Travel to India While OCI Pending

ginnu said:
Originally Posted by sfo2blr
Hi There,

My status says OCI registration granted (05/12/11) but not printed yet.

What do I do if I have to make an emergency visit to India within next two weeks? How do I get my passport?

------------------ Go to Travisa and apply for Entry Visa and they have your passport with them. You can talk to Travisa and submit the application for Visa.

Will my OCI be ejected out of current queue and I lose all the fees?

-----NO. one of my friend did the same while his OCI was pending. He went to India with Visa and when he came back his OCI was printed and he collected his OCI


Any help will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
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Ginnu, could you please tell me if your friend travelled to India before the travisa days (before 15th march) or after the travisa outsourcing. Before travisa days, oci applicants kept the passports with them until the oci got printed, dispatched and received by the CGI offices here. In that case it was easy to apply and get a short-term visa. I would really appreciate if you can ask your friend and share this with me. I have sent emails to all (travisa and cgisf) and waiting for their reply.

Speakamericano, thanks for your post on when to visit travisa and where to park.

In case I do not get any response from them, I plan to visit travisa with a tourist-visa application filled out -- do you think it is a good idea?
 
sfo2blr said:
Ginnu, could you please tell me if your friend traveled to India before the travisa days (before 15th march) or after the travisa outsourcing.
--------He applied OCI with NY Consulate BEFORE Travisa. His status was GRANTED but not PRINTED. He applied Entyry Visa through Travisa and Got the Visa stamp in 3 days and wnt to India. Later he came to US and collected OCI from Indian Consulate NYC
Before travisa days, oci applicants kept the passports with them until the oci got printed, dispatched and received by the CGI offices here. In that case it was easy to apply and get a short-term visa. I would really appreciate if you can ask your friend and share this with me. I have sent emails to all (travisa and cgisf) and waiting for their reply.
---If your Passport is Travisa find out and you can get Entry Visa. Even if your Passport is with Consulate still you can get Visa. Travisa has record of your passport and share the problem with them. fill up the Visa application from Travisa site, Pay Fees, give Photographs , and they can get you visa

Speakamericano, thanks for your post on when to visit travisa and where to park.

In case I do not get any response from them, I plan to visit travisa with a tourist-visa application filled out -- do you think it is a good idea?
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*** post the update if you visit Travisa
 
sfo2blr,

I am in the same situation as you. My daughter's OCI application was granted on May 11th and not yet printed. We are planning to travel to India on Jun 10th and so i am about to withdraw our OCI application to get our passport back. Have you withdrawn your OCI application? If so, how long did it take to get your passport back?

Thanks...
 
How do you get your passport back once you applied for OCI? How best to withdraw OCI application?

Hi, I'm in a similar position ..applied OCI on 04/12 ,need to travel to India 06/15.

04/12 Service order form completed online
05/05 Order form and supporting documents received, payment processed
05/19 Documents prepared to go to Embassy.
05/20 Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing Office to Consulate
05/20 Documents received by Consulate

I do have a visa to travel to India until september. All I need is my US passport back before 06/15 with or without OCI. At this point, is OCI withdrawal the only option? And if yes, how is this be done..Travisa didn't respond to my email query on how to withdraw OCI nor are they picking up the phone calls. Any input on how to get my US passport back in time for travel is appreciated. Thanks.
 
nyc12 said:
Hi, I'm in a similar position ..applied OCI on 04/12 ,need to travel to India 06/15.

04/12 Service order form completed online
05/05 Order form and supporting documents received, payment processed
05/19 Documents prepared to go to Embassy.
05/20 Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing Office to Consulate
05/20 Documents received by Consulate

I do have a visa to travel to India until september. All I need is my US passport back before 06/15 with or without OCI. At this point, is OCI withdrawal the only option? And if yes, how is this be done..Travisa didn't respond to my email query on how to withdraw OCI nor are they picking up the phone calls. Any input on how to get my US passport back in time for travel is appreciated. Thanks.
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nyc12 and prem1999:

As soon as I find an answer, I would update. You do the same please. I was supposed to leave by the end of this month but was able to postpone the trip by two weeks -- I need my passport with OCI by 12th of June or without OCI by 4th, that would allow me to get a visa. I plan to visit travisa and cgisf this week in person.

Is there anyone out there who can tell me (post the link please) how to make an online appointment with travisa and cgisf. I did not find that info on their website. Thanks.
 
sfo2blr said:
...

