Sent Passports for collection of OCI, Still No Reply fromHCI

Dear Viewers of Immigration Boards,

I had applied for my OCI for my self and for my immediate family (i.e. my wife and son) and see my experience below:

Submitted in London (in Person) : 01/OCT/2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 01/OCT/2013
Registration Status at Mission : LONDON
OCI Number : A*******
Documents Printing Status : Processed On 9/NOV/2013

What happened is, I had checked the Documents Printing Status:Processed On 9/NOV/2013 and didn't noticed the other things and taken a day off from office and traveled to Central London on 14/Nov/13 which is a public holiday to Indian Embassy!!. Which is my mistake, I should have checked the public holidays.

Again on 18/Nov/2013 I traveled to HCI London and showed my status report to a lady in the outside counter (Customer service for OCI!!) in the freezing cold. She explained in a very pleasant manner that I have to wait few more days as the further 2 steps of the process has not completed

i.e.
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : NEW DELHI On -----
Document received At : LONDON On -----

With a disappointing face I came back home.... and was keep checking my status every day.

On 20th Afternoon I noticed my status has changed and I reckon:

Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : NEW DELHI On 19/NOV/2013
Document received At : LONDON On 20/NOV/2013

I had taken status report printouts and along with British Passports and a Cover letter saying that I can't attend in person for collection of OCI cards and requested them to send back my passports along with OCI cards by post. I had included self addressed envelope with self paid stamp Royal mail cover and sent it to OCI Section in HCI London by special delivery on 21/NOV/2013.

I still not received my Passports and OCI cards mail to my home yet!!!
I waited until 27/NOV/2013 and sent an email to DR Shetty (shettybn@nic.in ) and ss.oci@hcilondon.in . Gave several trys to get hold of OCI Section member at: 020 7632 3072 /020 7836 8484. It's really a time wasting!!! as I spend several hours on hold. Fingers crossed and awaiting for a reply from above emails or my special mail to my home in the near future.


Thought of sharing my experience with you all and be careful with Postal applications and receipt of OCI cards by Post as the HCI London is the one of the most ambiguous processing centers for any kind of applications.

Cheers,
Chrams

looking at the dates, you sent passport on 21st Nov, so presumably received by HCI on 22nd, Friday - so only 3 working days since they received. It's little too optimistic to expect return of passport and OCI by now. For collection by post, you always need make provision for a week or two.

Guys, Finally I am able to establish communication with OCI Section in HCI London:

See the conversation email thread below:

From: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.com
To: ss.oci@hcilondon.in
CC: min.coord@hcilondon.in; fs.coord@hcilondon.in
Subject: RE: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post
Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 15:44:12 +0000

Dear OCI Team,
Thanks for your confirmation that you had our passports.
I don't know how the internal process works in Indian High Commission in London. All I understand from your website is:
If I submit my passport in the morning, by same day evening I can collect my passport along with OCI sticker in my passport.

Apparently, my passports are with you since 22/Nov and today is 3/Dec
Please can you confirm, why are you not able to complete the process? What is holding up the process?

Can you please advise me when will the third passport OCI sticker will be ready by?

I want all our passports dispatched in the same shipment and advise me of the realistic delivery date and I will manage my business trip expectations.

I would highly appreciate your confirmation

Thanks & regards,
XXXXXNameXXXXX
Mobilexxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ss.oci@hcilondon.in
To: xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.com
Subject: RE: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post
Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 12:26:37 +0000

Sorry, your passports (3) are with us as we are waiting for the OCI sticker no. 14xxxx. Rest of 2 have been affixed.

If you advise we can send the 2 passports with oci visa card with 3rd passport without oci stickers. As soon as we get the new sticker will inform you & you can submit that one.


Regards,

OCI Team
High Commission of India
India House, Aldwych
London WC2B 4NA
Tel: 0207 632 3071/72
Fax:0207 632 3073

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.com]
Sent: 03 December 2013 11:58
To: OCI Team
Cc: min.coord@hcilondon.in; fs.coord@hcilondon.in
Subject: RE: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post

Dear OCI Team,
Thanks for your email.
I was keep checking my return mail Postal bar code every day and noticed there is no record in Postal website that they had collected my shipment from HCI. Please find attached Track and Trace report.

Can you please check in your team specifically, on our passports whether they have completed the OCI stickers are affixed and dispatched?
xxxxxxxxxxxx (DOB: dd/mm/yyyy); OCI File No: GBRL05xxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx (DOB: dd/mm/yyyy); OCI File No: GBRL05xxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx (DOB: dd/mm/yyyy); OCI File No: GBRL05xxxxxx

I would highly appreciate your confirmation.

