Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

[sheetaxml]

here my OCI timeline

Applied in person at HCI London on 01-AUG-2006
Photo/Signature Scanned On 01-AUG-2006
Registration Status Granted On 03-AUG-2006
Documents Printed On 04-AUG-2006
Documents Despatched From Delhi On 05-AUG-2006
Documents Received at LONDON On 11-AUG-2006

[sudeep_n]

Dual citizenship issue notice

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre after a Pakistani challenged the Centre’s decision to exclude Indian migrants to Pakistan and Bangladesh from availing the benefits of the dual citizenship, reports our legal correspondent.

K.N.A. Farooqi said the decision not to issue the PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) card to people who migrated to Pakistan after choosing to be Indian citizens was discriminatory and violative of Article 14.

Those who chose to be an Indian citizen on January 26, 1950, could not be treated at par with those who chose to be Pakistani, said Farooqi, who migrated to Chittagong in 1952 and shifted to Karachi in 1971.
http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rur ... sue~notice

[SubChand1]

Hi

I am thinking of applying for OCI , I and my daughter are PIO card holders. Could someone give me an idea of how long it takes these days to get OCI stamps in our british passport.

I read poeple saying we could get OCI in less than a months time, is it true?.

Photographs, does anyone have any idea where I can get the photographs done for OCI.

thanks
Subchand

[TintinHerge]

Hi

I have recently got British citizenship and wish to have my Indian passport cancelled or declared void. Does anyone know whats the procedure for this ? and how much time will the whole process take - in terms of hours or days ?

I am planning to go to the Indian Embassy on Monday to apply for a short term visa for India and was wondering if I can get both things sorted at the same time ??

Many Thanks
Tintin

[sudeep_n]

It takes minutes. Just take your Indian passports to embassy - no letter / application needed. They are quite efficient and eager to cancel your passports

[citi1]

Hi mr_pakaj,

Congrats! I got my British citizennship, annd in the process of applying OCI. Could u plz tell me what all documennts you have submitted? How many photos?

Thank you

Citi

[pain]

Is the only benefit of OCI over PIO that you dont need to register with the police if you stay over 180 days and the visa lasts a lifetime (but what happens when you need to renew a british passport?!)

With the PIO you get consular protection in India so am i missing something here or is there something else with the OCI that gives it advantage?

[mr_pankaj]

Query : Can a OCI stamp holder apply for PAN (Permanent Account Holder) ?

If so,

(a) Should one be using the India address in the form or UK address ?
(b) What should one respond to a question "Whether citizen of India" ?
(c) Can one use a photo copy of the British passport along with the
OCI stamp on it as the proof of identity ?

Would appreciate all your responses.

Thanks
Pankaj

[sudeep_n]

Query : Can a OCI stamp holder apply for PAN (Permanent Account Holder) ?

If so,

(a) Should one be using the India address in the form or UK address ?
(b) What should one respond to a question "Whether citizen of India" ?
(c) Can one use a photo copy of the British passport along with the
OCI stamp on it as the proof of identity ?

Would appreciate all your responses.

Thanks
Pankaj

Yes

a) Address where you are residing when you apply.
b) No. OCI holders are not Citizens of India
c) Yes

[simar]

one of my freind's OCI application is rejected on ground that he did not submitted cancel passports of his kids. So guys make sure all documents are when applying

[ForumUser]

I never got round to get my Indian passport cancelled officially after gaining British Citizenship. Would that be a problem when applying for OCI - afterall the passport is implicitly cancelled as soon as was naturalised.

Or would the forum members recommend me to get it cancelled and then submit the photocopies of the cancelled passport with OCI application.

[rogerroger]

can a PIO card holder apply for a PAN account?

[beethoven]

My wife and I recently obtained British nationality, and our OCI cards have also been approved and are expected shortly. Our baby was born to us while we still had Indian nationality. We have applied for a British passport for the baby (which she is entitled to, according to the Home Office). Question: can we apply for an OCI card for the baby? I would assume that since we were Indian nationals working in the UK, who subsequently took British nationality, she would qualify as her parents were Indian nationals per the Indian Citizenship Act at the time of birth. Please confirm whether my understanding is correct. Thanks for your help.

