Passport renewal in CGI Houstan

[skpanda]

Folks.. I am planning on renewing my passport in CGI Houstan. As per their website..

Processing time:

Applications received by mail will take atleast 20 working days apart from the time taken by mail. Tatkal applications received by mail will take 10 working days apart from the time taken by mail, for which an additional emergency fee of US$ 150 will be charged in addition to the normal processing fee of US$ 40 or US$ 50 for normal booklet of 36 pages and jumbo booklet of 60 pages respectively.

NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be upto 6 months excluding the time taken by mail.


Questions

1. My passport was issued in PO Visakhapatnam, INDIA. Does this mean, CGI Houstan will have to get approval from Indian passport office and the processing time will be 6 months??

2. What are the kind of approvals that are needed from India and how do I know if any of them are applicable to me.

If any of you have experience in this... please let me know your inputs!! Thanks!

[soggadu]

My wife's passport was issued in Vizag too, but the renewal came back in 1 month and the embassy is NYC one (they renewed the same passport as she didnt use many pages)... Did it help? I guess mostly they might check the information on passport from Vizag office... now a days with computers and all, it shouldnt take a lot of time...

Keep a notarized copy of your passport before you submit it for renewal....just in case....

[kpt112107]

Folks.. I am planning on renewing my passport in CGI Houstan. As per their website..

Processing time:

Applications received by mail will take atleast 20 working days apart from the time taken by mail. Tatkal applications received by mail will take 10 working days apart from the time taken by mail, for which an additional emergency fee of US$ 150 will be charged in addition to the normal processing fee of US$ 40 or US$ 50 for normal booklet of 36 pages and jumbo booklet of 60 pages respectively.

NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be upto 6 months excluding the time taken by mail.


Questions

1. My passport was issued in PO Visakhapatnam, INDIA. Does this mean, CGI Houstan will have to get approval from Indian passport office and the processing time will be 6 months??
ANS : No It is not required. U do not need to think about it.
2. What are the kind of approvals that are needed from India and how do I know if any of them are applicable to me.
ANS : NOTHING.
If any of you have experience in this... please let me know your inputs!! Thanks!

Just prepare documents what they asked, Fill application form online and take printout of it, take photo graphs, cash to pay (if going by person) / money order check, original passport and DL.

[evoori]

My original passport was from Mumbai, India.. It took one week to get new passport including mail time.. couldn't believe it.. it was normal service.. before opening envelope I thought they returned my applications desi style (missing documents or something).. this was a year ago..

some other cases (4-5) I know took around 2-3 weeks but never more than a month.. they had passport from Patna, Delhi, Lucknow and Orissa..

One more thing.. none of us received 60 pages booklet even though everyone applied for it..

[gc_vbin]

My passport was issued in Bangalore. I got it renewed at CGI, San Francisco. It took about 20 days after mailing them all the docs. I don't think they contact the original passport office authorities in India in all cases. Its probably only for the ones where they suspect any fraud or if the passport is damaged or if it has been expired for more than a year.

[Chilli19]

Folks.. I am planning on renewing my passport in CGI Houstan. As per their website..

Processing time:

Applications received by mail will take atleast 20 working days apart from the time taken by mail. Tatkal applications received by mail will take 10 working days apart from the time taken by mail, for which an additional emergency fee of US$ 150 will be charged in addition to the normal processing fee of US$ 40 or US$ 50 for normal booklet of 36 pages and jumbo booklet of 60 pages respectively.

NOTE: The above time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India or any other Passport Issuing Authority other than the office where the application is made. In such cases, the processing time would be upto 6 months excluding the time taken by mail.


Questions

1. My passport was issued in PO Visakhapatnam, INDIA. Does this mean, CGI Houstan will have to get approval from Indian passport office and the processing time will be 6 months??

2. What are the kind of approvals that are needed from India and how do I know if any of them are applicable to me.

If any of you have experience in this... please let me know your inputs!! Thanks!

