Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

[nax_72]

Can someone kindly confirm the procedure for collecting OCI by post. Information like the kind of documents we need to send and how many special delivery envelopes need to be attached.

We (2 adults + 2 kids) applied for OCI in CGI, Edinburgh by post. We need to collect them at CGI, Edinburgh.

Thanks

[nax_72]

repeat post. delete please

[GBINR]

Can someone kindly confirm the procedure for collecting OCI by post. Information like the kind of documents we need to send and how many special delivery envelopes need to be attached.

We (2 adults + 2 kids) applied for OCI in CGI, Edinburgh by post. We need to collect them at CGI, Edinburgh.

Thanks

I am not sure about the procedure for CGI, Edinburgh.

For HCI London,

1) A covering lr
2) Online printout status showing docx received in London.
3) Original passports
4) Special Delivery envelope.

SDE is paid upto 500g that can accomodate 2 UK passports and 2 OCI.
You can to check weight for 4 passports + 4 booklets. If it is more than 500g, you ca send 2 SDE or pay for upto 1kg, by paying extra and stamps on 1 SDE and mention the same in covering letter. This is my suggestion and not written rule.

[GBINR]

My OCI Timeline: Update
Sent by special delivery on 14/11/2011
Received HCI on 15/11/2011
Acknowledged on 09/12/2011
Photos/Signature scanned on 12/12/2011
Granted on 12/12/2011
Printed on 13/12/2011
Dispatched on 15/12/2011
Received at HCI, London on 22/12/2011
Passports sent by post/SDE, for OCI Collection on - 28/12/2011
Passports reached OCI London on - 29/12/2011
OCI along with passports received on - 04/01/2012

okay bye guys. Good luck for people waiting to get. As I said earlier, if you wanna quick go in person.
If you are not in a hurry, like me, go by post.

[ajaya21]

I submitted my OCI application today at HCI, London. He took only one copy of application form, photo and all documentation. I told him site says 2 cpoies need to be submitted for each form and all supporting documents as well as photograph.

But the person sitting at OCI counter informed, they changed the process now and they are accepting only one copy.

Hope he is correct!!! HCI London site still says two copies, but it confusing and worrisome when only one copy is accepted!!

[krazydude]

HCI London site still says two copies, but it confusing and worrisome when only one copy is accepted!!

No need to worry. They seem to have not updated their website. Only one copy of the application is required now. I say this because my wife submitted her OCI application (one copy) at HCI London in November 2011 and received her OCI in December 2011.

[ajaya21]

Hey Krazydude.. thanks for quick confirmation... it really will help as i had doubts and was worried but... Not to worry now after this confirmation... thanks

[nax_72]

Thanks.

In the letter from the CGI itself they asked me send only the passports and self-addressed envelope.

Can someone kindly confirm the procedure for collecting OCI by post. Information like the kind of documents we need to send and how many special delivery envelopes need to be attached.

We (2 adults + 2 kids) applied for OCI in CGI, Edinburgh by post. We need to collect them at CGI, Edinburgh.

Thanks

I am not sure about the procedure for CGI, Edinburgh.

For HCI London,

1) A covering lr
2) Online printout status showing docx received in London.
3) Original passports
4) Special Delivery envelope.

SDE is paid upto 500g that can accomodate 2 UK passports and 2 OCI.
You can to check weight for 4 passports + 4 booklets. If it is more than 500g, you ca send 2 SDE or pay for upto 1kg, by paying extra and stamps on 1 SDE and mention the same in covering letter. This is my suggestion and not written rule.

[Thiruvalla689]

Has anybody had printing imperfections (smudge, double printing, ink runs) on their OCI cards??. I received my family's OCIs last week and all of them have double print and ink runs on them, but readable if you squint hard enough. I am outraged, can't they even get the printing right?
I would have thought that the consul officer would check before signing!!!
I was thinking about writing a letter to check if that would cause problems at an indian port of entry. I don't have any hope that somebody will reply.
Anybody with similar experience?

[srdanda]

hi i've submitted oci application in person@ birmingham on 08/12/11. acknowledged on the same day. no further updates after that. today being 07/01/12, exactly one month now. well even after considering all those bank holidays, birmingham seems to be lagging far behind london.
cant find many timelines for birmingham applications. anyone?

[OhmV]

Hello guys
Can you please advise if I can surrender OCI application at HCI London on behalf of my wife.
Regards
Ohm

[GBINR]

Hello guys
Can you please advise if I can surrender OCI application at HCI London on behalf of my wife.
Regards
Ohm

"surrender" ???? Did you mean submit?

