Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

[m10]

Hi All,

Application made in person on: 14/09/2015 : VFS paddington
Registration Status at Mission: London
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : 15/09/2015
Originals Received by Royal Mail SP: 17/09/2015
Documents printing status: PROCESSED on 06-OCT-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI )NEW DELHI: on 07-OCT-2015
Document received At LONDON : 12-OCT-2015

I submitted my British passport on Tuesday, 13-OCT-2015 for getting the OCI booklet alongwith U Visa (Sticker). However, I received the OCI booklet today i.e. 16-OCT-2015 with no sticker on my British Passport.

I have been trying to call HCI, London since morning. Finally got through someone after a long wait but was told that the Sticker on the passport will no longer be added, and only the OCI booklet is sufficient. This change has been brought into effect from 1st October, 2015. On probing further, as one of my colleague's son received his passport 2 days back and carries the sticker, I was told some of the passports still carry the sticker while the others don't (A very ambiguous reply... ) however they are abolishing the sticker system & henceforth will only be issuing the OCI booklet.

Does anyone have any update on this? Have they changed the procedure i.e. only issue the OCI booklet without the U Visa on the current passport?

Also, once your current British passport expires, while you do have the OCI booklet, would we have had to get the U Visa (sticker) on the new British passport as per the older rules?

Would appreciate if you all could throw some light on this, as I am sure there will be such queries to follow for others as well awaiting their OCI in the near future.

[chatha]

HI.HERE IS MY STORY

Applicant Name
File Acknowledgment Number GBRB0
Date Of Acknowledgment 03-AUG-2015
Registration Status at Mission BIRMINGHAM
Documents Printing Status UNDER-PROCESS

I EMAILED TO DELHI AND THEY SAID TALK TO CGI BIRMINGHAM SO I EMAILED THEM AND THEY SAID WE ARE HAVING TECHINAL DIFICULTIES AND WILL TAKE FEW MORE DAYS.I AM CHECKING EVERYDAY BUT STATUS STAY THE SAME.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ?? OR JUST ME.

JUST DROP ME AN EMAIL
MANY THANKS
CHATHA

[teir12011]

I applied on 8th Aug, same story.Birm

[tier1ilrnatoci]

Hi CHATHA, TEIR12011,

BIRMINGHAM is taking time to process OCI Applications. Below are my timelines.
Hope you will get some confidence after looking at it Just keep patience.

OCI-Application Status Details
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant Name XXXXXXXXXXXX
File Acknowledgment Number GBRXXXXXXXX
Date Of Acknowledgment 25-AUG-2015
Registration Status at Mission BIRMINGHAM
Documents Printing Status UNDER-PROCESS

Original Documents Received 13-OCT-2015
OCI- Number AXXXXXXXXXXX
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 16-OCT-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 19-OCT-2015

Document received At BIRMINGHAM On
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON ON
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED

[flon]

I have filled in my parents details in part b of application online for the field relatives living in india. And then click submit that's only option. Is it okay or i need to donew application with adding more details like sister , cousins , uncle aunt etc as there are many relatives in India.
Also there is no option I can see to edit form how to do it if anyone has done.

Please advise if anyone had done.
Thanks in advance.

[jinalmodi33]

Hi,

I am new to this process and i may enter duplicate questions. But it will be really helpful for me. Me and my wife are going to apply OCI application together( i suppose we need to fill two separate online application)

1. What passport number we should enter at the time of new oci application in applicant's passport number - UK or India.
2. Me and my wife are applying together, so what i need to put in the spouse passport number(UK or India).


It might be very small thing to ask but it wil be really big help for us.

Thanks & Regards,

[applyforILR]

since u have surrendered the indian pasports they r no longer valid, i believe u need to enter uk pasport details as thats the only valid passport u have.

[Pe_ant]

Hi All,

Application made in person on: 14/09/2015 : VFS paddington
Registration Status at Mission: London
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : 15/09/2015
Originals Received by Royal Mail SP: 17/09/2015
Documents printing status: PROCESSED on 06-OCT-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI )NEW DELHI: on 07-OCT-2015
Document received At LONDON : 12-OCT-2015

I submitted my British passport on Tuesday, 13-OCT-2015 for getting the OCI booklet alongwith U Visa (Sticker). However, I received the OCI booklet today i.e. 16-OCT-2015 with no sticker on my British Passport.

