Renunciation Procedure using VFS

[ramanamj]

Hi, I am trying to apply for renunciation and am lost in the application process. I started with this website

https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/extra?id=76

and then clicked

https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/apply-for-renunciation

Here, under Step 1, I clicked the link for "Renunciation service" which took me to

https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/united-states-of-america/renunciation-of-indian-citizenship/

I have Indian passport with me. I got US naturalization and passport in 2018. Under "Documents Required" tab, under "Renunciation with Passport" column, I clicked Renunciation Certificate – To be filled by Customer who are in possession of Indian passport.
This brought up the form at https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/...rm-updated.pdf

I started filling this form but do not know what to enter for Govt Form Reference # at the top right. Where do I get this number from?

Also, under the "Documents Required" tab, there is a Checklist - Naturalized on or after 1st June 2010 and with passport. When I click this link it takes me to the page https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/...-june-2010.pdf

But this clearly says in the title it is for Naturalized On or After 1st June 2020. But I was Naturalized before. So do I need to fill this checklist form? Is there a different checklist for before 1st June 2020?

I also saw a step where it sent me to register on the VFS website, which I did.
I am unsure what I need to do next. Any help with the steps will be much appreciated.
Thank you.

[we-shall-overcome]

Hi folks (@donald_trump and others) - when you choose money order option, pls advise how do you guys buy the shipping label from and how much.....For oci are we spossed to keep 2 shipping labels (one for return of us passport and one later for oci)

[Donald_Trump]

we-shall-overcome

No idea since I paid with credit card which generated the Fedex shipping label in the end. Actually I paid with a credit card that gives 2% cash back on all purchases. So even though VFS charged 3.5% as service fee for credit card payment which added $8 to my total, I was able to get $4.6 cash back (2% of $231). So in effective, I paid only $3.5 as service fee. Even if you pay by money order, you will need to pay close to $1 as money order fee. So it just cost me an extra $2.5 for credit card payment which is not too significant or huge difference. So if you have any such credit card, you can use that for payment.

[we-shall-overcome]

we-shall-overcome

No idea since I paid with credit card which generated the Fedex shipping label in the end. Actually I paid with a credit card that gives 2% cash back on all purchases. So even though VFS charged 3.5% as service fee for credit card payment which added $8 to my total, I was able to get $4.6 cash back (2% of $231). So in effective, I paid only $3.5 as service fee. Even if you pay by money order, you will need to pay close to $1 as money order fee. So it just cost me an extra $2.5 for credit card payment which is not too significant or huge difference. So if you have any such credit card, you can use that for payment.

Thank you.

Actually during OCI application, even if we pay by credit card and buy their shipping (to/fro) we still need to provide -
- a shipping label for the return of US passport back. OR
- include a money order of $15 for the return of US passport

I don't know why they cannot built in 3x shipping in the application process. Hence I was wondering why not pay the whole fees by money order, use our own shipping to send the package and include 2*15 in the money order for return of US passport and return of OCI later

[Donald_Trump]

we-shall-overcome Oh ok, yea the extra shipping in which they send you the US passport back after verification. CKGS had the 3x shipping built in. I don't understand why the Indian government didn't require VFS to match the end to end process as it is. CKGS online system and workflow was very smooth and efficient.

[Tana-riri]

For Renunciation, is anyone seeing this error message after the address verification for the courier: "An error occurred while processing your request" ? VFS is ofcourse not responding.

As an aside, if you are stuck with the "passport expiry date cannot be in the future error", VFS customer service told me to put in the "current date". Current date throws the same error. Others have told me that VFS advised them to put in [current date -1] or [current date -2]. That gets accepted.

I am seeing the same error after the address verification for the courier "An error occurred while processing your request". Were you able to get past it? If so, can you please tell me how?

[Tana-riri]

Donald_Trump I have a stupid question. I already filled out the application form and now am in the second step which is to fill in information for shipping and payment. Under the "Add new customer" form, it is asking for "Passport number" and "passport expiry date". Are these supposed to be of the US passport or Indian passport? My guess is US passport since at the end of the form it asks information about the Indian passport, so no need to put the same info twice. Just wanted to clarify with someone who has already submitted it.

[sinnerman26]

I finally got my canceled Indian passport and Surrender Certificate back yesterday. It was a tense few weeks but its finally here.
My experience was with the VFS Chicago Center. Items were delivered on Nov 20th and I received the items back on December 10th including the time it took to coordinate with VFS, Consulate and the person who had received my documents because of VFS incompetence.