Assuming it as submit, just read all 3 or 4 threads before this page. I remember, 1 of our members had his application submitted by his/her spouse and there was no issue

[OhmV]

@GBINR

Thanks for your reply , yes I meant submission of application, actually at the time of writing received surrender certificate of Indian PP hence the typo.

Can someone advise if I need to take an authorization letter from my wife for submitting the application on her behalf ?

Cheers

[nchowdhury]

hi i've submitted oci application in person@ birmingham on 08/12/11. acknowledged on the same day. no further updates after that. today being 07/01/12, exactly one month now. well even after considering all those bank holidays, birmingham seems to be lagging far behind london.
cant find many timelines for birmingham applications. anyone?

Same here too submitted in person @Birmingham on 12/12/11, acknowledged same day but no further updates and today is 11/01/12.

They did say that time to me it will take 15 to 16 weeks.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

[ajaya21]

HCI london seem to be faster.

[Leo78]

Hello Friends,

I will be submitting the application for 2 adults & 1 kid at the same time. All the three of us were having Indian passport and now have British passport.

Can you please clarify following points on OCI:

1. I understand that you can submit your applications either by post or by in person, but collection of OCI for both these applications can be done by going in person?

2. If you want the OCI to be delivered to your home then do we have to send our British passport and other documents to be original along with prepaid special delivery envelopes?

3. If I happen to collect in person, can I collect the OCI on behalf of my spouse and child?

4. Is the following list of documents to be sent are correct?

• Application Form & Photocopies of the same.
• Photos
• Our Indian PP surrender certificate (Photo copy?)
• Photo copy of First and last pages of our cancelled Indian PP
• Our British PP (Photo Copy?)
• Our Marriage Certificate
• Fees - £172 * 3 (Postal Order)

Please correct me if I 'm wrong.

Thanks
Leo78

[GBINR]

Hello Friends,

I will be submitting the application for 2 adults & 1 kid at the same time. All the three of us were having Indian passport and now have British passport.

Can you please clarify following points on OCI:

1. I understand that you can submit your applications either by post or by in person, but collection of OCI for both these applications can be done by going in person?

2. If you want the OCI to be delivered to your home then do we have to send our British passport and other documents to be original along with prepaid special delivery envelopes?

3. If I happen to collect in person, can I collect the OCI on behalf of my spouse and child?

4. Is the following list of documents to be sent are correct?

• Application Form & Photocopies of the same.
• Photos
• Our Indian PP surrender certificate (Photo copy?)
• Photo copy of First and last pages of our cancelled Indian PP
• Our British PP (Photo Copy?)
• Our Marriage Certificate
• Fees - £172 * 3 (Postal Order)

Please correct me if I 'm wrong.

Thanks
Leo78

1. OCI submission and collection can be done by post or in person. If you read the timelines before,
you can see people who had used exclusively in person, exclusively by post(me), combination of both(Sharmaji).

2) If you read the OCI guidelines in HCI London, it says clearly. You should NOT send original Brit PP
when you submit your application for OCI. For collection, yes you have to send.

3) Yes

4) Wrong. Both the application has to be original. In otherwords, take 2 printouts and paste 2 photographs in each.
. Okay
. Only photocopies
. Yes
. Only photocopies
. Photocopy
. okay

In all photocopies, do NOT forget to write as slef attested, sign and date it.

[Leo78]

1. OCI submission and collection can be done by post or in person. If you read the timelines before,
you can see people who had used exclusively in person, exclusively by post(me), combination of both(Sharmaji).

2) If you read the OCI guidelines in HCI London, it says clearly. You should NOT send original Brit PP
when you submit your application for OCI. For collection, yes you have to send.

Thanks a lot for the reply GBINR!!.

Can you please clarify if I chose to send the application by post, whether will I get the confirmation letter after the approval when to collect the OCI and then I can decide whether to collect in person or to collect by post after sending the British PP?

I went through the website but, it is pretty confusing. I just want to be clear. Can you please let me know the process?

Thanks
Leo78

[GBINR]

1. OCI submission and collection can be done by post or in person. If you read the timelines before,
you can see people who had used exclusively in person, exclusively by post(me), combination of both(Sharmaji).

2) If you read the OCI guidelines in HCI London, it says clearly. You should NOT send original Brit PP
when you submit your application for OCI. For collection, yes you have to send.

Thanks a lot for the reply GBINR!!.

Can you please clarify if I chose to send the application by post, whether will I get the confirmation letter after the approval when to collect the OCI and then I can decide whether to collect in person or to collect by post after sending the British PP?

I went through the website but, it is pretty confusing. I just want to be clear. Can you please let me know the process?

