Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

[maninder1438]

It takes normally a month , there are more chances that status will be changed next week

[xebec]

Does anyone have experience when they applied for OCI and received acknowledgement on Nov 11th. Generally how long does it take after that for it to complete?

Six to eight weeks is standard. Longer if they need additional clearances.

[Jaysindas]

Hi all,

I have a few queries related to the surrender certificate and OCI application.

Surrender certificate:

• Self-attested photocopy of Indian passport (All used pages)

- So does it mean all I need to do to add my full name and signature in each photocopy of my Indian passport. Do I also need to add dates as well? Please kindly confirm. Thanks


OCI Application:

• All OCI applicants, other than minor children less than 18 years of age, are henceforth required to submit along with their application a (duly signed) letter from their respective employer regarding their job description, mentioning clearly the nature of the job and the post held. In the absence of such a letter, the OCI application will not be accepted.

- The organization that I work doesn't issue a Letter that refers to "To Whom It May Concern" instead of that they only issue a letter if it's referring to an organization. So in this case, should it refer to "High Commission of India, London" and it's address "India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA"

• Do I need 2 special delivery envelope's per application

• Do I require School leaving certificate/Domicile certificate/Original birth certificate if I am applying on the basis of the naturalization certificate?

Please kindly respond as soon as possible. Thanks

Jay

[Balajikaki]

Timeline for New OCI Application of 2 Adults 2 Children (Fresh Application)
VFS Center: Bradford
Application Date: 15/11/2019
Date of acknowledgment: 19/11/2019
Original docs Received: 22/11/2019
Documents Printing Status: 09/12/2019
Dispatched From NEW DELHI: Waiting
Documents received At London : Waiting
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON: As per New rules no need to submit, directly post to the home address
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED: TBC

[abhay10001]

I think, directly post only applicable to applications submitted from last friday onwards. you have to follow the old procedure.

[Balajikaki]

The Bradford Vfs clearly mentioned to me and have taken my British Passport and Indian passport surrender certificate at the time of application submission, already process completed will see what will happen next few days, I will update soon.

[jojo001]

So has there been a change in the OCI process now in the UK via VFS


Does this mean that for new OCI applications , they keep your British passport till the OCI is granted?

Or do they initially keep your British passport at the time of application and then send it back after a few days and then send the OCI directly to you via post once its granted ( I.e no need of a second visit )

[Balajikaki]

British passport and Indian passport surrender certificate received after a few days(in my case takes 7 days) of OCI application submission.

[Balajikaki]

Hi @abhay10001, where did you see the OCI card Process rules changed on last Friday onwards?

[jojo001]

British passport and Indian passport surrender certificate received after a few days(in my case takes 7 days) of OCI application submission.

Not related to OCI but I assume that you have surrendered the Indian passport recently.

Just did surrender of my wife's indian passport via VFS (Birmingham) and though they have sent back the indian passport and the surrender certificate there is no cancellation stamp on Indian passport.

Is this something new? When I surrendered my passport a few years ago it came back with a cancelled stamp along with the surrender certificate.


So in summary as per your experience for OCI is only one visit needed for a fresh OCI ?


I.e they send original docs back to you by post in a week or so and when OCI is issued it comes by post

[Balajikaki]

My Indian passport has Cancelled stamp on that.

[jojo001]

My Indian passport has Cancelled stamp on that.

Thanks for the update..

[abhay10001]

VFS is not taking all the original documents except current British passport in case you have any emergency travel.
i was informed by vfs only that applications acknowledged on and after 09 december only will br covered under new procedure. For All old applications collection procedure will be the old one.

[sparkyram]

Guys,

I need a help. I have applied for my OCI card and it reached london today. tomorrow i am planning to submit my british passport. i am planning to travel on 24th dec .... would OCI card delivered before that ? or should i apply 30 days etourist visa to visit india and then collect my OCI card when i come back ?