[lemess]

My wife and I recently obtained British nationality, and our OCI cards have also been approved and are expected shortly. Our baby was born to us while we still had Indian nationality. We have applied for a British passport for the baby (which she is entitled to, according to the Home Office). Question: can we apply for an OCI card for the baby? I would assume that since we were Indian nationals working in the UK, who subsequently took British nationality, she would qualify as her parents were Indian nationals per the Indian Citizenship Act at the time of birth. Please confirm whether my understanding is correct. Thanks for your help.

Yes of course she is entitled to an OCI card. It isn't even necessary for you to have been Indian at the time of her birth - merely of Indian origin.

Your child had an 'entitlement' to Indian citizenship at birth but that has never been exercised as you never applied for an Indian passport for her. If you applied for a british passport for her, that act basically ends her entitlement to an Indian passport and now she is a british citizen who needs and is entitled to an OCI card to go with her British passport.

[yog321]

hi

i have got my B Passport last week and need 2 visit india urgently.(not sure abtt my return date it might take 2-3 months).
is it possible that i apply for my OCI from india....??
it means i fly to india on my indian passport and then in india surrender it and apply for OCI. is this allowed??
and fly back on british passport.

thanks in adv
yog

[British]

it means i fly to india on my indian passport and then in india surrender it and apply for OCI. is this allowed??

That will be Illegal, so don't even think about it!
Your Indian passport is now invalid.

If you can wait for 2-3 weeks, i guess you could apply for a PIO card and then fly to India.

If your trip is in a couple of days, then you are better off applying for an Indian tourist visa, which you most probably will get it the same day of application.
This is of course assuming that your intention is strictly to visit your family/friends and not to pick up or perform any work/studies, purchasing properties, opening bank accounts, etc [Especially, on the purchasing of properties as a tourist in India, you will need to be careful about any RBI permissions, etc - its a bit complicated area for foriegners in India in these bits of activities].

Once you are in India,you could apply for OCI, but i am not sure if you will get it in 2-3 months time (when you are in India).

[yog321]

Hi

Many thanks. So I need to sort this out here itself.I need to apply for me,wife as my kid.
So i need a visa then as well .Can I apply thorough post for Cancelling my passports,OCI application and getting visa all at the same time (mean in single post).

But then how do I attach copies of cancelled passports???
and what is the reason to be filled for Question 12??
(12.The reason for acquiring the present citizenship…)

Thanks in adv
Yog

[legin]

Thought this will be useful for some....

Applied through post for OCI on 14th Nov 2006 to HCI London. (Also had enclosed my indian passport for cancellation)
Sticker and certificate was available for collection on 5th Dec.
Sent my British passport and cancelled indian passport with online status report on 6th, through post.
Received OCI certificate and sticker on British passport on 11th Dec. by post..

Pretty quick.. Entire process was postal and it took less than a month..

(Pls. take time going through the application and links posted earlier regarding applying through post.. Avoiding queue-ing up at the embassy and save your valuable time..)

Check the below link for postal application.. (very little info.. but enough.. If having any doubt, call them up.. Seem to be getting a decent response over phone)

http://www.hcilondon.net/Overseas-India ... exnew.html

[legin]

Also, does anyone know if OCI holders for travelling need to carry,

1) Cancelled Indian passport..
2) The passport type 'Certificate of Registration, OCI'

[suza321]

Folks

Was completely unaware of this forum until friend of mine suggested. I am in process
of applying for OCI but I have a prob.I never knew that u need to get Indian Passport cancelled after getting the B citizenship.unfortunatetly I travelled once on this.

What do I do now?? I will get it cancelled ASAP but will this create a prob
for getting my OCI.Again i have a offer from good company back home I wish to take it and join by feb.

Looking at my overall situation how do u all suggest me to go about it.
Friend said easier option is to get work visa and apply for OCI form India.
How long does it take to get a work visa and what are documents to submit it.
searched all threads but no valid answer on the same this type of situtaion..

even if i apply for OCI i would need to collect it in person ..so if i am back home then will they post it back home? again i should get it in one months time...what if it gets rejected

pl help me .

su

[British]

Hi Suza,

quite frankly, i think by travelling on your Indian passport to enter India after getting your British citizenship, a criminal offense has already been comitted.

There maybe implications for this. At least, when you apply for the OCI, you may want to declare this??/ I am not sure about this though, since the OCI application asks for declaring all criminal offense etc.