Thanks
Leo78

You will NOT receive any confirmation from HCI London after your OCI is approved. In fact
there will not be any letter even for confirmation of receipt of your OCI application.

For confirmation of delivery, you rely on Royal Mail SDE status. For acknowledgment, you rely
on the website.

You need to check the status in the website, often (may be every week or so). As soon as you see
the status as "RECEIVED IN LONDON", then you need to take a print out of that page and send
that to HCI london along with original Brit PPs and SDE so that you will get back the docs in home.

[yvo1234]

Please somebody can tell me that documents OK for OCI card for my son

1. minor BP
2. minor Indian birth certificate
3. father BP
4. father OCI card
5. surrender certificate of Indian passport from father
6. mother Indian passport
7. marriage certificate
8. father naturalization certificate
minor have put thump impression in the signature box, and both parents have sign deceleration on bottom of the OCI form, sending by post

[Leo78]

You will NOT receive any confirmation from HCI London after your OCI is approved. In fact
there will not be any letter even for confirmation of receipt of your OCI application.

For confirmation of delivery, you rely on Royal Mail SDE status. For acknowledgment, you rely
on the website.

You need to check the status in the website, often (may be every week or so). As soon as you see
the status as "RECEIVED IN LONDON", then you need to take a print out of that page and send
that to HCI london along with original Brit PPs and SDE so that you will get back the docs in home.

Thanks a Ton GBINR for clearing all my doubts.

[Sage]

I’ve got my OCI document, so does my son who is 16. His British passport will expire in April. We plan to travel to India in March. I am going to apply for a new British passport for him. I don’t think there will be sufficient time for us to apply for U-Visa in his new passport. Can he travel with his old passport containing the U-Visa along with the new passport?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

On a similar note, do we have to submit 2 copies of the application for a new U-Visa or one copy is enough?

Cheers!

[srini228]

OCI - Misc Services - Edinburgh CGI - Time Line

Date of application : 23-NOV-2011 (in person at edinburgh cgi)
Date of acknowledgement : 30-DEC-2011
Photo/Signate Scanned : 13-JAN-2012
Registration granted : 16-JAN-2012
Documents printed : 17-JAN-2012
Dispatched from Delhi : 23-JAN-2012
Documents Recd Edinburgh : 30-JAN-2012

[GBINR]

I’ve got my OCI document, so does my son who is 16. His British passport will expire in April. We plan to travel to India in March. I am going to apply for a new British passport for him. I don’t think there will be sufficient time for us to apply for U-Visa in his new passport. Can he travel with his old passport containing the U-Visa along with the new passport?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

On a similar note, do we have to submit 2 copies of the application for a new U-Visa or one copy is enough?

Cheers!

Please read the link given in OCI. They have wealth of info with even BOLDS in their website saying that transfering is not a must. We know that HCI London does not meet all expectations. Still do we pay naive attention to details even that are given explicitly?

http://hcilondon.in/oci.php

Note: 2 while travelling to India, it is important for OCI holders to carry both (a) the passport bearing 'LIFE LONG' visa sticker and (b) the OCI booklet. In case this passport has expired, there is no need to transfer 'LIFE LONG' visa to their new passports, but can carry the new passport along with items (a) & (b). Applicants are welcome to apply for transfer, but it will take the same 3 weeks as in the case of fresh applications

[Friend]

I’ve got my OCI document, so does my son who is 16. His British passport will expire in April. We plan to travel to India in March. I am going to apply for a new British passport for him. I don’t think there will be sufficient time for us to apply for U-Visa in his new passport. Can he travel with his old passport containing the U-Visa along with the new passport?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

On a similar note, do we have to submit 2 copies of the application for a new U-Visa or one copy is enough?

Cheers!

Please read the link given in OCI. They have wealth of info with even BOLDS in their website saying that transfering is not a must. We know that HCI London does not meet all expectations. Still do we pay naive attention to details even that are given explicitly?

http://hcilondon.in/oci.php

Note: 2 while travelling to India, it is important for OCI holders to carry both (a) the passport bearing 'LIFE LONG' visa sticker and (b) the OCI booklet. In case this passport has expired, there is no need to transfer 'LIFE LONG' visa to their new passports, but can carry the new passport along with items (a) & (b). Applicants are welcome to apply for transfer, but it will take the same 3 weeks as in the case of fresh applications

But if you read the FAQ from the Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of India - http://mha.nic.in/foreigDiv/OCI.html - OCI Miscellaneous Services for registered OCIs - No. 16, it implies you need to get it re-issued till 20 years of age !