PIO Application for Minor in HCI, London: My experience

[vand3matram]

Hi,

These forums were very useful for me as I applied for the PIO card for my child - so here is my 2 bits as thank you .

PIO Application for my child (Canadian). My spouse and I are both holding T1(G) residence permits (of course, w/ Indian passports).
Application itself:
(*) The form (just one copy) with thumb impressions of my child and signatures of both husband & wife
(*) Child's birth certificate (from Canada) and photocopy
(*) Child's passport and a photocopy
(*) Our passports and photocopies of relevant pages (name/address etc)
(*) Our (i.e. all 3) British Resident permits + photocopies
(*) Our marriage certificate + it's photocopy.
(*) Fee £112
(*) 45mmx35mm photo (x4)
(*) Self-addressed sp. delivery pre-paid envelop (w/ 'senders' address as HCI London).
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(_) Reached HCI, London on freezing morning of 29th Dec (2014) @07:15 AM
(_) Was the first one in line. The line did start to grow from around about 7:45 - 08:00. So if you want - can easily push out to reach there a bit later. A number of ppl were in the line coz of passport issues... some for PIO.
(_) There is only one queue now; as only PIO and ppl w/ passport issues (lost/stolen) have to come in without appointments. All other consular services (including OCI) get appointments.
(_) Doors open 0815-0820 ... and tokens give out. Obviously, got the first token (nice warm smug feeling- after freezing my rear-end for over an hour) //off-topic ... when I preview my post realized that the word a_s_s is replaced by mule ... ... so now I have replaced it w/ rear-end
(_) Counters open @09:30.
(_) the lady checks the application and then takes the original passport of my child (scans the barcode) and that's it. She didn't ask for any other originals; though did keep all the photocopies (our passport/BRP/marrige certi etc etc).
(_) Returns back the passport and takes the fee.
(_) That's it.
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The PIO card arrives on 14/Jan/15.

WOW!! - that was fast given new yr. break and couple of weekends - this was in like 10 working days!!!

HTH.
ciao.
vand3.

[kapszone]

Hi there, just a little confusion here.
PIOs are now OCIs ? or you applied before the effective change date ?

also arent the OCI appointments are now online so why you went first in morning ? unless I have missed something, I have made an appointment for 28th afternoon so wondering if I have done something wrong ?

[ban.s]

(_) Reached HCI, London on freezing morning of 29th Dec (2014) @07:15 AM

[vand3matram]

@kapszone,

AFAIK - the merger of the two schemes has been announced but not yet implemented... but I can be wrong (though quick look @top 5 results for 'pio oci merger' from Google indicate that it has not been implemented).

What has been implemented is that PIO is now for life (i.e. doesn't have 15 yr expiry - evident in my child's PIO booklet ...'life time validity') and the person is not expected to report to a police station for stay over 180 days (if memory serves me - these numbers are correct).

We still can't apply for OCI as both of us hold Indian passports. One of the requirements for OCI is that at least one parent has a foreign passport.

HTH.

EDIT: -> Please visit the HCI London website as well. The information is very detailed over there - albeit presented in the most arcane and confusing format.

[ban.s]

The routes have been merged and in effect now.
One can't apply for PIO anymore - OCI is the only available route.
Existing PIO cardholders are treated as OCI.

[vand3matram]

Then, I stand corrected