What is causing Delay in Houston

[vjayram]

- Have anybody gone in person and got it approved?
- DO CGI accept in person visit?
- Have anybody called CGI for status?

[sujitshah]

Entry VISA and surrender of Indian passport.

I think we are in the same boat. My application is at the consulate since 11/1.
I will have to got Houston.

[NeM]

Paying a visit to CGI Houston

According to some, they have visited CGI Houston and got a response back just a day later.. the keyword here is.. you need to be POLITE with the lady behind that enquiry counter.. here is the report on his visit:

"Since it was almost a month that had passed from the time I submitted the form - I decided to visit the consulate (not the travisa but the actual consulate on Post Oak)..I go in and there are people crying (literally) due to visa issues and other matter!!! So as you can understand - I was already heart sunk! But then somehow I gathered my memories from back home (standing in line for passports and college applications) and went in - asked the lady very very politely about the status of my case - to my surprise she asked me for my details and noted something in the system and asked me my departure date for India. After this she told me that I will get my visa by 30'th in the mail. This was yesterday (Nov 17th). Today (Nov 18th) to my surprise I received the Travisa automated email saying my visa has been processed!!!"

[pinfam]

Does anyone have any updates to their status? I received this email yesterday for both of our pending applications (2 children)

Dear YYYY YYYY ,

Your application for an India visa is still in process at the Consulate. We have checked with the Consulate multiple times, and at this time, your application is currently awaiting approval. Please be aware that we are working every day to make sure that your application process is not delayed.
Please do not call us regarding your status since Travisa Outsourcing doesn’t make the decision regarding your visa. We will update the status online once the Indian Consulate makes a decision.
We will send a notification by email once a final decision has been reached.
For your reference, your Application Id is YYYY YYYY YYYY YYYY XX
Sincerely,
Travisa Outsourcing

[houston]

Does anyone have any updates to their status? I received this email yesterday for both of our pending applications (2 children)

Dear YYYY YYYY ,

Your application for an India visa is still in process at the Consulate. We have checked with the Consulate multiple times, and at this time, your application is currently awaiting approval. Please be aware that we are working every day to make sure that your application process is not delayed.
Please do not call us regarding your status since Travisa Outsourcing doesn’t make the decision regarding your visa. We will update the status online once the Indian Consulate makes a decision.
We will send a notification by email once a final decision has been reached.
For your reference, your Application Id is YYYY YYYY YYYY YYYY XX
Sincerely,
Travisa Outsourcing

Yes, I got the same email for my 1 year old son's application. I visited Travisa and the consulate today to see if I can get any information but it did not get me anywhere. The Travisa office told me I should not have booked my ticket before getting the visa even though I applied for the visa a month ago. The lady was very rude and said she could not do anything. After a lot of patient pleading she said she would submit a status check on monday and said that all she could do.

I then went to the consulate and stood in the misc services line only to be told to go to the reception area. I went to the reception area and talked to a nice lady who took my sons name and my travel date and went back to check. I was feeling good at this point and thought I might get somewhere. After a few minutes she came back and talked to another lady first and told her that Mr. Kapoor will cancel her visa application if she comes and asks for a status again. Then she turns to me and says that Mr. Kapoor has not seen my application and I will have to wait and then she also said I should not have bought my ticket.

So now I am stuck with a travel date coming up on Dec 9th which I may have to skip because Mr. Kapoor has not seen my sons passport yet.

I'm very disappointed to see such people representing India :-(

[NeM]

No choice but just got to be patient about it

A flight on Dec 9th is actually plenty of time (unlike mine which is on Dec 4th). Keep checking back on your status in travisa's website, hopefully they'll look into it before that flight deadline and approve it in the coming week..

I think I'll forget about visiting the consulate after reading about your experience. The reception lady may have been nice but there is no point if the clowns working in the offices behind that counter are psychotic.

