Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

In person application at HCI London
Date of Application : 16-DEC-2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 16-DEC-2013
Documents Printing Status : 08-JAN-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : 10-JAN-2014
Document received At LONDON:13-JAN-2014
PP sent by Royal Mail to HCI : 14-JAN-2014
PP returned by HCI : TBC

* due to change of collection process I am sending the Passport by Royal Mail tomorrow and fingers crossed lets see how quickly they complete and return*

In person application at CGI Birmingham (2 Adults + 2 Minors)
Date of Application : 02-DEC-2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 02-DEC-2013
Documents Printing Status : Processed on 06-Jan-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : New Delhi on 07-Jan-2014
Document received At : TBC

File Acknowledgment Number GBRL*******
Date Of Acknowledgment 03-DEC-2013
Registration Status at Mission LONDON
OCI- Number A*******
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 30-DEC-2013
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 31-DEC-2013
Document received At LONDON On 02-JAN-2014

OCI Application Timeline for Edinburgh Indian Consulate - may be useful for someone in scotland.
Applicant Name : XXX
File Acknowledgment Number GBRE00XXXXX
Date Of Acknowledgment 23-OCT-2013
Registration Status at Mission EDINBURGH
OCI- Number AXXXX
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 30-NOV-2013
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 10-DEC-2013
Document received At EDINBURGH On 16-DEC-2013

Good Luck and Happy New Year to All.

Submitted in Edinburgh on 04-NOV-2013
Applicant Name XXXXXXXXXX
File Acknowledgment Number GBREXXXXXXXXXX
Date Of Acknowledgment 19-NOV-2013
Registration Status at Mission EDINBURGH
OCI- Number XXXXXXXXXX
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 23-DEC-2013
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 26-DEC-2013
Document received At EDINBURGH On 31-DEC-2013

Submited passports 31-DEC-2013
OCI expecting on 02-01-2014 ( as 1st is a holiday)

It took nearly 2 months to get my OCI.
Good Luck Everyone!

Hi all, I have found browsing this form very useful and this is my first post on it.
My OCI application (2 adult + 1 child) has been processed and despatched to HCI London. I won't be able to collect it in person so will be using the postal method.
Can anyone guide if I need to send 3 self addressed return envelopes or will 1 envelope suffice?

Thanks.
RPM

Updated:

imranb wrote:In person application at CGI Birmingham (2 Adults + 2 Minors)
Date of Application : 02-DEC-2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 02-DEC-2013
Documents Printing Status : Processed on 06-Jan-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : New Delhi on 07-Jan-2014
Document received At : TBC

I went to stand in the queue to submit my son's passport for OCI stamping this morning. Apparently starting today 13/01/2014, they will only entertain postal applications for OCI stamping. Postal application must include, needless to say, foreign passport, OCI status print out and self addressed envelope.

imranb wrote:Updated:

imranb wrote:In person application at CGI Birmingham (2 Adults + 2 Minors)
Date of Application : 02-DEC-2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 02-DEC-2013
Documents Printing Status : Processed on 06-Jan-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : New Delhi on 07-Jan-2014
Document received At : TBC

Hi Imranb,
Have you collected your OCI in person or by post. Mine is still under process. As few have said the consulate collect the passports through post only, I don't know if you have experienced the same at CGI birmingham. Please let me know. Thanks

I got my 'Documents Received' status on 7th Jan 2014 and was just about to go down there today and for some reason decided to check the timings, which brought me here. Also, my brother went down to pick his up last week who has the same status as mine was turned away and told that the submitting/collection procedure had changed to a single slot of 1400-1600hrs and now this!!!

I am feeling pretty angry and disgusted about the whole procedure to say the least. I don't particularly want to send the passport via post as they accept no liability whatsoever.

RPM,

When you say 2 adults and 1 child, I presume it is for you , your spouse and child? Then 1 SD envelope is fine.
If you are applying for 2 wifes and 1 child then 2 SD envelopes (Better safe than sorry) Even if they live in the same address you never know when the World Strong Women Contest will begin!!

Keep adding the SD envelopes as the wives increase....LOL
cheers
vr

anonimouse wrote:I got my 'Documents Received' status on 7th Jan 2014 and was just about to go down there today and for some reason decided to check the timings, which brought me here. Also, my brother went down to pick his up last week who has the same status as mine was turned away and told that the submitting/collection procedure had changed to a single slot of 1400-1600hrs and now this!!!

I am feeling pretty angry and disgusted about the whole procedure to say the least. I don't particularly want to send the passport via post as they accept no liability whatsoever.

unfortunately you don't have any other option but to receive by post. though loss of documents in post is not rare but royal mail is quite efficient and reliable. don't worry.

rpm_ctbt wrote:Hi all, I have found browsing this form very useful and this is my first post on it.
My OCI application (2 adult + 1 child) has been processed and despatched to HCI London. I won't be able to collect it in person so will be using the postal method.
Can anyone guide if I need to send 3 self addressed return envelopes or will 1 envelope suffice?

