Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Hi members,

Can someone suggest me what time someone should be at the token counter to be served at earliest possible. Just wish to know around what time people start piling up token window. In addition, how many copies of OCI form are required.

Any comments much appreciated.

Only 1 copy required and get there by 9 am .There aren't long queues and there are 2 counters for submission of OCI applications.So if you are in by 9 you will be out before 11. Hope this help.

londonfemale wrote:Only 1 copy required and get there by 9 am .There aren't long queues and there are 2 counters for submission of OCI applications.So if you are in by 9 you will be out before 11. Hope this help.

Thanks indeed Londonfemale for the information.

Cheers

The website says that my OCI documents are received at London. How do I collect them. Is there a time for collection or I can walk-in any time of the day.
Pls help

I've recently been to HCI London. What I have gathered is, you need to be there in the morning around 8:30 to submit your passport so that they can put OCI sticker on it. There is a separate Window to submit the passports for OCI sticker. I think you do not need to join the token queue to submit the passport. Just jump the queue and submit the passport. After submission, you can collect the passport in the second half of the day around 4 pm.

Alternatively, you may send your passport via post with self addressed special delivery envelop and after stamping they would send your passport to you.

All the best.

You can collect after 4pm.

Quick question:

When you send your OCI application by post, how long does it take for the tracking information to be available online on the MEA website?

My wife's application was delivered to HCI more than a week agao, but still there is no tracking information i.e. it says 'Application not yet acknowledged or wrong passport number'.

Family Application for Mother & Infant
Applied in Person at HCI LONDON on 5th March 2012
Acknowledged on 5th March 2012
Photos/Signature scanned on 6th March 2012
Granted on 6th March 2012
Printed on 7th March 2012
Dispatched on 9th March 2012
Received at HCI, London on 15th March 2012
Colltodos in person on 16th March 2012

Really impressed with the speed

postal application HCI london.

application sent by special delivery on 6/2/2012
Reached HCI london on 7/2/2012 (via royal mail website)
Date of acknowledgement : 21/2/2012
Photo/Signate Scanned : 21/2/2012
Registration granted : 22/2/2012
Documents printed : 22/2/2012
Dispatched from Delhi : 27/2/2012
Documents Recd London : 2/3/2012

I am planning to collect it in person in a few days.

Hi,

Does anyone know the current time line for OCI applications in Birmingham CGI? I will be applying for my OCI in second week of April and planning to fly to India on 22nd July. Just wanted to know what chances I have of getting the OCI stamped or will i need to apply for Visa to travel to India ? Please can the board members share their experience or post the current time line for OCI approvals in Birmingham.

Thanks.

Date of application : 12 Dec 2011 (in person at Birmingham)
Date of acknowledgement : 12 Dec 2011
Photo/Signate Scanned : 27 Feb 2012
Registration granted : 28 Feb 2012
Documents printed : 29 Feb 2012
Dispatched from Delhi : 06 Mar 2012
Documents Recd Birmingham : 12 Mar 2012

Applied for my daughter also same time but showing one week late in all the above dates. Waiting to receive at Birmigham as of today.

Will send by post special delivery.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

srdanda wrote:dispatched from delhi: 24/02/12
i will send two special delivery envelopes ( for 4 members).
more than likely yours will be done next week.

nchowdhury wrote:Thats good news.
Hope mine should be done next week or so looking at the time scale.

Have you decided to go in person to collect or through post.
Regards
N. Chowdhury

srdanda wrote:update!!
acknowledged on 08/12/11 ( applied in person @ birmingham)
photo/signature scan on 16/02/12
OCI granted on 17/02/12
documents printed on 21/02/12.
not dispatched from delhi yet.

nchowdhury wrote:Nothing yet, everday I check on their site it says under process. As I said earlier they said it will take 14 to 16 weeks at the moment, therefore no choice, got to wait.
If I knew, it will take so long over here, I would have sent to London office.
Regards.
NChowdhury.

Troops wrote:Hi,

Does anyone know the current time line for OCI applications in Birmingham CGI? I will be applying for my OCI in second week of April and planning to fly to India on 22nd July. Just wanted to know what chances I have of getting the OCI stamped or will i need to apply for Visa to travel to India ? Please can the board members share their experience or post the current time line for OCI approvals in Birmingham.