[sinnerman26]

Hi Everyone,

My ordeal has finally come to an end. Received my passport back along with a printed "Surrender Certificate" today.

However, they didn't return the renunciation certificate that was filled out, instead got a "Surrender certificate" printed from the Consulate in SF that says passport has been surrendered. They also stamped my passport with a stamp to say "Cancelled due to acquiring US citizenship".

Does anyone else have a recent experience of having gotten this Surrender certificate? Do they not return renunciation certificate that we filled out?

I could care less about which one to use, but want to be sure I got the right one back

I had the same experience with the Chicago consulate. The form that's generated using the government website, where your photograph is affixed is kept by the consulate and you get the Renunciation Certificate back with the stamp of the consulate. I received my canceled passport, the Renunciation/Surrender Certificate back.

[Donald_Trump]

Tana-riri Not a stupid question at all. It is the language and labeling in VFS forms that is stupid and ambiguous. I too had the same question. I had put in US passport number (Since the next question or the question before that was about nationality and it is USA so I had put US passport#). But go ahead and put Indian passport details as those are relevant details for renunciaton. In fact when I applied, VFS system was throwing an error when we put a future expiry date (My indian passport expiry date was 2028), The error was "Passport expiry date cannot be a future date"). So I had just put present date as advised by them in expiry date field. I believe they have fixed that issue now.

The information on VFS form/system doesn't matter much as the Govt form is the main form and that one shouldn't have any mistakes and that form is pretty clear and straightforward.

When I got the confirmation letter from VFS, it had my US passport number on it but then I went ahead and jotted Indian passport number with a pen and it didn't create any issue.

Since VFS just got the contract about a month ago, their system and processes are still very bad and needs a lot of improvement. Applicants who are applying now are kind of beta testers!

Donald_Trump I have a stupid question. I already filled out the application form and now am in the second step which is to fill in information for shipping and payment. Under the "Add new customer" form, it is asking for "Passport number" and "passport expiry date". Are these supposed to be of the US passport or Indian passport? My guess is US passport since at the end of the form it asks information about the Indian passport, so no need to put the same info twice. Just wanted to clarify with someone who has already submitted it.

[eigen_vector]

I had an ordeal after paying for VFS courier service. My courier label wouldn't print and the link kept erroring out. I sent multiple emails and called and VFS incompetency kept asking for basic information like my reference#, passport # etc. Eventually after 4 days, the label *****ally appeared in the application link but I am still receiving emails from VFS with generic emails about my application. This company is incompetent to the highest order.

I am yet to see my status update but hoping to get over this ordeal soon.

Are you all interested in submitting a formal request to Indian embassy/consulate expressing our frustration with VFS. While we may get through this one time, other fellow folks of Indian origin will continue to suffer. Hopefully, the consulate may take an action if they get a letter urging them to take action from a large group of diaspora.

[KG642]

I also had a question regarding filling out the form on VFS site. Do I need to fill in my US passport number or the Indian passport number ?

[KG642]

Hi Everyone,

My ordeal has finally come to an end. Received my passport back along with a printed "Surrender Certificate" today.

However, they didn't return the renunciation certificate that was filled out, instead got a "Surrender certificate" printed from the Consulate in SF that says passport has been surrendered. They also stamped my passport with a stamp to say "Cancelled due to acquiring US citizenship".

Does anyone else have a recent experience of having gotten this Surrender certificate? Do they not return renunciation certificate that we filled out?

I could care less about which one to use, but want to be sure I got the right one back

Hi Kiran, Congratulations!! Can you let me know what you filled in the Passport number on the VFS site (After you click Add customer) - you US passport number or Indian passport number?

[grrfromgk]

I finally got my canceled Indian passport and Surrender Certificate back yesterday. It was a tense few weeks but its finally here.
My experience was with the VFS Chicago Center. Items were delivered on Nov 20th and I received the items back on December 10th including the time it took to coordinate with VFS, Consulate and the person who had received my documents because of VFS incompetence.

How did the person reached out to you? VFS NYC stated my documents were dispatched last Monday but I am yet to receive the documents, I used UPS prepaid label and tracking says ready for shipment. VFs call center is horrible and they pretty much see the same thing that you see on their website.

fingers crossed ????

[kiranboda]

Its best to use VFS provided shipments via FedEX as they seem to have daily pick-up from their office in the evenings. Other pre-paid carrier labels are somehow causing delays in handling.