reply from them saying embassy will never change your details.
Anybody has similar experience.. please share , thanks
My timeline is very similar to yours:
Granted - 7/29
Printed - 7/30
Dispatched to Washington - 8/2
Received - 8/4 (Today)
If they sent both in the same batch on 8/2 perhaps yours has arrived as well. I too was thinking of going down to the consulate and picking it up rather than risk having it lost in the mail. Have you decided to go personally, and if so, can you provide any advice as to who to see (ex. downstairs counter or try and get it from the main floor, what time to stop by, how long you had to stand outside in the heat waiting for them, etc.) ?
Thanks,
Saramma
Yep. They have received mine too. I have not decided yet on going there without knowing whether they will accomodate picking up in person. Even then you will need to wait in the line, handover the PP and get a token and then pick it up in the evening. I am trying to get in touch with one of my friend's friend who works in Main Embassy office to see if he can pull some strings.
Received OCI
Finally we received our OCI, time line is as follows-
Date of Application: June 14,2010
Delivered by UPS at Indian Embassy, Washington, DC: June 15,2010
Date Of Acknowledgment: 27-JUN-2010
Registration Status Granted: 08-JUL-2010
Photo/Signature Scanned: 28-JUN-2010
Documents Printed: 09-JUL-2010
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office: 13-JUL-2010
Documents Received at WASHINGTON DC: 19-JUL-2010
US passport mailed via UPS to Indian Embassy, Washington DC: July 19, 2010
US Passports delivered by UPS to Embassy: July 21, 2010.
US passports along with OCI booklet and U-visa returned back to us by UPS: July 27,2010.
Our Indian passports are also returned along with OCI booklet and U-visa on our US passports. But Indian PPs are NOT stamped cancelled although I sent a cashier's check (@$20/passport) along with OCI applications specifically for cancellation of our Indian PPs!!! Is anybody in the same situation?! Do we need to get our indian PPs cancelled separately now paying again to the Embassy for that? Any suggestion will be appreciated.
RC66
Finally we received our OCI, time line is as follows-
Date of Application: June 14,2010
Delivered by UPS at Indian Embassy, Washington, DC: June 15,2010
Date Of Acknowledgment: 27-JUN-2010
Registration Status Granted: 08-JUL-2010
Photo/Signature Scanned: 28-JUN-2010
Documents Printed: 09-JUL-2010
Documents Dispatched to Concerned Mission/Office: 13-JUL-2010
Documents Received at WASHINGTON DC: 19-JUL-2010
US passport mailed via UPS to Indian Embassy, Washington DC: July 19, 2010
US Passports delivered by UPS to Embassy: July 21, 2010.
US passports along with OCI booklet and U-visa returned back to us by UPS: July 27,2010.
Our Indian passports are also returned along with OCI booklet and U-visa on our US passports. But Indian PPs are NOT stamped cancelled although I sent a cashier's check (@$20/passport) along with OCI applications specifically for cancellation of our Indian PPs!!! Is anybody in the same situation?! Do we need to get our indian PPs cancelled separately now paying again to the Embassy for that? Any suggestion will be appreciated.
RC66
RC66,
Congratulations on the successful OCI. These consulate folks never run out of ideas when it comes to torturing customers....
linuxrox: Going by the recent ordeals that people have been subjected to, do you think having the Indian PP cancelled is much more beneficial for any future reference? I think RC66 can request the embassy folks to "kindly use the rubber stamp to cancel the Indian PP" as they have already enjoyed the $20/applicant for this Herculean task. Holding on to that Cancelled PP is easier than preserving that Golden Plated "SC".
If DC is at driving distance for RC66, it is worth visiting them and explaining the whole drama. If he received the SC with necessary autographs, even more better.
If not, he should take the copies/stubs of the $20.00 payment and also proof of encashing from the Bank or Money order institution. If RC66 retained a copy of the SC related documents from his original submission, that would be helpful as well.
saramma and krajah,
You are almost there....Looks like about 6 to 8 weeks for an End-to-End OCI processing from your status.
One other weird snippet..... Did you track any timelines on when your $275.00 payment was processed by the consulate? Close to acknowledgement or even earlier?
Good luck to all of us,
Sent OCI Packets on Jul-20-2010
Received by DC on Jul-21-2010
Acknowledged :
Other steps :
Congratulations on the successful OCI. These consulate folks never run out of ideas when it comes to torturing customers....
linuxrox: Going by the recent ordeals that people have been subjected to, do you think having the Indian PP cancelled is much more beneficial for any future reference? I think RC66 can request the embassy folks to "kindly use the rubber stamp to cancel the Indian PP" as they have already enjoyed the $20/applicant for this Herculean task. Holding on to that Cancelled PP is easier than preserving that Golden Plated "SC".
If DC is at driving distance for RC66, it is worth visiting them and explaining the whole drama. If he received the SC with necessary autographs, even more better.
If not, he should take the copies/stubs of the $20.00 payment and also proof of encashing from the Bank or Money order institution. If RC66 retained a copy of the SC related documents from his original submission, that would be helpful as well.
saramma and krajah,
You are almost there....Looks like about 6 to 8 weeks for an End-to-End OCI processing from your status.
One other weird snippet..... Did you track any timelines on when your $275.00 payment was processed by the consulate? Close to acknowledgement or even earlier?
Good luck to all of us,
Sent OCI Packets on Jul-20-2010
Received by DC on Jul-21-2010
Acknowledged :
Other steps :
rviswanath
Registered Users (C)
Hi,
Just wanted to share my experience with the OCI timeline
7/22/2010 - Mailed the OCI along with SC application form (for family)
7/29/2010 - Acknowledged
7/31/2010 - Scanned Photo/Signature
8/05/2010 - Granted Status
8/06/2010 - Documents Printed ...
We also have not received Indian passports yet. Probably will receive them along with the US passports when we send them for stamping.
Just wanted to share my experience with the OCI timeline
7/22/2010 - Mailed the OCI along with SC application form (for family)
7/29/2010 - Acknowledged
7/31/2010 - Scanned Photo/Signature
8/05/2010 - Granted Status
8/06/2010 - Documents Printed ...
We also have not received Indian passports yet. Probably will receive them along with the US passports when we send them for stamping.