Thanks.

Why are you applying in birmingham when even postal applications to HCI london are processed in a month( See my timeline)

There is no consular jurisdiction for OCI ( at least for postal applications)

drwho wrote:

Troops wrote:Hi,

Does anyone know the current time line for OCI applications in Birmingham CGI? I will be applying for my OCI in second week of April and planning to fly to India on 22nd July. Just wanted to know what chances I have of getting the OCI stamped or will i need to apply for Visa to travel to India ? Please can the board members share their experience or post the current time line for OCI approvals in Birmingham.

Thanks.

Why are you applying in birmingham when even postal applications to HCI london are processed in a month( See my timeline)

There is no consular jurisdiction for OCI ( at least for postal applications)

Hi, As I am based in Birmingham thought of applying in Birmingham CGI. Can we still apply in HCI , London by post? CGI Birmingham says the application might get rejected if I apply in HCI? Has any of the board members done that in past?

congrats!
now waiting game to get documents back.
i have posted by special delivery on 07/03, received at birmingham on 08/03/12 (royal mail tracking).
just checked royal mail tracking for return envelope, no joy.

nchowdhury wrote:Date of application : 12 Dec 2011 (in person at Birmingham)
Date of acknowledgement : 12 Dec 2011
Photo/Signate Scanned : 27 Feb 2012
Registration granted : 28 Feb 2012
Documents printed : 29 Feb 2012
Dispatched from Delhi : 06 Mar 2012
Documents Recd Birmingham : 12 Mar 2012

Applied for my daughter also same time but showing one week late in all the above dates. Waiting to receive at Birmigham as of today.

Will send by post special delivery.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

srdanda wrote:dispatched from delhi: 24/02/12
i will send two special delivery envelopes ( for 4 members).
more than likely yours will be done next week.

nchowdhury wrote:Thats good news.
Hope mine should be done next week or so looking at the time scale.

Have you decided to go in person to collect or through post.
Regards
N. Chowdhury

srdanda wrote:update!!
acknowledged on 08/12/11 ( applied in person @ birmingham)
photo/signature scan on 16/02/12
OCI granted on 17/02/12
documents printed on 21/02/12.
not dispatched from delhi yet.

Troops wrote:

drwho wrote:

Troops wrote:Hi,

Does anyone know the current time line for OCI applications in Birmingham CGI? I will be applying for my OCI in second week of April and planning to fly to India on 22nd July. Just wanted to know what chances I have of getting the OCI stamped or will i need to apply for Visa to travel to India ? Please can the board members share their experience or post the current time line for OCI approvals in Birmingham.

Thanks.

Why are you applying in birmingham when even postal applications to HCI london are processed in a month( See my timeline)

There is no consular jurisdiction for OCI ( at least for postal applications)

Hi, As I am based in Birmingham thought of applying in Birmingham CGI. Can we still apply in HCI , London by post? CGI Birmingham says the application might get rejected if I apply in HCI? Has any of the board members done that in past?

Application will be accepted by post by HCI London provided the online registration number is a London reg number

i.e starting with GBRLI...... and not a birmingham reg number( starting with GBRB....). What the cgi birmingham people said is true. You cannot send an application with a birmingham reg number to london as they will reject it.

I live in an area under birmingham jurisdiction and succesfully sent it by post to hci london and got it done. I first had registered under brimingham and was about to post it when a friend told me that I could send it to london. I then went to the Oci website and did another appication with an HCI london registraion number and sent it. Got the OCI done in less than a month!!!!

Even if you had done an online registration with Birmingham and taken all the printouts etc and was just about to post just bin it.Do another application with a london reference number and send it to london. Thats what I did. They will only acknowledge the application which finally reaches the high commision anyway.

Moreover there is no mention in the HCI london website about consular jurisdiction with regards to OCI.

Hi

Is anyone facing issues with the OCI website for Online registration

I try to open the Download Certificate and the Online Registration on the Top half of the page and it does not work. It just Times out both in Firefox and Internet Explorer. And even Safari does not work on another computer so looks like that it is not the connection issue !

