SFO OCI processing time update

[bloxer]

VFS update: (Relaxation of US Passport requirement)

10 April 2021


Update for New OCI applicants – With effect from 12 April 2021, new OCI card applicants are not required to submit their original US passport along with their applications. Please enclose a clear self -attested US passport copy along with your application, notarized copy is not required. If you have applied after this change went into effect and the system charged you for an additional courier, you will need to submit a refund request.

[sholay]

Good News for Parents who wants to renew OCI of their kids.

[sholay]

They had my son's PP for 15 days.

Well they dispatched my US passport yesterday. I am going to get passport tomorrow.
Date of Ack 04/07 and so getting passport in a week time is not bad.

The status today is "submitted to the Embassy of India/Consulate General of India"

Update
04/15 - Received my US Passport

[Ankit_1987]

Status Update-
Hi Everyone,
Today's Update
Date of Ack- 26 Feb
Document printing Status- 30 March
Dispatched From MEA- 1 April
Document received at San Francisco - 9 April
Got fedex notification about OCI arriving today.
Finally....

[PeterGriffin]

Another couple of week for Passport return ? I am currently more concerned of passport return than OCI

They had my son's PP for 15 days.

[sholay]

Finally after almost week of submission (04/06th) the status started appearing today.

"Your application is being verified and currently under process at the VFS Indian Consular Application Centre

Another couple of week for Passport return ? I am currently more concerned of passport return than OCI

[Donald_Trump]

Yes, it is BS!

So true not able to even track my application. The mail stated "you are requested to track the status after 2-3 business days"

[sholay]

Yes, that's an auto generated email which gets sent when they have scanned the packets received. After this, takes a long time. So this 1st email is misleading of being positively surprised!

So true not able to even track my application. The mail stated "you are requested to track the status after 2-3 business days"

[Donald_Trump]

Yes, that's an auto generated email which gets sent when they have scanned the packets received. After this, takes a long time. So this 1st email is misleading of being positively surprised!

I submitted the application on 04/06, delivered on 04/07 and I received this one 04/08th (Positively surprised )

Dear Customer,

your package has been received at the VFS application Centre. Our current processing times are longer than usual. Your application will be reviewed with 48-72 business hours. You are requested to track the status of your application after 2-3 business days. Average processing time is 4-6 weeks except for Tatkal cases.



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Now the actual wait starts

[sholay]

I submitted the application on 04/06, delivered on 04/07 and I received this one 04/08th (Positively surprised )

Dear Customer,

your package has been received at the VFS application Centre. Our current processing times are longer than usual. Your application will be reviewed with 48-72 business hours. You are requested to track the status of your application after 2-3 business days. Average processing time is 4-6 weeks except for Tatkal cases.



----
Now the actual wait starts

[PeterGriffin]

Another SFO data point (my timeline):

New OCI-Minor

Delivered to VFS: February 10
US Passport returned: Feb 25
OCI application submitted to SFO Consulate: March 6

No other updates since. Based on others' experiences hopefully I will hear something here soon.

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Edit April 12. Based on this info the expected turn-around is now approaching 3 months.

Thank you for contacting the VFS Indian Visa, Passport & OCI Application Center Help Desk in the United States.

We understand that you wish to know the status of the OCI application.

We would like to inform you that, your application is in process with the Embassy / Consulate since 08th March 2021, from this date it takes 5-6 weeks for the New OCI Card.

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Edit April 24. Tracking shows OCI was received by SFO today.

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Edit April 27. OCI delivered today. Just about three months from start to finish.

[Ankit_1987]

Hi Everyone,
Today's Update
Date of Ack- 26 Feb
Document printing Status- 30 March
Dispatched From MEA- 1 April
Document received at San Francisco - 9 April


How soon should I expect it at my doorstep now ?

[sholay]

sholay You are right. It is not laughable but highly pathetic. This requirement of notary of passport copy was introduced recently. We are sending original passport so what is the sense of sending notarized copy. But hey, we are trying to find sense and logic in highly bureaucratic Indian government's system and processes which is basically useless! What can be worse than thumb printing new borns on application forms.

Well i went ahead and tweeted my suggestion and even got a reply from vfsglobalcare

"we appreciate your suggestion and have shared it with our concerned team for future consideration."

Hopefully they will simplify it for the future generation.

[Donald_Trump]

sholay You are right. It is not laughable but highly pathetic. This requirement of notary of passport copy was introduced recently. We are sending original passport so what is the sense of sending notarized copy. But hey, we are trying to find sense and logic in highly bureaucratic Indian government's system and processes which is basically useless! What can be worse than thumb printing new borns on application forms.

I completely agree, I will do the same.

The process is laughable. that you have to provide the ORIGINAL as well as the Notarized copy.

"They return original and send the notarized to the Consulate" - Why do you want ORIGINAL only to return it and why even asking it when they are asking for NOTARIZED ?

I wish these officials should GOOGLE the meaning of NOTARY.

[sholay]

I feel for you guys as well, this is a recent addition to ask for notarized copies of US passport. I lodged a protest on the twitter handle of SFO consulate, and so should all of you guys as well. Raise it up on Twitter and email to your local consulates. There is no reason for such nightmare to continue.

I completely agree, I will do the same.

The process is laughable. that you have to provide the ORIGINAL as well as the Notarized copy.

"They return original and send the notarized to the Consulate" - Why do you want ORIGINAL only to return it and why even asking it when they are asking for NOTARIZED ?

I wish these officials should GOOGLE the meaning of NOTARY.