Thanks.
RPM

In case you still haven't sent passports for OCI stamping send 3 self addressed envelopes. Each application is treated separately.

ban.s wrote:unfortunately you don't have any other option but to receive by post. though loss of documents in post is not rare but royal mail is quite efficient and reliable. don't worry.

Thanks. Yes I agree and it seems that the options change just like the weather and hoping that they might change it back soon enough to collect it in person. It says that the OCI is available for collection for 42 days after the date of acknowledgement - really don't know what that means or how they enforce it?

I cannot take a chance to send it through the post as I am travelling in a weeks time and then back for a few days, then back out again - so cannot be without a passport...

anonimouse wrote:...It says that the OCI is available for collection for 42 days after the date of acknowledgement - really don't know what that means or how they enforce it?

I cannot take a chance to send it through the post as I am travelling in a weeks time and then back for a few days, then back out again - so cannot be without a passport...

42 days from acknowledgement i.e. receipt of the application/entry onto their system. It's for guideline only and usually OCI is issued within 5 week from acknowledgement (takes longer for postal).

Apply for collection when you won't be needing the passport for 10-12 days.

ban.s wrote:

anonimouse wrote:...It says that the OCI is available for collection for 42 days after the date of acknowledgement - really don't know what that means or how they enforce it?

I cannot take a chance to send it through the post as I am travelling in a weeks time and then back for a few days, then back out again - so cannot be without a passport...

42 days from acknowledgement i.e. receipt of the application/entry onto their system. It's for guideline only and usually OCI is issued within 5 week from acknowledgement (takes longer for postal).

Apply for collection when you won't be needing the passport for 10-12 days.

So, in order to get the OCI which has already been issued - then theoretically there is no deadline to get it stamped?

No, there is no deadline for collection.

ban.s wrote:No, there is no deadline for collection.

Thanks. Phew..that takes some pressure off.

VR wrote:In person application at HCI London
Date of Application : 16-DEC-2013
Date Of Acknowledgment : 16-DEC-2013
Documents Printing Status : 08-JAN-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) : 10-JAN-2014
Document received At LONDON:13-JAN-2014
PP sent by Royal Mail to HCI : 14-JAN-2014
PP returned by HCI : TBC

* due to change of collection process I am sending the Passport by Royal Mail tomorrow and fingers crossed lets see how quickly they complete and return*

VR - hello there,

I've got a question, did you receive any email from HCI to send it by post? or does it show in your status?
I applied on 20th December - I got Status as 'Processed' so far...

Forbc123,

On the website their collection procedure has changed from 13th January 2014.
My Status got updated on 13th to show they have got the document back from Delhi.
I had no option but to send it by post on 14th next day 1pm delivery with a return self addressed envelop and a printout of the status and British Passport.

Also people were being turned away since Monday when they attempted to go for collection in person. In a way its good. When you do a cost benefit analysis of going there to collect with the process they had in place, people were losing an entire days earnings(Billing) plus having to spend 40 quid to get there by train or fuel for the car.
cheers
vr

VR wrote: In a way its good. When you do a cost benefit analysis of going there to collect with the process they had in place, people were losing an entire days earnings(Billing) plus having to spend 40 quid to get there by train or fuel for the car.
cheers
vr

..that's probably a relative view and may not be applicable to everyone. also postal collection option was available in the past. there was no compultion to collect in person especially if it had negative impact on someone's life/earning.

ban.s,

I would have preffered to go over and collect in person and be done with it. Rather than risk my passport by post and sit and pray that either the HCI or the Royal Mail do not goof up. I am booked to fly out of the country and am hoping that such a nightmare does not happen. Else I will land up at HCI and like the tiger attacks in India you will soon hear a two legged one killed a few at HCI.

I just mentioned it for those who are firmly entrenched here the postal option has its advantages. For instance a diabetic op need not brave the elements and spend a whole day there , braving the elements in order to get his passport back.Every method has its own pros and cons.
cheers
vr

I am sure you'll receive the passport and OCI soon. Good luck with your US trip.

Thanks and God Bless all of You. This forum and the people contributing on it are ''Heroes''. Once I find my feet, I will connect up and post useful info for folks wanting to move to the US and everything required for a smooth transition there.
cheers
vr

Thanks to the forum posters. I got very useful advice at various stages of my application. My OCI journey as follows:
Postal application for 2 adults + 1 child sent to HCI London- 29 Nov 2013
File Acknowledgment Number- GBRxxx
Date Of Acknowledgment- 05-DEC-2013
Registration Status at Mission- LONDON
OCI Number- xxxx
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 31-DEC-2013
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 02-JAN-2014
Document received At LONDON On 06-JAN-2014
Foreign passports sent to HCI London - 07-JAN-2014
Stamped Passport and OCI Regn Cards received from HCI London- 16-JAN-2014.

Note- 1 self-addressed Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope suffices even for a family application of three. HCI sent all 6 booklets back to me in that envelope. The return package weighs about 200-250g, so put appropriate stamps.

Thanks again and best wishes to all forum members.
Regards,
RPM