What is causing Delay in Houston

[pinfam]

I did not get through via telephone yesterday and am really starting to get nervous Too many negative outcomes and not enough positive ones...

[pinfam]

There is no specific time. Even though they say, call between 2:00-4:00 for status, Call between 9-5 CST.
They never pick the call. Call, wait for 4 rings. If no response, drop and retry. It's year 2010, but, we've to live with this kind of customer support. We've no choice.
I remember, bitching about USCIS service 10 years back... but CGI Houston is beyond that... They work the same way, they do in India.

When you called, what did you say to them?

[shaziakhan]

enquire about visa & pio

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are indian citizens having J1 & J2 visas. I am expecting baby born in USA after few months. After the birth of child I have hardly one month to stay in USA. I need enquire about the documents which are required for my new born child for visit to india. Recently, I heard that pio card is necessary for my child . but i have less time. Can I take visa in place of pio card for my child for visit to india? Can I take pio later on in india? Emergency visa is available.. if yes than what is the minimum time taken in emergency visa? and same for pio?

[NeM]

my experience at CGI Houston

Earlier this morning, I drove to Houston to go in person to the consulate at Post Oak. I arrived there at 11am - finding a car parking spot is tough. Went up to the 6th floor. I skipped the big hall area with the 3 queues and the 3 windowed counters but instead went into the room that said "Reception" on the door because I wanted to find out about my entry visa status. The room inside looked like one of those doctor's small waiting room. Sure enough there were lots of people with similar circumstances to mine in there. The reception lady as previously reported by other posters has a nice attitude. I informed her of my situation where I needed to fly out Saturday December 4th. After plenty of nicely and politely pleading and begging with her for 6 hours, yes 6 whole hours till they closed at 5pm, the best I could get out of her was that she would take my hand-written plea/request and pass it along to the all-mysterious, all-invisible visa approver guy, Mr.Kapoor. I was told I would get an answer by Monday December 6th.

Now all I can only do is just really hope that I would get my entry visa before my scheduled flight otherwise it's going to be super-expensive to re-schedule the flights. Hoping for the best.

[dggmsp]

good luck

Hi Nem,

I have been following your entry visa experience. I am in the same boat as you are, travelling on Dec 9th and visa/renunciation has been stuck at consulate since Oct 26th. Talked to them couple of times, no news yet.

Did you get it? It is nerve wracking! I am going to India b'cos my dad is having a heart surgery. Looks like this visa tension will give me a heart attack!

Good luck.

[NeM]

Still no luck yet

hi dggmsp, unfortunately no, I have not gotten it yet.. all I got in my email this morning was Travisa's automated status update email below:

"Your application for an India visa is still in process at the Consulate. We are continuing to check with the Consulate, and at this time, your application is currently awaiting approval. Please be aware that we are working every day to make sure that your application process is not delayed."

The chances for me to travel this Saturday looks almost impossible now.

I called the consulate this morning.. after trying for about 30 minutes, I was able to get through to the reception lady.. after giving her my details, she remembered me from my visit there 2 days ago.. she kept telling me the same information as before - to check back on Monday.. I told her again that I was supposed to travel on Saturday.. she said she has already got my information that I wrote down for her to pass along to "Mr. Kapoor" then she said she will transfer my call to him.. and of course.. as expected.. after I was on hold for 2-3 minutes, the call was disconnected..

Definitely nerve wracking dealing with these people.. I wish you good luck too.. no choice but just have to be patient.. you have a little more time to Dec 9th..hang in there..

[skalyani99]

Hello Nem,
I heard in some cases that the Consulate recommended going for the Tourist Visa in lieu of the Entry VISA if the need is of emergency nature.
From speaking to TRAVISA, anyone with indian roots is not eligible to apply for Entry VISA.
Was this option discussed at all when you visited the consulate ?

[NeM]

rules relaxed to obtain tourist visa

Hi skalyani99,

yes it is true that, for a short period of time, they have just recently (maybe a week or so ago) relaxed the entry visa rules in which a PIO person can get the tourist visa which Travisa will stamp the passport themselves without having to deal with the consulate at all - on the same day itself.

But very very unfortunately for me, I only found out about this only after I submitted by entry visa application and it is too late to change it to the tourist visa.

[nishaptl]

I am in the same boat as all of you. Have applied for an entry visa since Nov 10th with no end in sight. Is it advisable to pull out the passport back without the visa and will that affect anything negatively if I apply for a visa in the future. Any advise.

If anyone has done this, how did it take to pull your passport back and get it to you?

Thanks a bunch for any guidance anyone can provide

[NeM]

withdrawing entry visa application

Hi nishaptl, I don't think it will affect you negatively if you withdraw you entry visa application. I read somewhere that it would take Travisa about 2 business days to withdraw an entry visa application. There will be no refunds if that was done. You applied on Nov 10th so I would guess that it may be another week or two before you will get your passport back - or maybe even sooner. There's really no definite estimated timeline pattern for entry visa processing. Some get their passports back only after just 2 weeks while I've seen others taking longer than 6 weeks.

[nishaptl]

Thanks NeM. I submitted mine on Nov 10th but the Consulate only recieved it on Nov 22. I have to fly next weekend. My two options are pull out the application and then apply for tourist visa or plead at the consulate for getting it done and hope they tell me something like they told you that you will hear on a certain date.

I hope you do hear something on yours tomorrow like they said

[nriindian]

Order History
Date/Time Action
10/29/2010 11:28am CST India visa application completed online
11/02/2010 1:11pm CST India visa application arrived in the mail at Travisa Outsoucing
11/06/2010 11:55am CST Application assigned for processing
11/06/2010 12:31pm CST Passport and supporting documents received by Travisa Outsourcing, payment processed
11/06/2010 1:05pm CST Documents prepared to go to Consulate
11/08/2010 1:23pm CST Documents dispatched from Travisa Outsourcing to Consulate
11/08/2010 2:06pm CST Documents received by Consulate

just automated email's from travisa stating its still in process

[houston]

My application has been pending since Nov 8 as well. I went to the consulate on friday and the lady at reception told me my sons passport had been stamped and I could pick it up at Travisa at 5.30PM. Unfortunately this did not happen as I went to Travisa but was told his passport did not come in. I am VERY NERVOUS as I have tickets to fly out on thursday with nowhere to leave my son if he doesn't get his passport back.

[NeM]

See if you can make more frequent visits to them

Hi houston,

Since time is running out, I would suggest that if you are living in the houston area then try to go to the consulate everyday, maybe even twice a day to ask about the status of your son's passport. Maybe the reception lady could be persuaded to talk to Mr. Kapoor about your urgency in the matter.

I have already lost over $2000 on my non-refundable tickets this past weekend because of their mess. I cannot book any future flights for fear of losing more money if they don't come through with my passport before the flight. It is a very unfortunate and very sad state of affairs dealing with them.

[houston]

NeM,

I am afraid I will lose my money too. I will be going today again to the consulate to plead with them. I wish they would show people some compassion. Last friday there was a family from out of state that was crying as they had been there all week asking for their visa status. They had 4 kids they pulled out of school just for this trip to houston to get their visa. I hope they got their visa as they were booked on a flight yesterday.

Chances of getting my visa seem low now after hearing about your experience.