Thanks & regards,
XXXXXNameXXXXX
Mobilexxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ss.oci@hcilondon.in
To: xxxxxxx@xxxxxx.com
Subject: RE: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post
Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 11:01:53 +0000

We had sent all the passports which we had received till 29/11/2013 to affix their oci visa on it. PL. check with royal mail with your return postal bar code no.

Rgd,s

OCI Team
High Commission of India
India House, Aldwych
London WC2B 4NA
Tel: 0207 632 3071/72
Fax:0207 632 3073

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: xxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxx@xxxxx.com]
Sent: 03 December 2013 10:16
To: ss.oci@hcilondon.in
Cc: min.coord@hcilondon.in; fs.coord@hcilondon.in
Subject: FW: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post
Importance: High

Dear Sir/Madam,
I sent following below email on 28th Nov 2013 and I have had no response.
When I try to contact your OCI Section by Phone, no one is picking up the call (020 7632 3072 /020 7836 8484/ 020 7632 3035). Please let me know, when will I receive my passports back?

I have to go on a work related business trip to Sweden. I am very unhappy with your service standards. At least no information is providing to manage our business expectation in order to book my flights and schedule our company meeting in Sweden.

I urge your attention on this matter and advise me when will I receive my Passports as I sent them to you by special royal mail on 21 Nov and I had checked that they had delivered to you on 22/Nov.

Thanks & regards,

xxxxxxxNAMEXXXX
Mobile: xxxxxxxxxxx
email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.com
--------------------------------------------------------------

From: xxxxxxx@xxxxxx.com
To: ss.oci@hcilondon.in
Subject: Re: Sent Passports by special delivery for collecting OCI Certificates by Post
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 10:39:50 +0000
Dear Sir/ Madam,
My name is xxxxxx xxxxxx (DOB: xx/xx/xxxx) I had applied for OCI certificates for my self and for my family on 1st October 2013.

My Family members:
My wife : xxxxxxxxxxx (DOB: dd/mm/yyyy)
My son : xxxxxxxxxx (DOB: dd/mm/yyyy)

I had noticed that our OCI certificates are ready for collection at High Commission of India, London by 20/11/2013. Unfortunately we are not able to attend in person to collect our OCI certificates. Our applications are straightforward first time OCI application and as per your website guidelines, I had enclosed :

a) Print out of on-line status reports for 3 of us
b) British Passports for 3 of us
c) Self attested Marriage certificate
d) Parent self attested birth certificate of our son and
e) Self Addressed and stamped Envelope

Our OCI Numbers are: Axxxxxx, Axxxxxx and Axxxxx for my self, my wife and my son respectively.

I sent a special delivery on 21/Nov/2013 with above listed. Unfortunately there is no further update as I had a scheduled trip to Sweden as I need my passport back ASAP. I tried to reach you on 020 7632 3072 /020 7836 8484 several times and no response on your phones. If you require any information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

xxxxxNAMExxxxxxx
XXXXAddressxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxx
Mobile: xxxxxxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.com

Dear Chrams,

Please provide update, have you now received passport and OCI?

I posted 2 passports on Wednesday 4 December and hopefully from your experience I should get an idea of when to expect mine.

Thanks Shabster8

Shabster8 wrote:Dear Chrams,

Please provide update, have you now received passport and OCI?

I posted 2 passports on Wednesday 4 December and hopefully from your experience I should get an idea of when to expect mine.

Thanks Shabster8

Yes, I received passports for 3 of us on 4th December 2013 but the twist is: OCI have been issued to my self and my wife only. HCI London seems lost my son's OCI sticker and they called me and apologized me for the inconvenience and they offered if I require any urgent travel certificate for my son if we wish to travel to India during the Re-OCI process for my son.

What should I do? I agreed with them and it's in process. They said they won't charge any money for the OCI process and said they will inform me once it's completed (may be another 4-6 weeks time!!)

I haven't got any plans for the family visit to India. So I am not worried much. But it shows the negligence of the HCI-London.

All the best for your applications

Cheers,
Chrams

Hi, it is very unfortunate that they lost your sons OCI sticker but thankfully you dont have any immediate travel plans so just wait it out I think unless the gurus think otherwise?

Both mine arrived today in the post - took just 7 days to return.

Thanks.

Shabster