I have been trying to call HCI, London since morning. Finally got through someone after a long wait but was told that the Sticker on the passport will no longer be added, and only the OCI booklet is sufficient. This change has been brought into effect from 1st October, 2015. On probing further, as one of my colleague's son received his passport 2 days back and carries the sticker, I was told some of the passports still carry the sticker while the others don't (A very ambiguous reply... ) however they are abolishing the sticker system & henceforth will only be issuing the OCI booklet.

Does anyone have any update on this? Have they changed the procedure i.e. only issue the OCI booklet without the U Visa on the current passport?

Also, once your current British passport expires, while you do have the OCI booklet, would we have had to get the U Visa (sticker) on the new British passport as per the older rules?

Would appreciate if you all could throw some light on this, as I am sure there will be such queries to follow for others as well awaiting their OCI in the near future.

Hi m10,

Refer to the link http://www.boi.gov.in/content/overseas- ... cardholder

This suggests that there will be no U-Sticker - I am still awaiting OCI and expect not to have the sticker.

I believe this should also in the future eliminate the need to submit the British Passport for affixing the sticker! And thereby resulting in a Massive cost saving due to second visit to VFS!

[m10]

Hi All,

Application made in person on: 14/09/2015 : VFS paddington
Registration Status at Mission: London
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : 15/09/2015
Originals Received by Royal Mail SP: 17/09/2015
Documents printing status: PROCESSED on 06-OCT-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI )NEW DELHI: on 07-OCT-2015
Document received At LONDON : 12-OCT-2015

I submitted my British passport on Tuesday, 13-OCT-2015 for getting the OCI booklet alongwith U Visa (Sticker). However, I received the OCI booklet today i.e. 16-OCT-2015 with no sticker on my British Passport.

I have been trying to call HCI, London since morning. Finally got through someone after a long wait but was told that the Sticker on the passport will no longer be added, and only the OCI booklet is sufficient. This change has been brought into effect from 1st October, 2015. On probing further, as one of my colleague's son received his passport 2 days back and carries the sticker, I was told some of the passports still carry the sticker while the others don't (A very ambiguous reply... ) however they are abolishing the sticker system & henceforth will only be issuing the OCI booklet.

Does anyone have any update on this? Have they changed the procedure i.e. only issue the OCI booklet without the U Visa on the current passport?

Also, once your current British passport expires, while you do have the OCI booklet, would we have had to get the U Visa (sticker) on the new British passport as per the older rules?

Would appreciate if you all could throw some light on this, as I am sure there will be such queries to follow for others as well awaiting their OCI in the near future.

Hi m10,

Refer to the link http://www.boi.gov.in/content/overseas- ... cardholder

This suggests that there will be no U-Sticker - I am still awaiting OCI and expect not to have the sticker.

I believe this should also in the future eliminate the need to submit the British Passport for affixing the sticker! And thereby resulting in a Massive cost saving due to second visit to VFS!

Hello Pe_ant,

Thanks for the link. I agree with you that the fact that new applicants may not have to submit their passport due to abolishing of U-Visa, it in turn saves us from the inconvenience of having to go to VFS the 2nd time. However, I was dissatisfied / unhappy about the fact that they took my passport on the pretext of they wanting to put U-Sticker on my passport while that was not the case and I was taken-in by surprise. Maybe, had I been informed before-hand that there is a change in their policy, I would not have expected the sticker to be there either.

Anyway, allz well that ends well. Wish you good luck with your OCI application and I hope they process your application soon. (I have noticed VFS at Paddington is quite efficient & I haven't noticed any unwanted delays with any of my friends either.)

[applyforILR]

[quote="applyforILR"]timeline for my son:

Application Date : 08-10-2015
Date Of Acknowledgment : 09-10-2015
Registration Status at Mission : London
Documents Printing Status : PROCESSED ( as on 30-10-2015)
Original docs Received : 14-10-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI :waiting
Document received At London :
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON :
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED :[/quote]

[ashamonsoon]

Application Date : 09-10-2015
Date Of Acknowledgment : 12-10-2015
Registration Status at Mission : London
Documents Printing Status : PROCESSED ( as on 03-11-2015)
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI : 04-11-2015
Document received At London :
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON :
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED :

[nav84]

Hey guys,

i just received my daughters passport and OCI today..
I have question regarding this OCI.... on my passport the I have a Visa stamp as well as the OCI booklet... the visa stamp says lifetime entry etc...

but on my daughters its just the booklet... is that a new thing... mind it my OCi was stamped quite a few years back.. 2007 i think....