Is there anyone out there who can tell me (post the link please) how to make an online appointment with travisa and cgisf. I did not find that info on their website. Thanks.
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I think you can make an appointment when you are applying for a visa in person: https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/get-a-visa

I am guessing that this is what the poster from NY did, not sure if there are other ways of making an appointment.
 
sfo2blr,

You get an option to make an appointment only after you complete the visa application at travisa site.
 
prem1999 said:
sfo2blr,

I am in the same situation as you. My daughter's OCI application was granted on May 11th and not yet printed.
We are planning to travel to India on Jun 10th and so i am about to withdraw our OCI application to get our passport back.
------ No need to withdraw our OCI application. Why you want to withdraw the OCI application that is granted on May 11th. You can fill up the Visa application form ,Fees, Photographs and ask for the Visa stamp as you want to Visit India and OCI is not yet Printed. They have your US passport am what you need to do for Visa and later when you come back to USOCI might have been Printed and then you can collect the OCI.MHA or Consulates have no rule that one MUST withdraw the OCI if OCI is not printed and one wants to get Visa.
Have you withdrawn your OCI application? If so, how long did it take to get your passport back?


Thanks...
Click to expand...

--------- Talk to Travisa
 
ginnu said:
--------- Talk to Travisa
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Just thought I will add to the posts here. I am also waiting for OCI's for my 2 kids - one dispatched May 16 and the other not yet printed. I need to travel on June 10th and it is not possible to move or cancel the tickets. I talked to Travisa last week and they said the only recourse in such a case is to withdraw application to get passport back. They sent me a PDF file, which I cannot upload here, but I will paste the contents below. In short you lose all your fees, OCI application is cancelled and the US passport is returned. Can you say cha-ching?

Passport Withdrawal Request Form
Name on Passport: Application ID Number:________________________________
Passport Number: Service Type: (circle one) OCI / PIO / Renunciation / Visas
Country of Issue: Office: (circle one) NY / DC / HO / CH / SF
By requesting for the above detailed passport, I understand that this closes the application completely, that withdrawal
request may take up to 3 (three) business days to complete and that all consular and processing fees are nonrefundable.
All Consular Fees and Processing Fees are NONREFUNDABLE, even if a visa is denied or if a visa is issued for a shorter
period of time or otherwise issued or returned at a time or on terms and conditions that vary from those sought by the
applicant.
Travisa Outsourcing is a service company only. Travisa Outsourcing does not issue visas or in any way determine or
control the issuance of, or terms and conditions of, visas all of which is determined and controlled solely by the
Consulates of the Embassy of India. Travisa Outsourcing is not and cannot be responsible for any determinations, acts or
omissions by the Consulates.
The above detailed passport is requested to be withdrawn from the visa application process in behalf of:
(check one)
Myself Relative Please specify: (name) (relationship)
Travel Agency (name of agency)
Other Please specify (name) (affiliation with passport holder)
Printed Name: _________________ Signature:___________________ Date:________________
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miyengar said:
Just thought I will add to the posts here. I am also waiting for OCI's for my 2 kids - one dispatched May 16 and the other not yet printed. I need to travel on June 10th and it is not possible to move or cancel the tickets. I talked to Travisa last week and they said the only recourse in such a case is to withdraw application to get passport back. They sent me a PDF file, which I cannot upload here, but I will paste the contents below. In short you lose all your fees, OCI application is cancelled and the US passport is returned. Can you say cha-ching?
Click to expand...

Try getting a second passport from the Department of State
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport#Second_passport
you can find more info on visahq website.
Don't withdraw the OCI application. Let it sit there and travel on the second passport with a new visa on it.
 
speakamericano said:
Try getting a second passport from the Department of State
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport#Second_passport
you can find more info on visahq website.
Don't withdraw the OCI application. Let it sit there and travel on the second passport with a new visa on it.
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Thanks for the suggestion. I don't see much information on travel.state.gov website. However, VisaHQ has the requirements - one of them being submitting the current passport! A classic catch 22 situation. The DS-11 US passport form also does not have any reference to second passport. And it seems they only issue it based on their discretion. Perhaps I should call the National Passport Center and find out the process in this case.

What a mess! I am kicking myself for not applying in person :( I assumed outsourcing to Travisa will improve the process. Other than having a better website compared to CGISF, it's just worse.
 
miyengar said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't see much information on travel.state.gov website. However, VisaHQ has the requirements - one of them being submitting the current passport! A classic catch 22 situation. The DS-11 US passport form also does not have any reference to second passport. And it seems they only issue it based on their discretion. Perhaps I should call the National Passport Center and find out the process in this case.