But since your act of entering India with invalid indian passport was not caught and you were not prosecuted for that, you may not need to declare this offense in OCI application. But i am not sure about this.

You might want to speak to a legal advisor (knowing Indian laws) and then approach for anything - i.e. work visa and later on OCI.

[PASS]

Hi Suza,

Based on the information you provided, you will be prosecuted if you apply for an OCI in India or your OCI will be refused if you apply here. GOI won't agree with your explanation that you used Indian passport by ignorance. All Indian Passport usually have a statement similar to,” return the document if you acquire citizenship of any other country”.

Every entry in India is recored with passport number, in your case, it will be apparent ( you entered with Indian Passport after acquiring British Citizenship). Anyone can hardly hide info. on these days.

I think, it is very difficult for you to regain your Indian relationship on your own.

[Dawie]

Hi Suza,

quite frankly, i think by travelling on your Indian passport to enter India after getting your British citizenship, a criminal offense has already been comitted.

There maybe implications for this. At least, when you apply for the OCI, you may want to declare this??/ I am not sure about this though, since the OCI application asks for declaring all criminal offense etc.

But since your act of entering India with invalid indian passport was not caught and you were not prosecuted for that, you may not need to declare this offense in OCI application. But i am not sure about this.

You might want to speak to a legal advisor (knowing Indian laws) and then approach for anything - i.e. work visa and later on OCI.

You would be very silly indeed to confess to a crime that no-one knows you committed.

[British]

You would be very silly indeed to confess to a crime that no-one knows you committed.

I agree to what you say Dawie, but keep in mind that his Indian passport would have been stamped on his entry and exit and ther eis evidence that he had violated the Indian law.

He can hid it now and maybe successfully apply for an OCI which specifically asks for listing of any criminal offense commited, and even get the OCI. But ther eis a clause in the OCI application that says if the Indian govt. comes to know that the application was made by hiding any material fact that the applicat knows about (especially of any criminal offense) and he had not listed that while applying for OCI, then the Indian govt. will take away the OCI status from him and blacklist him and ban him from entry into India in the future.

This is a show stopper for him, especially if he has family/relatives and plans for settlement in India later on in his future, sice a complete ban from entering India will be a nightmare for him.

So i am suggesting that he consult any legal advisor immediately and apply for any indian visa accordingly after seeking proper advise, rather than to hide this very serious criminal offense.

Its only my suggestion for him, considering that if he hides this offense fom Indian govt. and if unfortuantely the govt. comes to know (evidence is there in his now invalid indian passport), then he could be banned fom enterin gIndian for hte rest of his life.

The possibility of getting banned from entering India, especially for an ex-indian can be very very worrying! So think 10 times before hiding this fact and applying for Indian visas/OCI.

Anyway, its upto him what he wants to do though!

[Dawie]

One thing you're forgetting though is that the Indian government does not know when he aquired British citizenship. From the Indian government's perspective he only lost his Indian citizenship when he obtained British citizenship. There is no way for the Indian government to know when exactly he obtained British citizenship and therefore they have no frame of reference to evaluate whether or not the last use of his Indian passport was illegal or not.

Therefore for the Indian government to prosecute this individual for fraudalent use of an Indian passport they would first have to find out that he actually became a British citizen and then they would have to prove WHEN he became a British citizen. Now, I'm no expert in the Indian legal system, but I'm willing to bet there's no expert team of prosecuters just waiting to investigate cases like this.

The possibility of getting banned from entering India, especially for an ex-indian can be very very worrying! So think 10 times before hiding this fact and applying for Indian visas/OCI.

How can you ever be an "ex" Indian? This is what I find so disturbing about countries that ban dual citizenship. The concept that you can just deprive someone of the citizenship of their country of birth is inhumane and unjust and I hope someone tries to sue the Indian government one day for this grave injustice.

The South African government used to have similar provisions in their citizenship laws to deprive South Africans who aquired the citizenship of other countries of their South African citizenship. Thanks to several legal challenges and the complexities of incorporating the ex-bantustans back into South Africa, the South African government modified their citizenship laws so that now South Africans can safely aquire other citizenships without losing their South African citizenship provided they obtain permission first which is nearly always granted.