Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

rightmove · Post by **rightmove** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 5:26 pm

can somebody please let me know if you have to apply the passport surrender and OCI separately, or you can submit the two things together?

gidoc · Post by **gidoc** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 12:02 pm

Surrender pp first, with VFS. Once you have SC you can apply for OCI at the Indian Consulate.

rightmove · Post by **rightmove** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:45 pm

[quote="gidoc"]Surrender pp first, with VFS. Once you have SC you can apply for OCI at the Indian Consulate.[/quote]

thanks Gidoc... so, looks like its a two step process :-) when will it be over? sigh...

vipul1981 · Post by **vipul1981** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:47 pm

My OCI Timeline:
Sent by special delivery on 16/09/2011
Received HCI on 19/09/2011
Acknowledged on 22/09/2011
Photos/Signature scanned on 22/09/2011
Granted on 23/09/2011
Printed on 26/09/2011
Dispatched on 29/09/2011
Received at HCI, London on - 04/10/2011
Collected on 5th October.

There is a mistake in Nationality column. Its written IND. It should say GBR.

rnr79 · Post by **rnr79** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:32 pm

I called HCI london today on the number 020 7836 8484...surprisingly i was able to talk a rude lady within 2 mins of the call...who told in a rude manner just wait as postal applications will be dealt with low priority. (dont understand the reason...they dont charge less for postal applications) and she just hung upon me...

And the biggest surprise when i checked my status in less than an hour after i called...my status was changed to acknowledged and scanned as well....

this means they just didnt care to progress the application...how come that can be coinciddence application getting acknowledged immediately after the call....

ihatelovestorys · Post by **ihatelovestorys** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 2:53 pm

Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Has anyone been asked to resend their photos? What's ur advice?

rnr79 · Post by **rnr79** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:29 pm

ihatelovestorys wrote:Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Has anyone been asked to resend their photos? What's ur advice?

what do you mean strict mate...the photo guidelines are clearly mentioned...i am surprised how can you think of sending the wrong size photos...On this forum there are many examples...they had to send correct photos...

but then its all upto what you want to send

ihatelovestorys · Post by **ihatelovestorys** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:37 pm

rnr79 wrote:
ihatelovestorys wrote:Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Has anyone been asked to resend their photos? What's ur advice?
what do you mean strict mate...the photo guidelines are clearly mentioned...i am surprised how can you think of sending the wrong size photos...On this forum there are many examples...they had to send correct photos...

but then its all upto what you want to send

that wasnt quite helpful!?

gidoc · Post by **gidoc** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:13 pm

Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Simple answer being conveyed is that if you do not follow the guidelines, your application is likely to be delayed.
51x51 is the size required, which is what you should send.

rudraksh2005 · Post by **rudraksh2005** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:16 am

ihatelovestorys wrote:Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Has anyone been asked to resend their photos? What's ur advice?

Isnt it very clear what the OCI photo requirements are- i suspect you wouldnt have asked if you could send a 51x51 photo for your british passport applications when their requirements are clearly specified, why do u think the OCI folk should accept something which doesnt meet the rquirements?

ihatelovestorys · Post by **ihatelovestorys** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:38 pm

rudraksh2005 wrote:
ihatelovestorys wrote:Does anyone know if HCI is strict on photo guidelines? I am planning to use the same photo I used for my British Passport. But it is 35 x 35mm .
HCI requires 51 x 51mm with shoulders visible?!

Has anyone been asked to resend their photos? What's ur advice?
Isnt it very clear what the OCI photo requirements are- i suspect you wouldnt have asked if you could send a 51x51 photo for your british passport applications when their requirements are clearly specified, why do u think the OCI folk should accept something which doesnt meet the rquirements?

lol. This is the best one.
Thank you all

somzii1 · Post by **somzii1** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:47 am

My timeline. Myself and 2 children(1 born Indian and other born british). Sent on 23rd Sept 2011 by special delivery. Initially i was worried about the delay in getting scanned. All is well now.

Photo/Signature at Mission : Scanned On 03-OCT-2011
Registration Status at Mission : Granted On 04-OCT-2011
Documents Printing Status PRINTED On 05-OCT-2011
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ): NEW DELHI On 10-OCT-2011
Documents Received at LONDON On 13-OCT-2011

thanks for all the help and updated info guys. If it were not for your up to date info, i would have taken a visa to travel and thought about OCI next year. But I had just enough time to complete OCI. Thanks again guys

rnr79 · Post by **rnr79** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:12 pm

My OCI Timeline:
Sent by special delivery on 22/09/2011
Received HCI on 23/09/2011
Acknowledged on 04/10/2011
Photos/Signature scanned on 04/10/2011
Granted on 05/10/2011
Printed on 07/10/2011
Dispatched on 12/10/2011
Received at HCI, London on 14/10/2011
Passports sent by post on -
OCI along with passports received on -

Though it took a bit long to get application acknowledged only after giving them a nudge...but i cant complain very impressed with the service especially updates at every stage....