What a mess! I am kicking myself for not applying in person :( I assumed outsourcing to Travisa will improve the process. Other than having a better website compared to CGISF, it's just worse.
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The information on the form was never disclosed to us. The only impression I had was that if the visa was denied or issued for a shorter period - the fee would not be refunded. What a mess!! It does not even appear legal. I am worried - what if I go to collect my passport and they pull out another form that says "early withdrawal or cancellation fee $200." Are we supposed to give up without a fight? People who applied a day before travisa got involved , their international travel is not on hold. CGI and travisa must review this particular new-rule --- And they better warn people of these consequences. I would not have applied had I known.
 
miyengar said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't see much information on travel.state.gov website. However, VisaHQ has the requirements - one of them being submitting the current passport! A classic catch 22 situation. The DS-11 US passport form also does not have any reference to second passport. And it seems they only issue it based on their discretion. Perhaps I should call the National Passport Center and find out the process in this case.

What a mess! I am kicking myself for not applying in person :( I assumed outsourcing to Travisa will improve the process. Other than having a better website compared to CGISF, it's just worse.
Click to expand...

You should try calling the passport number from the travel state website. See if anyone can help you. Usually the proof of citizenship should be good enough for the second passport, as yours' is already in the custody of Travisa/Consulate and they won't return your passport without getting the whole thing cancelled. I'd strongly suggest speaking to a supervisor at this point if the clerk can't answer you question on the 1-800 number.
Good Luck!
 
miyengar said:
Just thought I will add to the posts here. I am also waiting for OCI's for my 2 kids - one dispatched May 16 and the other not yet printed. I need to travel on June 10th and it is not possible to move or cancel the tickets. I talked to Travisa last week and they said the only recourse in such a case is to withdraw application to get passport back.
---------------Inform them that you are NOT withdrawing OCI. you want to get Visa due to delay in OCI printing and will submit the Visa application to them and will pay the Visa fees and as The passport is with them they should get Visa for you and you are not asking passport back, one they get Visa for you and you make India trip you will again submit the Passport for OCI or U visa stamp. Also send the emails to your Consulate officers and update them what Travisa is saying. If possible visit the Travisa and talk to senior person

They sent me a PDF file, which I cannot upload here, but I will paste the contents below. In short you lose all your fees, OCI application is cancelled and the US passport is returned. Can you say cha-ching?
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--------------
 
Last edited by a moderator:
prem999, Just to let you know that I have called Travisa and they emailed me a passport withdrawal form. I filled it in and faxed it to them . Apparently fax takes priority when compared to emails. Called them again to confirm that the faxed papers have reached them. Travisa called me the next day( May 25th) and said that they are going to send in my withdrawal request to Consulate and that it will tale 1-3 business days to get the passport back to Travisa when they will mail it to me immediately because of the express shipment I paid already. I'll let you know as soon as I receive it. Keeping my fingers crossed.
One imp thing though is that they mentioned OCI application will not cancelled..it will continue to process when I come back from India and ship the passport back to them. So there is no deducting any money or refunding any money that's going to happen here.
 
nyc12 said:
prem999, Just to let you know that I have called Travisa and they emailed me a passport withdrawal form. I filled it in and faxed it to them . Apparently fax takes priority when compared to emails. Called them again to confirm that the faxed papers have reached them. Travisa called me the next day( May 25th) and said that they are going to send in my withdrawal request to Consulate and that it will tale 1-3 business days to get the passport back to Travisa when they will mail it to me immediately because of the express shipment I paid already. I'll let you know as soon as I receive it. Keeping my fingers crossed.
One imp thing though is that they mentioned OCI application will not cancelled..it will continue to process when I come back from India and ship the passport back to them. So there is no deducting any money or refunding any money that's going to happen here.
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nyc12, that is really good news. The form clearly says that you lose your money and the spot, though I am not complaining if that's incorrect. Now I need to find out if the SF consulate has the same policy as the NYC one...
 
nyc12 said:
prem999, Just to let you know that I have called Travisa and they emailed me a passport withdrawal form. I filled it in and faxed it to them . Apparently fax takes priority when compared to emails. Called them again to confirm that the faxed papers have reached them. Travisa called me the next day( May 25th) and said that they are going to send in my withdrawal request to Consulate and that it will tale 1-3 business days to get the passport back to Travisa when they will mail it to me immediately because of the express shipment I paid already. I'll let you know as soon as I receive it. Keeping my fingers crossed.
One imp thing though is that they mentioned OCI application will not cancelled..it will continue to process when I come back from India and ship the passport back to them. So there is no deducting any money or refunding any money that's going to happen here.
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It is a relief to know this. What's up with the form that they have sent to miyengar (posted above)? Travisa is learning and making up and modifying all the rules on the fly. The supporting documents for OCI application contains everything that is needed for a visa. They can shoot photocopies of needed documents for $2.00 per page from OCI application and they should ask us to do only online application for a visa and the fees. Withdraw, they dispatch, we apply in person -- What a pain all over again.
 
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