130 days over, no surrender certificates yet

[iqubal]

130 days over ,we did not get our surrender certificates & cancelled passports yet.we asked cgi HOUSTON TO RETURN OUR APPLICATIONS & PASSPORTS WITHOUT DOING ANY SERVICES.BUT THEY DO NOT CARE AT ALL.PLEASE ,HELP US WHAT TO DO?CAN WE CHALLENGE IN COURT?WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET OUR APPLICATIONS & PASSPORTSWITHOUT DOING ANY SERVICES OR TO GET OUR SURRENDER CERTICATES?THE ALWAYS SAID THAT SURRENER CERTIFACATS & CANCELLED PASSPORTS ARE MAILED WHICH WE DID NOT RECEIVE YET.WE ASKED TO SEND THE COPY OF RECEIPT OF POST OFFICE,. THEY ARE NOT SENDING ANY THING .WE ARE FED UP,WE CAN NOT GO TO INDIA WITH OUT SURRENDER CERTIFICATES.PLEASE HELP US TO GET SURRENDER CERTICATES.THIS IS OUR SUPER INDIA.

C.C.:CGI OF INDIA HOUSTON. MR.SANJIV ARRORA

[anotherhawkeye]

We are in the same boat. Sent the documents on Oct 10th, no response from the consulate yet. They haven't cashed in the cashiers check either. Not sure what course of action to pursue. No one is responding to calls or emails.

We are going to travel to India shorty and need to apply for visa. Visa application needs surrender certificate and looks like its going to another GC process.

[knar]

I sent my application for surrender certificate to Houston on December 23rd and received it on January 14th. It was pretty quick considering all the holidays.

[NeM]

It usually takes about 1-1.5 months to get the SC and cancelled passport back from Houston CGI. If it is longer than that period, try calling them:

1) Call the consulate: 713-626-2148 or 713-626-2149.
2) Let it ring 3-4 times.
3) If no one answers, hang up.
4) Repeat steps 1-3 again. Please be very very very patient with the above 3 steps - you may need to do this for about 30-40 minutes.
5) When it is answered, you will be put into the automated call routing system.
6) Press 9 for operator.
7) You will go through another loop with the automated system.
8) When it says "No one is available to answer the call", you will be given some numeric options.. Press 0 for operator.
9) Keep repeating step 8 until an actual human lady answers.
10) Ask your question about the staus of your SC to her nicely.