Renunciation Procedure using VFS

[Aura28]

So this is what I found on the SF embassy website-

PROCESSING TIME FOR RENUNCIATION OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP AND ISSUANCE OF RENUNCIATION CERTIFICATE (from the day the application is received in the Consulate)

General processing time period - for US passport holders - 30 Days (from the day the application is received in the Consulate).

The above time period is an indicative general processing time and does not include the period for transfer of applications from VFS Global to Consulate and back. There may be a longer processing time for other types of cases like: holders of non US foreign passport holders, cases where the documents are not as per guidelines, or issues of penalty etc.

https://www.cgisf.gov.in/page/renunciation-of-indian-citizenship-and-surrender-of-indian-passport/

[Oops007]

Hello Oops007, how did you track your renunciation certificate update with VFS? I sent all documents on January 7th, delivered by January 8th with their prepaid fed ex labels.

When I try to track the status with my USAS number it says valid inputs. I also applied for my OCI simultaneously and my US and old Indian passports were returned.
the tracker does not even say my renunciation certificate was received. When did you first get updates from the tracker.

Hello,
The Tracker was showing as Invalid Inputs for me also for the first week. only after 8 to 10 days It is showing the status as "Your application has reached the Embassy".
To track the status you should not use USA* number, you should use the ARN number (21-200* )

By the way how did you apply for both Renunciation and OCI simultaneously? For OCI you need to have Renunciation process completed and you need to get the renunciation certificate back, then only you can apply for OCI.

[kmeno]

I got an email with the checklist for renunciation but not able to click the links, anyone have issues with the PDF? I am going to print the checklist from VFS site and handfill the checklist. Did you enter US PP# or Indian PP# on the top of the checklist?

[GANGAKISI]

Hello Ooops 007, I had no idea I had to apply for renunciation before OCI. My passport was cancelled in 1998 and I went through a similar process before when I applied for my Indian visas after I became a citizen in 2003. I believe it was a long drawn process similar to the renunciation but no certificate was issued. My passport was returned with a "canceled" stamp but it did not say "canceled due to acquiring citizenship".

I assumed the canceled passport sufficed. Then the OCI unit in November requested the renunciation certificate which I believed was the one from their website. I sent it in. After spending $100 on phone calls, no one mentioned that the certificate was not stamped and insufficient. Instead they wanted a name change affidavit of a name change that did not take place. When I sent the affidavit from my 91 year old in India that his name was not changed VFS returned my OCI application and I reapplied again. I paid new fees.

Truthfully if their instructions were clear, this would not have happened.

[GANGAKISI]

Can someone please give me the website to track whether my renunciation certificate has been sent to the Embassy. Is it this one https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-PassportTracking/

[Donald_Trump]

Can someone please give me the website to track whether my renunciation certificate has been sent to the Embassy. Is it this one https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-PassportTracking/

No, this is the right one - https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/track-application

VFS is the vendor for a lot of countries for visa processing so not all links will work for OCI/Renunciation over here.

Also, VFS sends status notification directly to your email. So there's not much different info when you track it online.

[Oops007]

Hello Ooops 007, I had no idea I had to apply for renunciation before OCI. My passport was cancelled in 1998 and I went through a similar process before when I applied for my Indian visas after I became a citizen in 2003. I believe it was a long drawn process similar to the renunciation but no certificate was issued. My passport was returned with a "canceled" stamp but it did not say "canceled due to acquiring citizenship".

I assumed the canceled passport sufficed. Then the OCI unit in November requested the renunciation certificate which I believed was the one from their website. I sent it in. After spending $100 on phone calls, no one mentioned that the certificate was not stamped and insufficient. Instead they wanted a name change affidavit of a name change that did not take place. When I sent the affidavit from my 91 year old in India that his name was not changed VFS returned my OCI application and I reapplied again. I paid new fees.

Truthfully if their instructions were clear, this would not have happened.

Oh ok I got it, you allready have a old passport with a cancelled stamp on it. You are fine then..
I hear you about the pathetic state of handling of the cases by the VFS. I dont know how Govt. Of India is giving the contracts to VFS. This is really Sad. People are stuck with this process and not able to travel.
Donald_Trump - I remeber you mentioned few weeks back about sending a complain. where to complain.Is there a way we can complain about this whole situation of how VFS is handling the cases.

[Donald_Trump]

Oops007 Go ahead and write a physical letter to your local consulate as they would be flooded with complaint emails and might be ignoring emails (Use certified mail with return receipt). Also send a copy to Indian ambassador in Washington D.C. Embassy.

VFS got contract because founder of Cox & Kings (CKGS's parent company) was involved in a bank loan fraud scam. Otherwise CKGS who was the vendor earlier was doing a pretty good job and was very efficient in handling and processing applications. I had done a couple of tourist visa applications and OCI/Renunciation with CKGS earlier and all of them went pretty smooth without any follow ups or escalations being needed.