Any help / advise

Thanks

The download certificate is stored on your hard disk and you do not need to do anything with it. it is not a connection issue just fill in the form on the website

Applied on 4 March turned away from HCI for incorrect form
Turned away on 5th incorrect form
accepted on 6th March
approved on 9th March Delhi and posted to Uk 12th
awaiting arrivall in London

seems very fast to me

Thanks Satnamgi

I realised the issue is not the certificate but the website being a typical Indian governemnt website , which definitely lacks some quality or connection. Initially I was unable to even download the certificates, but finally was able to manage the same

You have mentioned about incorrect form in your other post. I filled the form online and it printed it in 6 pages. I reprinted the form and the same now prints in 4 pages. I can see the differences are in the notes section rather the first 2.5 pages which is the real form.

Can you let me know the form, what is correct / incorrect from your visit to the embassy. Also, from your 2 trips any suggestions on the Time to reach the embassy (london)

Sushant

The usual reasons for forms/ applications being rejected(for a previous single indian citizen with a valid surrender certificate ) are


1. trying to use a cgi birmingham form at hci london and vice versa (when it is clearly mentioned on the hci london website that they cannot accept it!!!)

2. Trying to use british passport type photographs(when the type, size etc of the photographs needed are clearly mentioned on the website).

3. not taking the documents needed .


Obviously cases other than ex Indian citizens may need further documentation.

Though I do concede that the behavior of a few staff members at the cgi's/ hci etc could be bettter, the situation is worsened by typical desi behavior of a few applicants with a chalta hai/ karo na attitude.Not following the instructions at all and then shouting and screaming when things dont go their way!!!!

sll100 wrote:Thanks Satnamgi

I realised the issue is not the certificate but the website being a typical Indian governemnt website , which definitely lacks some quality or connection. Initially I was unable to even download the certificates, but finally was able to manage the same

You have mentioned about incorrect form in your other post. I filled the form online and it printed it in 6 pages. I reprinted the form and the same now prints in 4 pages. I can see the differences are in the notes section rather the first 2.5 pages which is the real form.

Can you let me know the form, what is correct / incorrect from your visit to the embassy. Also, from your 2 trips any suggestions on the Time to reach the embassy (london)

Sushant

Sushant,

I was rejected because I had not got a declaration saying I was on my mother's passport when I travelled to the UK in 1963. I obtained this next day but rejected because it was obtained using a solicitor and not notary public. On the third visit I had the right documents.

I find the best time to visit is after 11 but before 12 midday. The tokens are only issued till 12 midday. The busiest time is between 9 -10 am I found. Arriving at 9 am I had to wait till 11.45 before I was seen. Arriving at 11.30 I was seen by 12.30

I am pleased to say my OCI certificate is now received in HCI office London

Applied in Person at HCI LONDON on 20th March 2012

Acknowledged on 20th March 2012

Photos/Signature scanned on 20th March 2012

Granted on 21th March 2012

Printed on 22nd March 2012

Dispatched on 23rd March 2012

Received at HCI, London on 27th March 2012

Collected in person on 28th March 2012

Just over a week for OCI !!!

Dear members,

I have sent my passport for OCI sticker via special delivery on 19/03/2012, couldn't track on Royalmail website, even after 4 days, it say, parcel is received at our delivery office and is out for delivery. No hope.

I have tried calling them, in waiting queue for 47 minutes. Then emailed HCI to see if they have any record of my passport or the OCI been put on passport, but as usual, no reply simple thinking for HCI, "Can't be bothered".

Has anyone experienced the issue?

Any thoughts welcome?

Hello All,

I am appyling for my 2 kids OCI soon. Me and Wife had already one.

I would be applying Via post to London consulate. What amount of postal orders needs to be provided per application £172 or £172 +2 = £174?

I am submitting application in duplicate with following
1. Minor BP copy
2. Minor Birth certificate copy
3. Father + Mother BP copy
4. Father + Mother OCI card copy
5. Father + Mother cancelled Indian passport.
6. Required Postalorder

Are these enough.?

Please Help..
Many Thanks in Advance....