[vivdubes]

Yes, they have stopped giving U visa sticker wef from 01/10/2015... All the new OCI applicants wont have that sticker in their British PP.

[nav84]

Yes, they have stopped giving U visa sticker wef from 01/10/2015... All the new OCI applicants wont have that sticker in their British PP.

Cheers bud...

[chatha]

HI.HERE IS MY STORY

Applicant Name
File Acknowledgment Number GBRB0
Date Of Acknowledgment 03-AUG-2015
Registration Status at Mission BIRMINGHAM
Documents Printing Status UNDER-PROCESS

I EMAILED TO DELHI AND THEY SAID TALK TO CGI BIRMINGHAM SO I EMAILED THEM AND THEY SAID WE ARE HAVING TECHINAL DIFICULTIES AND WILL TAKE FEW MORE DAYS.I AM CHECKING EVERYDAY BUT STATUS STAY THE SAME.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ?? OR JUST ME.

JUST DROP ME AN EMAIL
MANY THANKS
CHATHA

HI
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 27-OCT-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 30-OCT-2015
Document received At BIRMINGHAM On 03-NOV-2015


originals received after one month. so handed passport in vfs newcastle today 05/11/15 and see when it ll be back. meanwhile we had to travel to india while processing so we got e-visa for £40. immigration in Amritsir got our fingerprints and all sort.


THAT'S ALL FOLKS

[Sept17_chennai]

Application Method to HCI: VFS Goswell road
Application made in person on: 05/10/2015
Registration Status at Mission: London
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website): 06/10/2015
Documents Printing Status - PROCESSED On : 27/10/2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) - NEW DELHI On : 30/10/2015
OCI Document received At - London On : 02/11/2015
Handed over Passports at VFS Office: 04/11/2015
Received OCI booklet & passport: 07/11/2015

[macroberts]

Hi

I am in the same boat as you. They do not take a minor application without a marriage certificate. I am stuck as well but in my case I have a religious marriage certificate and they didn't accept that.

[applyforILR]

timeline for my son:

Application Date : 08-10-2015
Date Of Acknowledgment : 09-10-2015
Registration Status at Mission : London
Documents Printing Status : PROCESSED ( as on 30-10-2015)
Original docs Received : 14-10-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI : 02-11-2015
Document received At London : 05-11-2015
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON : 06-11-2015
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED : 11-11-2015

[srinuuuuu]

Hi All,

I just wanted to share my experience & timelines for OCI application for Minor ( 2 month old).
I just thought it might help someone else with similar situation.

Applicant is born in UK and is a British citizen by birth.
Both Parents are Naturalised British Citizens and are married.
Both parents hold OCI.

In Case of Minors, It is not mandatory for them to attend at the VFS. One of the parents can attend. But Make sure you take the Passports & OCI of both the Parents. They checked ours. For a Minor, All the photocopies should be attested by both parents.

Documentation Required

1. Application Form
1a. Left hand Thumb impression of the applicant is required on the Signature box under the Photo and in part-B Signature. ( I know its difficult with little ones but both the thumb impressions are mandatory).
1b. Make Sure both Father & Mother sign the Part-B where Parents signatures are required

2. Declaration Form
2a. Make Sure both the Parents Sign this

3. Original Birth Certificate of Applicant with names of both the Parents

4. Original Marriage Certificate of Parents

5. Original Passport of the Applicant (Don't worry they'll give it back to you immediately)

6. A Copy of Applicant's Passport (with signature of both Parents endorsing it)

7. A Copy of Birth Certificate (with signature of both Parents endorsing it)

8. A Copy of Marriage Certificate of Parents (with signature of both Parents endorsing it)

9. A Copy of Passports of both Parents including life long visa stickers if any (with signature of both Parents endorsing it)
10.A Copy of OCI of both Parents (with signature of both Parents endorsing it)
11. Two self addressed Special delivery Envelopes (They will take only 1 and give back 1 but they still expect you to bring both.
12. Two 2 X 2 inches Passport photographs of the applicant.
13. Your Payment - I paid by Debit card £183.50( Birmingham Accepts Cash but Leicester doesn't. So its basically different for every center).


Once OCI is approved, you need to go to the same center where you applied (NOT by Post) and provide the printout which shows the status + Passport + Self addressed Royal mail SD envelope to them and then will send your Passport and OCI after a couple of weeks. So basically you need to go to VFS twice for your OCI, what happened to this crazy *******.

