Beware - OCI Rejected, when applied along with Application for SC

[Shastry]

Houston Consulate is completely F**__* up.
The right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.
I had applied for both SC and OCI at the same time to Houston on Sep-15th.
My SC came 2 weeks back and now my entire OCI application packet has been sent back via ordinary post ..it says I need to send the SC along with OCI application.

They could have called me emailed me .. my phone/email is there at 15 places on the application and I could have told them what the problem is.

There is absolutely no co-ordination.

I am giving up the OCI process .. will probably apply for a Visa ..

Do not know if there is any other option ..
-Shas

[immihelp]

If you had read the instructions at /oci-card/oci-documents.html, you would have clearly known that you must apply for surrender certificate BEFORE applying for OCI. And you must attach that with OCI application.

[Shastry]

I believe I read it here or on CGI Houston web site to send all the paperwork for both SC and OCI and it will be taken care of.. and that has been 5 months ago .. lot of my friends have done that and I am not the only one .. I do see that the language of the posting has changed now, as I do have a print out of the posting when I sent my application.

The point I am making here is .. I sent my SC and OCI paperwork 5 months ago, I just got my SC sent to me 2 weeks ago and my OCI application got returned .. maybe this is CGI's way of reducing workload ? and I will be back in the OCI Queue for another 6 months if I have to get my OCI

There may be others who are in similar boat ..so just a heads up
-Shas

[immihelp]

As far as I know, the rule at Houston has always been the same. I am not sure what print outs you are referring to or how accurate they are, but that has been the rule all the time.

[statueOL]

Passport Cancellation and the OCI papers ....

... could be sent together. thats what Instruction page for Passport Cancellation says.

I too applied both PP Cancellation and OCI application at NY Consulate. I got my cancelled passport back today and I had one email from Consulate stating that they have recieved my application for OCI. However, when I go to check my OCI status online at the given website by consulate, I see no status there. It does not even recognize that my application along with my wife's application has been accepted. Its just FREAKy. The Phone Numbers and the email systems are almost useless.

I wish nothing pops up sort of emergency in India and we get the OCI.
Still wondering if I need to send the cancelled passport certificate back to Consulate. If yes then what format, Original or Copy of the certificate and to which address since they recently Outsourced the OCI processing.

Its full Drama!