OCI application Submitted - 12/11/2013

[Cf_firefly]

All ,

I submitted my OCI application today ( 12/11/2013 ) @ HCI London and would like to share my experience as below :

Reached HCI London by 06:30 AM and crowd slowly build up and after 0730 AM , there were queues to the both sides of the entrance door with clear marked mini sign posts :

• On right side of the entrance door, there were Two queues :

 OCI Applications ( right side )
 PIO /Passport services (Left )

• A security guard came around 0730 AM and asked to form a separate queue to Left side of the entrance door for OCI collection applications .

Around 08:30 AM , Security started allowing people into the main Hall for PIO/ Passport services and once they are all in , OCI applicants are allowed with checks at the door . They looked at the main application form and allowed in with Token given .

Counters opened at 0930 AM and Lady at counter number 4 announced that the OCI application counters are 1 , 4 and 5 and the applicants need to pay by cash or Postal order only and Photo dimensions to be 51 x 51 .

My application was Adult OCI application and documents I Submitted at counter 1 are as below :

1. Application form ( Online fill and print (both section A and B ))
2. One PHOTO
3. Fee £175 ( paid in cash )
4. Surrender certificate Photocopy ( self-attested )
5. Naturalisation certificate Photocopy ( self-attested )
6. British Passport Photocopy ( self-attested )

Lady at the counter asked me to show the original surrender certificate and with her check list ticked , my application my added to a folder and I was given the receipt with File ref number and other ref numbers .

I was out of the HCI by 09:50 AM .

Thanks
Firefly

[redjet]

Thanks for the information Firefly. How many people were there @ OCI Applications / OCI Collections queue at 6:30

and do you know how many OCI Application tokens were given? And do you know if there is a token system for collections as well?

[Cf_firefly]

Hi Redjet ,

At 06:30 AM , there were FIVE OCI submission Applicant and ONE OCI Collection applicant .

I dont know how many OCI Application tokens were given but from the details in the HCI website , they will give 175 tokens . http://www.hcilondon.in/oci.html

Yes there is a token system for collections as well .

Thanks
Firefly

[ban.s]

also to add the token system for collection is different from the submission.

there are only 175 tokens issued for submission - you can only submit if you have a token.

however during collection - you don't need to a token to submit your passport. just turn up and submit - you'll then receive a token - which is to identify your passport during collection in the afternoon (similar to cloakroom tokens )

[redjet]

Thanks to both of you for your replies

[redjet]

It's me again. I am going to submit 3 x OCI applications in person @ HCI London later this week (for a family of 2 adults including myself and 1 minor child). I have a few questions if you can help answering them?

1. Can one adult applicant submit the applications for himself and other two family members @ HCI London? If so, should he carry any specific document?
2. I see you paid the fee in cash. Do you know if they accept debit card payment? If not, do you know if I can submit a single demand draft for all the 3 applicants (£ 175 x 3 = £ 525)?
3. This one might be silly. Do they actually measure the photos for 51 mm x 51 mm. The photographer here has given me 50 mm x 50 mm (in hindsight I should've carried a ruler to measure). He is going to get my phone call tomorrow anyway for that missed 1 mm . But just in case...

Thanks a ton for reading this far...

[ban.s]

1. yes; also carry marriage certificate
2. no cards - only cash or PO/draft. for in person application i would carry cash
3. i would not worry; none will measure the actual dimensions as long as it looks square (and not rectangluar photo)

[redjet]

1. yes; also carry marriage certificate
2. no cards - only cash or PO/draft. for in person application i would carry cash
3. i would not worry; none will measure the actual dimensions as long as it looks square (and not rectangluar photo)

Thanks for your reply ban.s.

In one of the blogs (http://ticklingtigers.wordpress.com/201 ... g-for-oci/), it said, for those applying OCI in person, they retain the surrender certificate original and send it back by post later. Is that still happening?

[KeepCalm4OCI]

No they dont keep the originals

[ban.s]

I haven't read that blog.
I don't know anyone that had to leave surrender certificate at HCI during in person submission. Don't think anyone reported such experience in this forum either. They will ask for the original surrender certificate and return you back after verification.

[Cf_firefly]

Hi Redjet ,

I was asked to show the the original surrender certificate and they took the Self-attested Photocopy of Surrender certificate .

Thanks
Firefly

[redjet]

Thanks for all your help ban.s and firefly, I was able to submit my application successfully on 2nd December.

I will update my experience on this page itself, so whoever lands on this page (I think ban.s posted the link on a main sticky thread, that's how I came here in the first place) will read this.

1. I was there just before 6:30 AM by which time 4 people were in the OCI queue (first one came at 5 AM!).
2. By 6:45 AM, security started forming the queue lines similar to what you explained above.
3. OCI queue started getting longer after 7:30 AM whereas OCI Collections queue was the slowest to grow longer, even after 8:15 there were very few of them...Passport services queue was reasonably building up.
4. By 9:00 AM we started to enter with the usual application verification, and by 9:15 AM we were in.
5. Counters started opening one after other, and I was called by 9:35 AM
6. Documents submitted: Application Form 3x Part A and 1 x Part B (3 member family) with 51mmx51mm photo glued, British Passport (photo page and observation page - self attested copy, 3 x Surrender Certificates - self attested copies, 1 x Minor birth certificate copy, Cash for 3 applicants - better to keep exact change)
7. Only Surrender certificate original was asked for verification
8. Receipts were given at the end - one for each of the applicants
9. Whole process finished in 2 minutes and I was out before 9:45 AM

Overall it was a pleasant experience except for standing in the queue for 3 hours, but hey, you have lot of things to discuss; IN and UK current affairs with your co-queue members. Any questions, I am happy to answer.

Tips: If you are going early, I would suggest to carry some sandwich/water as there are no refreshments available during that time around and it gets inconvenient as you have to stand there for 3 hours!!