First I travelled 2hrs to Birmingham to submit the OCI application but was not accepted as the thumb impression of the 2 months old was required on both the pages ( In Signature box & Part-B declaration signature). Now I have read the Instructions properly (See below) where it said only about the signature box and not the Part-B Declaration Signature. I wanted to shout that there is BOX in part-B but at the end of the day we want to get things done. So I am just informing so that others may not face same Issue. Then I went to Leicester and submitted it.

Instructions For filling Application Form

2. ....In case of minor who cannot sign, his/her left thumb impression may placed in the signature box. parents should not sign on behalf of children.

3. Signature/Thumb impression should be confined in the prescribed box. In case of minor applicants parent should not sign in the box.


Application Date : 12-11-2015
Date Of Acknowledgment :
Registration Status at Mission :
Documents Printing Status :
Original docs Received :
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI :
Document received At London :
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON :
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED :

[ashamonsoon]

My latest timeline

Application Date : 09-10-2015
Date Of Acknowledgment : 12-10-2015
Registration Status at Mission : London
Documents Printing Status : PROCESSED ( as on 03-11-2015)
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI : 04-11-2015
Document received At London : 06-11-2015
PASSPORT SUBMITTED IN PERSON : 16-11-2015 (bit late I know as I was told I would need my UK passport to attend the Modi Speech in Wembley
PASSPORT AND OCI DOCUMENT RECEIVED : waiting - hope to get it soon as I fly out in the next 10 days.

[rayclark]

I am preparing OCI applications for my wife and daughter. Is Part-B of the form common to all family members or no? The online form seems to require a separate one for each application.

[rahul2295]

Hi

I am trying to prepare applications for OCi for 3 children. First difficulty I am having is the "aspect of the photos" what does this mean and how can I get the correct aspect. Also does anyone know how to get the right memory size on how to reduce it, as you can see I am not good at IT.

secondly on my childrens application do they need to give thumb print? And do I still upload my signature and that of my wife? or at the signature upload do I upload the thumb print of the child.

I already have OCI so do i still have send documents that relate to my wife such as her passport details. I know we need to send birth certificates

Also Like I said I already have OCI, I want to also apply for my wife, She currently has a British passport, but she did have a Indian passport, Do I need to surrender the Indian passport, I am sure the Consulate will say I have to surrender the passport as they want to make money. Surely with me already having OCI her application would be sucessful on the basis of Spouse been of indian origin. As always Birmingham consulate have been most unhelpful.

Your help will be much appreciated

[satellite]

Hi guys,

we're trying to apply for OCI but it says we need to upload a photo of our signatures. How do we do that? Do we just write out signature on any piece of paper then scan it?

[ravib_10]

Hi,

I have to apply for my wife's OCI.

I live in leeds but planning to send my OCI application by POST.

As i m sending it by post, i need to select LODON as VFS office.

My query is

1. Do i need to send originals at the time of application also?

2. Once i will receive the notification of OCI approval, i need to send original documents. At that Time i want to go in person to send docs. Where should i go for that. Do i have to go to london or can i go VFS office near to my place (i.e. bradford)

Thanks n Regards
RB

[megatop]

I had been to VFS, Goswell Rd this morning to submit OCI application for my 2 yr old daughter.

She has a British PP. ME+wife have Indian PP + ILR.

Member srinuuu has a great post on documents submitted. I will touch upon the document uploading bit.

I uploaded/ was asked to upload copies of the following documents.

1. Applicant's passport
2. Applicant's full birth certificate
3. Applicant's Indian passport Surrender certificate
4. Parent's Marriage certificate
5. Parent's Indian passports - front n back + ILR

The website where you are expected to upload all these things do not have all the above options to upload against. Hence I created a big jpeg with images of all the documents in it. I also used some irrelevant heads under which I uploaded some images. With update this post with the outcome.

There have also been lot of questions about why they ask for 2 self-addressed SD RoyalMail envelopes when they return one of them. What I observed today is that they scan the barcode on the other one and provide the acknowledgement with both the tracking numbers on it. So when you come and submit the other envelope in the future, you still have note of the tracking number.

I hadn't uploaded all the documents they had asked for. The girl at the counter said she will accept the application today but I need to make sure that the other documents need to be uploaded to the site before 4 p.m. This is supposedly the cut-off time after which HCI upload the documents (where???).

I have benefited a lot from this website. In an attempt to try and give back something, I have written the steps to create the final pdf file to upload using the document images you will have. Please post comments if you think it can be made better.
http://www.immigrationboards.com/other- ... 98732.html