1. I don't think there will be any approval from indian passport office. I did my passport renewal and my wife's name change at the same time in NYC (in person) and it took only two weeks for me to receive the passports in mail.

2. None. I just applied with whatever the docuemnst tehy asked me for like application, fee, photos etc.

[skpanda]

Thanks everyone.... for your inputs...

i am planning on availing the Tatkal service.. as i have various other things going on... (H1 Extension beyond 6 years + Vacation plan to India + etc etc)

[soggadu]

good luck panda.... hey... neenu mee voori alludniii ;-)

[skpanda]

good luck panda.... hey... neenu mee voori alludniii ;-)

Thanks bavagaru ... sister ki namastey...pillaluku love...

I enjoy ur posts buddy.. Keep'em coming...

Btw... My mother tongue is not Telugu .. It's Oriya .. Brought up in Vizag ...

[imdeng]

Renewing passport in US is so much more easier than in India. Just send your passport with the required documents and they will send you a new one in a few weeks. I have used the Chicago consulate without any problem whatsoever. I know several people who have used Chicago and no problem at all. Do keep a copy of everything you send - and don't send your I-94 which is usually attached to the passport.

[skpanda]

I had a very pleasent experience with CGI Houston. I received my passport in 1 day for TATKAL 'MAIL' SERVICE for JUMBO passport. Below is the sequence of events:

19th Sept 2011

a. Sent passport for renewal with all documents thru priority Fedex at 5 PM ET.
b. Paid $220 ($50 app fee for JUMBO passport + $150 Tatkal fee + $20 for return mail)

20th Sept 2011

a. Passport application was received by the consulate at 9.30 AM signed by one Mr. K. KASULA
b. I tried to call their phone number every 1 hour till 3.30 PM ET - No response.
c. I found out the CONSUL GENERALs number, called the same.
d. A lady picked up. I explained her that I need passport urgently.
f. She mentioned passport is a different section and if I have paid the fees for Tatkal, passport section will diligently do their work.
g. She mentioned that CGI consulate employees to their job and only in some special cases where a prior approval is needed fom the India passport office, there is a delay.
e. I told her that I understand her point of view. But told her that CGI Houston should do a better job at communication. Even if they cannot pick up the phone, they can just email saying, there is a delay or some kind of automated status update on their website. Without which people will obviously get frustrated.
g. Also I told her that the general contact numbers are of no use. No body picks up the phone. The machine always says that 'there is no body to take your call' (even during 2-4PM).
f. She offered me help and asked me my Name and Phone number. She said, she will get in touch with the passport section and see what she can do.
g. I asked her name and she did not give it.
h. The lady seemed to be very nice and professional. It sounded like she is highly educated and showed genuine concern for people's frustration.


21st Sept 2011

a. At 10 AM ET, I received a phone call from the same lady with whome I spoke on 20th Sept.
b. She told that my passport was issued yesterday itself and dispatched thru priority Fedex. I thanked her, she wished be luck.
c. 10.30 AM ET, Fedex delivered my new passport.
e. Although their website says they are out of JUMBO, I took my chance and applied for JUMBO.
f. I received a JUMBO passport with 60 pages. I do lot of international travel and this definately helps.

SO ALL IN ALL RECEIVED PASSPORT IN HAND IN 40 HRS THRU TATKAL 'MAIL' SERVICE. Thanks to the Mystery Lady in CGI Houstan.

Good Luck to all!!

[mesan123]

you can also get passport the smae day in tatkal in emergency cases. but you need to prove the urgency. i got mine in one day. to get it the same day you have to go in person. i did that in oct 2009

According to Consulate General "For reissue of old Passport issued from CGI, New York, it may take a week provided application is in order and no prior reference is required. If the old Passport was issued by a Regional Passport Office in India or by other Indian Embassy/Consulate requiring prior clearance, the processing time is six weeks."