News - https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumb...poor-11-others

Donald_Trump - I remeber you mentioned few weeks back about sending a complain. where to complain.Is there a way we can complain about this whole situation of how VFS is handling the cases.

[thil]

Does any one know how long it take from the Embassy to process the Renunciation . VFS received all the applications from my family on same day but processing them in different dates (my wife app processed within a day and sent to Chicago Embassy but for my kid and mine it took more than a week to process and send to Embassy ) .

Right now all of our Applications are in the Chicago Embassy and does any one know how long does the Chicago Indian embassy take to process the apps ?..

[CC80]

Hello All,
Just getting started on my renunciation application for SF consulate. I see that they are asking for two photos on the checklist, but I don't see any place to paste it on the surrender certificate. Do we just send in loose photos?

[Tina K]

[QUOTE=marathon_running;n749753]Hi Guys,

I need help with name we need to put on both Government Application Online Form and Renunciation Certificate. My wife's name on her India's passport has her last name before marriage and her US passport (and the naturalization certificate) has my last name. The guidelines from VFS (link given given below) say that we need to put the details based on existing passport. Does it mean Indian Passport or US passport?

https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/...-june-2010.pdf

Specifically, I am looking for name for

1) Applicant's Name under Applicant Details in Government Application Online Form
2) Three places where we need to enter name in the Renunciation Certificate

I read somewhere else that name on the Renunciation Certificate needs to be name on the Indian Passport. If that is true, I am not sure how one can solemnly declare and sign on the Certificate (which is what the Certificate requires) when the name is not legally correct.

I contacted VFS, but did not receive any reply from them.

Has anyone run into similar issue? If so, please let me know how you applied.


Hi,
Thanks for bringing the topic about the name change. I kind of having same issue. My India passport surname is different than current surname after naturalization. I have the supportive documents to prove. Although while filling the "VFS renunciation form" not sure on few sections what to put:

1. I am ( married/ not married/ etc). should I write my current status or past status when I received my Indian passport?

2. On the very end section " Full name of applicant": should I write the current surname or the previous one?

3. "Signature of Application": sign with the current surname or old one?

I guess you have already applied for renunciation by now. Any suggestion will be helpful?

[Tina K]

Hi,
Thanks for bringing the topic about the name change. I kind of having same issue. My India passport surname is different than current surname after naturalization. I have the supportive documents to prove. Although while filling the "VFS renunciation form" not sure on few sections what to put:

1. I am ( married/ not married/ etc). should I write my current status or past status when I received my Indian passport?

2. On the very end section " Full name of applicant": should I write the current surname or the previous one?

3. "Signature of Application": sign with the current surname or old one?

I guess you have already applied for renunciation by now. Any suggestion will be helpful?

[Donald_Trump]

The VFS renunciation certificate form is irrelevant as the Consulate will print a proper certificate in their own format from their end. So all details in the Indian government form should be accurate and correct. Applicant filled renunciation certificate are no longer being stamped and returned as was the process earlier when CKGS was the vendor. VFS doesn't care to update the instructions to remove that form altogether which leads to a lot of paper and printer ink getting wasted!

Hi,
Thanks for bringing the topic about the name change. I kind of having same issue. My India passport surname is different than current surname after naturalization. I have the supportive documents to prove. Although while filling the "VFS renunciation form" not sure on few sections what to put:

1. I am ( married/ not married/ etc). should I write my current status or past status when I received my Indian passport?

2. On the very end section " Full name of applicant": should I write the current surname or the previous one?

3. "Signature of Application": sign with the current surname or old one?

I guess you have already applied for renunciation by now. Any suggestion will be helpful?

[Tina K]

The VFS renunciation certificate form is irrelevant as the Consulate will print a proper certificate in their own format from their end. So all details in the Indian government form should be accurate and correct. Applicant filled renunciation certificate are no longer being stamped and returned as was the process earlier when CKGS was the vendor. VFS doesn't care to update the instructions to remove that form altogether which leads to a lot of paper and printer ink getting wasted!

Thanks for your prompt reply and guiding us in the journey of the Indian passport renunciation and OCI process. VFS website instructions are cumbersome and the form itself was not made proper way hard to download and fill in the information. I have to seek help from my friend to fit all the information (:

This forum has been very helpful to guide us through.....things are easier now.... thanks for the input!

[Tina K]

Thankyou Donald_Trump . For me after doing the creditCard payment I did not get the email for about 10 mins. So I was not sure what happened. But later received the email. Also I was able to download the shipping label on the VFS site. (Thankfully the email arrived

I have also purchased my round trip shipping from VFS; but when I'm downloading the courier( FedEx VFS) labels, it's only printing the sending label, not the return FedEx label? How do you guys got the return label?