[mansoorb]

I received by Citizenship certificate today. As a next step, I need to know the following:

1. can I apply for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and British passport together or do I need to apply for British passport first?

2. Do I have to dispose my ILR card?

Thanks

[CR001]

I received by Citizenship certificate today. As a next step, I need to know the following:

1. can I apply for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and British passport together or do I need to apply for British passport first?

2. Do I have to dispose my ILR card?

Thanks

This topic is only for OCI and not British passport or ilr brp questions. OCI and British passport application are two completely different and separate processes.

Ilr brp needs to be sent back to HO with 5 days of your cerekony as the letter you got at your ceremony clearly states.

[Balajikaki]

Timeline for New OCI Application of 2 Adults 2 Children (Fresh Application)
VFS Center: Bradford
Application Date: 15/11/2019
Date of acknowledgment: 19/11/2019
Original docs Received: 22/11/2019
Documents Printing Status: 09/12/2019
Dispatched From NEW DELHI: 9/12/2019
Documents received At Birmingham: 9/12/2019
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON: As per New rules no need to submit, directly post to the home address
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED: 12/12/2019

[jojo001]

Balajikaki.

Was your british passport held by CGI birmingham for nearly a month and come back with The OCI.

Or did they send back the british passport along with the other original docs on 22/11/19 and send the OCI back to you which you got on 12/12/19

[Balajikaki]

Hi,
I got my british passport back on 22/11/19 with other documents.

[jojo001]

Hi,
I got my british passport back on 22/11/19 with other documents.

Thanks for the update .

[Enka2018]

New spouse OCI application:

submittion at VFS Birmingham: 15/11/2019
date of acknowledgement: 18/11/2019
documents received back: 20/11/2019
OCI status: under process
Documents printing status: processed: 17/12/2019
Dispatched from MEA (OCI): New Delhi: 17/12/2019
Documents received at: Birmingham: 17/12/2019
Documents received by courier: waiting probably in 1-2 days

[Enka2018]

New spouse OCI application:

submittion at VFS Birmingham: 15/11/2019
date of acknowledgement: 18/11/2019
documents received back: 20/11/2019
OCI status: under process
Documents printing status: processed: 17/12/2019
Dispatched from MEA (OCI): New Delhi: 17/12/2019
Documents received at: Birmingham: 17/12/2019
Documents received by courier: 19/12/2019

[jojo001]

Does the OCI status show up when your original documents get back to you.

My wife applied for a new OCi 2 weeks ago and they took her original docs ( passport / surrender certificate) and she got them back now.

But in checking the status enquiry there is no record found ??

Is this normal.

I thought that you should be able to see the acknowledgement even before you get the original documents back ?

Does the acknowledgement only come from VFS by email and not on status enquiry and does it change to under process after a while ?

PS: above is from Birmingham CGI and is by the new process where only one visit is needed and you pay for 2 courier envelopes

[raj_gajera]

New Child OCI application:

submittion at VFS London(Goswell): 04/12/2019
date of acknowledgement: 05/12/2019
Original documents received back at the counter on : 04/12/2019
OCI status: Granted:27/12/2019
Documents printing status: processed: 27/12/2019
Dispatched from MEA (OCI): New Delhi: 27/12/2019
Documents received at London: 27/12/2019

[jojo001]

Does the OCI status show up when your original documents get back to you.

My wife applied for a new OCi 2 weeks ago and they took her original docs ( passport / surrender certificate) and she got them back now.

But in checking the status enquiry there is no record found ??

Is this normal.

I thought that you should be able to see the acknowledgement even before you get the original documents back ?

Does the acknowledgement only come from VFS by email and not on status enquiry and does it change to under process after a while ?

PS: above is from Birmingham CGI and is by the new process where only one visit is needed and you pay for 2 courier envelopes

Looks like it was due to my mistake in typing the file reference number.I typed a O instead of zero. in the status enquiry.

The status is visible correctly ( under process)

Updated this in case anyone else has the same issue.
Please check if you are typing the correct file reference number..