Renunciation certificate penalty with $250

[Harshulk]

Hello,

I've sent all the required papers on 3/23/2011 to Travisa in NY for getting Renunciation certificate.

Naturalization Date: May 10, 2005
US Passport Issue Date: Oct 19, 2005
US Passport Expiration Date: Oct 18, 2016
Indian Passport Issue Date: Apr 03, 1996
Indian Passport Exp. Date: Apr 02, 2006

Now I got e-mail from Travisa in NY saying that Payment of $250 in Penalty Fees - Missing.

I am confuse on various comments that I've found on indiacgny.org and forum on immihelp.

Do I really need to pay this amount?

Please let me know.

Thanks
Harshul

[immihelp]

yes

[coolcar]

Renunciation certificate penalty with $250

Hi Immigration Help:

What if your passport just has "Cancelled" stamp when you surrendered it and obtained PIO / OC prior to all these rules ?

Please suggest !

Those who had forecasted / predicted that this Surrender Certificate will again be retroactively be made mandatory slowly with stealth have been proved correct.

Travisa / NY consulate now need Surrender certificates for any consular services for even existing OCI holders. Moreover the "Cancelled"stamp and our OCI registration from 2005 onwards in our passports is not enough ! It should be "Canceled as acquired US citizenship".

Wonder how this could be our fault when consulates were just Cancelling the passports without proper stamps in 2006 when we acquired PIO certificates !

So we think ..OK ..it will be another 20 dollars as we had acquired US citizenship prior to May 2010. But wait .. NOW ... when we get to do this Renounciation process Online we get slapped a penalty of 250 dollars automatically because Indian passport has expired after 1st Jan 2005.

Wonder when this confusion will be sorted out. I sincerely pray and hope that this is sorted out soon and Cancelled stamp will be acceptable without penalty.

I personally know many people who have similar notifications ! This will mean that potentially thousands of people who have acquired PIO/OCI during 2006 to 2010 and have "Cancelled" stamp as opposed to "Canceled as acquired US citizenship". will for no fault of theirs have to face a penalty All of us have got the OCIs after 2005 as scheme was formalised late 2005 and innaugurated in Pravasi Bharatiya day on 2006 anyway and many would have just "Cancelled" stamps.

Having said that I agree that there has to be penalty for people who have misused the Indian passports and travelled on it even after obtaining US citizenships.


Here are conflicting / confusing information in different Jurisdications

1) indianconsulate.com/5OtherConsularServices/1CitizenshipRenunciation.html
Please note that if you have acquired US (foreign) Citizenship on or before 31 May 2010 and if you have "Cancelled" stamp on your Indian passport, then there is a no requirement of acquiring "Surrender Certificate". If you do not have a cancelled stamp on Indian passport then you need to get the "Surrender Certificate".


2) news.rediff.com/report/2010/jun/02/citizenship-rules-changes-relief-to-indian-community.htm
Those who currently hold an Overseas Citizen of India card or a Person of Indian Origin card are not required to undertake these procedures.

3) indiacgny.org/UserFiles/Renunciation%20scenarios(3).pdf

NY Consulate Declaration of renunciation surrender certificate under different situations

4) sikhcoalition.org/documents/SurrenderCertificateFAQSAALT.pdf
How to Meet Indian Citizenship Renunciation and Surrender Certificate Requirements:
Information for Former Indian Citizens September 2010

5) cgihouston.org/NEWADVISORY.doc
Latest advisory regarding renunciation of Indian nationality

Good Luck to everyone !