Still got a bitter taste in your mouth from the Indian passport surrender saga which took place a few months back? Well, the Consulate General of India in New York has taken the agitation and stress of Indian-Americans to heart and is working on smoothing the path where the issuance of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards is concerned.
Acquiring an OCI card ensures hassle-free travel or study in India, as well as the ability to get involved in commercial and economic activity – and ends the inconvenience of forever waiting on long lines to get a visa to India.
For those Indian-Americans who are hesitating to apply for the OCI card due to missing documents or other glitches, the Consulate is holding occasional camps in the Grand Ballroom – no less – where applicants will be tended to individually by the officers of the OCI Wing of the Consulate. Walking away with your OCI card approved is the prize.
According to the Consulate, over 5000 cards have been processed and are ready for pickup. At these camps you can sit in comfort and admire the carved cherubs on the walls of the beautiful mirror-lined room, while your cards are being processed. Sure beats waiting in unending lines for the mandatory Indian visa in the basement of the Consulate year after year!
So if getting a visa for India is becoming a tiring yearly ritual of your summer vacation, the OCI card might be the answer. According to Consul P.K. Mohanty, camps are held as needed and are announced ten days ahead on www.indiacgny.org
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