[houston]

Nem, you have nothing to lose by visiting the Consulate. Give it a try, especially with your travel date being so close, maybe they will do something.

[pinfam]

Another automated email saying visas are still in process. This is so frustrating.

[vjayram]

Getting my VISA atlast

FINALLY, Got my VISA Approved today and will be sent via FEDEX.
It was a struggle to get this done. I must have called CGI Houston, more than 300 times on 24th and 26th. Finally, got through to the Front office lady, explained the the urgency. She said, it'll be done on Friday and sent to Travisa on Monday. I happened... as she said.
The key to get the VISA, is to talk to the Front office via Phone. Need to keep trying. I was on hold for more than 90 mins, one time, when I finally got through.
Good luck all... I'm ready to fly to India on 5th Dec.

Date/Time Action
10/11/2010 11:20am CST India visa application completed online
10/14/2010 1:12pm CST India visa application arrived in the mail at Travisa Outsoucing
10/20/2010 12:26pm CST Passport and supporting documents received, payment processed.
10/20/2010 4:44pm CST Documents prepared to go to Embassy.
10/21/2010 8:13am CST Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing Office to Consulate
10/21/2010 9:36am CST Documents received by Consulate
11/29/2010 9:12am CST Outsourcing office has verified the visa is processed correctly. Ready for pickup between 4:30pm and 6:00pm. If mail back, waiting for FedEx pick up and is likely to be mailed out tomorrow.

[pinfam]

V, can you tell us what number you called and which option you chose?

Thx!

[vjayram]

Call: 713-626-2148 or 713-626-2149
Choose Option # 9, for operator.
If the message say's the "Operator is busy and want to hold ?", you need to press 1.
It'll say, you are in the queue. After a while, it'll ask you to leave a message or try a different extension.
At that time, choose try an extension and choose "0" to go to operator again..
You need to go through this loop, until you get through to the front desk. I was on this loop for 1 1/2 hours... one time and lucky the second time, when it took only 3 mins...

[pinfam]

Vjay, Thank you kindly.
I've been through that process many times previously
Applied for renewal of passport for my husband in September, and that took a long time...I called that number 5 days straight (2 days, I stayed on the line nearly all day, just going back to the operator over and over) with nobody picking up the line. On the 5th day, finally got someone in the evening. So, am definitely familiar with the process.

I guess I'll start calling today!

[sujitshah]

calling Houston

Vjay,

Is there a specific time when you called. It keeps on ringing without anyone answering ?

[vjayram]

There is no specific time. Even though they say, call between 2:00-4:00 for status, Call between 9-5 CST.
They never pick the call. Call, wait for 4 rings. If no response, drop and retry. It's year 2010, but, we've to live with this kind of customer support. We've no choice.
I remember, bitching about USCIS service 10 years back... but CGI Houston is beyond that... They work the same way, they do in India.

[mjfernand]

I was in a similar position. I had applied for OCI end of August and since it was not forthcoming I went in person to travisa (where the indian consulate in Houston outsources the visas) and was able to get an entry visa same day. Based on other peoples experiences there, it seems that if you mail it it, it can take 4weeks up to 3 months to get the entry visa back. Instead, if you do it in person, you can get it same day.
I think the main holdup is the surrender certificate needed for the entry visa. If you have that in hand and include it in your application (like I did) then it's quick. Another woman who was in front of me had not yet cancelled her passport. They advised her to go to the indian consulate and submit the renunciation form and old passport (see the houston consulate website for details) and then with the receipt they gave her, they told her to go to travisa and apply for a TOURIST visa instead of an entry visa. It seems they are doing this for a short period of time due to this problem of OCI taking too long. Even though the consulate website says that you cannot do a tourist visa for persons of indian origin and the travisa website will say that you cannot, just go to the travisa office and they will help you fill out the forms and you can get it same day or next day. Hope that helps you and best of luck.
You might be better off if you get them to cancel the application and hand over the documents back to you and then go to Travisa and apply in person.