There is one samll problem i am going out of country tomorrow will be back after 10 days....is that ok if i send a envelope once i come back or will it to be late and go and collect personally after i come back...

thanks for all the help guys...my journy of all the games of applications is over now

gidoc · Post by **gidoc** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:16 pm

There is one samll problem i am going out of country tomorrow will be back after 10 days....is that ok if i send a envelope once i come back or will it to be late and go and collect personally after i come back...

Yes, no problem, it will wait until you collect it...

mp1 · Post by **mp1** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:04 am

I applied on 29th sep and still havent got an acknowledgement. im getting really worried now because all the posts on here have received acknowledgemnt pretty soon. wt do i do now.

mp1 · Post by **mp1** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:40 am

Still no reply...

ihatelovestorys · Post by **ihatelovestorys** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:14 am

Applied in person at HCI: 11/10/2011
Photo printed + Granted: 14/10/2011
Dispatched from New Delhi: 19/10/2011
Received at London HCI: 21/10/2011
Collected in person: 24/10/2011

*No spelling mistakes...thank god for that!

GBINR · Post by **GBINR** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:15 pm

Hi,

I am new member. It is great to see wealth of info available in this forum. Recently I have got my Brit passport and I have sent my Indian PP for surrendering it
and waiting for surrender certifciate. I have couple of doubts and it will be great if anyone can clarify them ( Ihave checked in old posts for similar
queries but could not get answer).

1) HCI London website says "Photocopy of the first page, photo page, last page and other pages having any observations of valid/cancelled
Indian passport of parents/grand Parents OR copy of Surrender Certificate of Indian passport of self/parents or grandparents OR".

In spite of thatI have seen almost everyone has sent photocopy of surrender certifciate "AND" cancelled passport photocopy.
Is there any specific reason for sending both or have I missed to read something between lines?

2) I plan to send by post.

For OCI collection to get our Brit passport and OCI card back, we enclose a self addressed SDE (Special Delivery Envelope) when OCI is ready for collection. That's reasonable.

But HCI London website also says when you apply first "THOSE WHO CANNOT COME MAY SEND BY POST ALONGWITH SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE FOR SENDING DOCUMENTS BACK
IF REQUIRED WHICH WILL RECEIVE DUE PRIORITY-INCONVENIENCE REGRETTED"

But when we apply we send only photocopies and postal order only. I am bit confused by this statement. Does it mean we need to
enclose self addressed SDE when we apply for OCI first ? I repeat that I am not asking if we need to send SDE when OCI is ready as I know we need to send it to get the card back.

Regards
GBINR

ihatelovestorys · Post by **ihatelovestorys** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:22 pm

hi
1. You only need to send a copy of surrender certificate for the OCI and not your Indian passport copies. Passport copies are only required if OCI is claimed on the basis of mother's or father's nationality. Not for Indian nationals who have surrendered their passport.

I submitted in person and the guy at the counter took only one copy (despite the website asking for application in duplicate)

2. You need an SDE only when you send your passport for the sticker and OCI booklet once OCI is granted and available for collection at HCI London. (you can check the status on the website) You don't need an SDE when you apply for OCI as you are only sending copies

hope that helps

lunatfr · Post by **lunatfr** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:40 pm

Hi Guys,
My indian passport has expired before I can surrender it and apply for OCI. Would it be okay to surrender an expired passport?

GBINR · Post by **GBINR** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:07 am

@ihatelovestorys
- Thank you for your advice.

@lunatfr
- I think you need to still surrender your expired passport. The reason they ask you to surrender the passport to issue
Surrender Certificate is, they wanted to make sure that you have not used your Indian passport to travel after
you were naturalised. In fact that is the reason they ask for photocopy of naturalisation certificate.

Example:
Assume if your Indian passport had expired on 30/09/2011, you got your naturalisation certificate on 01/09/2011,
and if you have travelled to India on 05/09/2011. It does not matter when you got your British passport and
what matters is when you were naturalised. When you surrender your passport on 01/10/2011, they would ask
you to pay passport surrender fees + Rs 10,000 (or equiavlent Â£Â£Â£) per person per trip to India.

So you need to surrender your expired passport and get surrender certficiate. But write a covering letter and mention it explicitly saying that your passport had expired and you did not applyf or newone after that. This will help to avoid any confusion.

Post by **geriatrix** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:07 am

lunatfr wrote:Hi Guys,
My indian passport has expired before I can surrender it and apply for OCI. Would it be okay to surrender an expired passport?

Yes.

One needs to surrender the most recently issued (Indian) passport - be it one that is still valid or one that has already expired.

lunatfr · Post by **lunatfr** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:04 pm

thanks for your reply, I thought I will need to have it notarized and cough up another Â£100...

rnr79 · Post by **rnr79** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:46 pm

My OCI Timeline:
Sent by special delivery on 22/09/2011
Received HCI on 23/09/2011
Acknowledged on 04/10/2011
Photos/Signature scanned on 04/10/2011
Granted on 05/10/2011
Printed on 07/10/2011
Dispatched on 12/10/2011
Received at HCI, London on 14/10/2011
Passports sent by post on - 29/10/2011
OCI along with passports received on -

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Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

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My OCI Timeline

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My OCI Timeline: