OCI + British passport from India

[barkhabills]

Hi,
I would appreciate your advise. I was living in the UK for 10 yrs on Indian passport. I had to return to India on urgent basis in Dec 2013. Before coming to India I was in the middle of my British citizenship application. I have taken British citizenship (oath ceremony done) but could not wait there for British passport as the wait was very long. I returned to India on Indian passport. I have been staying in India since Dec 2013 and it seems I will have to be here for some more time. Is it possible to apply for British passport from India then get OCI from India. I have read that for OCI application I need entry visa. Do I have to go back to the UK, get British passport from the UK and then return to India? This option is very difficult as I will have to wait 6-8 weeks for British passport in the UK before I could travel back to India. Very confused. Please guide me.

[CR001]

Please ask your OCI questions in the 'Other Countries' sub forum further down on the main forum page.

A passport from India can take 6 to 12 months.

You are British from the date of your ceremony, you will be heavily penalised if you travel on your Indian passport as you are no longer an Indian citizen.

[secret.simon]

you will be heavily penalised if you travel on your Indian passport as you are no longer an Indian citizen.

Just to clarify, you will be penalised by Indian authorities based on Indian law. The British authorities have no problems with your travelling outside the UK on an Indian passport.

[CR001]

you will be heavily penalised if you travel on your Indian passport as you are no longer an Indian citizen.

Just to clarify, you will be penalised by Indian authorities based on Indian law. The British authorities have no problems with your travelling outside the UK on an Indian passport.

Thanks, yes I should have been more clear in my response.

[barkhabills]

Thanks. What happens to Permanent Residency status after renunciation of British citizenship?

[CR001]

Thanks. What happens to Permanent Residency status after renunciation of British citizenship?

You lost ILR status when you became British. It does not automatically get reinstated once you renounce BC. If you renounce BC, you will have no immigration status in the UK. You will have to start your UK immigration journey again from scratch.

[secret.simon]

Also see threads on status of ILR after renunciation of British citizenship here and here.

If you are in no hurry to return, start the application for a British passport now and you should get it in about a year's time. You must surrender your Indian passport within three years of your British citizenship certificate. You can only travel on your Indian passport without a fine or penalty within three months of the citizenship certificate though.

You may have issues with OCI later on because of the period of time you spent with an Indian passport even after naturalisation. But others in the "other countries" forum will be able to guide you on that.