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Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

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Manka10
Senior Member
Posts: 714
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:11 am
Location: 127.0.0.1

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by Manka10 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:28 am

ramesh66754 wrote:"My father was born in Bangladesh(year 1931) and he moved to India during independence".

Will it harm my application as if i say yes ? and if the above answer OK ?
bangladesh didn't exist in 1931 so you should tick NO
Manka

ramesh66754
Newly Registered
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 2:13 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by ramesh66754 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:21 am

yea Bangladesh did not exist in 1931, but he stayed there from 1931 to 1965 , in 1965 he came to India.

what should I write in OCI ? please do reply.

thanks
Ramesh

ak1031
Newly Registered
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:06 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by ak1031 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:50 am

Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.

DJ007
Newly Registered
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:03 am
Location: Scotland

New sticker rule for OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India)

Post by DJ007 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:21 am

Dear All,

Got a query on this process as its little confusing.

When i went to submit application, the lady on Counter said once OCI will be received form Delhi, i personally need to come and submit the passport for OCI sticker.

I can see that some of you send it through post in past (with pre paid envelope) so trying to understand whether its a new process as i live near Cambridge and don't want to take day off just to submit the passport?

Please respond if anyone sent the passpost via post to Goswellroad (VFS Office) to get the OCI sticker in around April 2015 or if anyone got the clue?



Application process detail:

Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (1 Child) :16 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : 17 Mar 2015
Originals Received:20-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 15-APR-2015
OCI No showing on Website : A17****2
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On :
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On :
OCI stamped passport received On :



Many Thanks,
Din

samkma
Member of Standing
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:32 pm
Location: Wales GB

Re: New sticker rule for OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India)

Post by samkma » Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:24 am

DJ007 wrote: Please respond if anyone sent the passpost via post to Goswellroad (VFS Office) to get the OCI sticker in around April 2015 or if anyone got the clue?

Din
You can post the passport alongwith the print out when its arrived at HCI,London and enclose a return Special delivery env.
“Impossible is just an opinion.”
.......Paulo Coelho

samkma
Member of Standing
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:32 pm
Location: Wales GB

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by samkma » Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:26 am

ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.


What a shame, instead of making things easier, it looks as if we got to suffer to fill someone's pocket!! This is MAKE IN INDIA!! Enjoy :oops:
“Impossible is just an opinion.”
.......Paulo Coelho

rp24
Newly Registered
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by rp24 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 11:07 am

rp24 wrote:Application Method to HCI: VFS Leicester
Application Posted On : 16-03-2015 (1 adult)
Registration Status at Mission: BIRMINGHAM
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) :19-03-2015
Originals Received: 31-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On: 13-04-2014
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On: 16-04-2014
OCI Document received At BIRMINGHAM On:
OCI stamped passport AND booklet received On:

varunadas
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by varunadas » Thu Apr 16, 2015 4:54 pm

ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.
My status shows the below :

Date Of Acknowledgment 11-MAR-2015
Registration Status at Mission LONDON
OCI- Number A178****
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 11-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 15-APR-2015
Document received At LONDON On 16-APR-2015

However I have not received any emails to go and submit passports or collect the OCI document. I submitted to VFS Goswell. Do I need to go to VFS to collect the OCI card ?

When I spoke to one of the Secretary in HCI he said that they are not sure if U sticker and hence continuing with the process of affixing U sticker, however that was a month back.

Has anybody got back OCI card and did not have to submit the passport ? I already wasted £45 so far in Royal Mail + VFS fees plus a lot of time, do not want to go for that again.

Another which is strange, my wife's application still shows under process even though mine and my son's process is completed. Has anybody experienced this with a family application. I hope VFS has not messed this up.
Last edited by varunadas on Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

varunadas
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by varunadas » Thu Apr 16, 2015 4:54 pm

ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.
My status shows the below :

Date Of Acknowledgment 11-MAR-2015
Registration Status at Mission LONDON
OCI- Number A178****
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 11-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 15-APR-2015
Document received At LONDON On 16-APR-2015

However I have not received any emails to go and submit passports or collect the OCI document. I submitted to VFS Goswell. Do I need to go to VFS to collect the OCI card ?

When I spoke to one of the Secretary in HCI he said that they are not sure if U sticker and hence continuing with the process of affixing U sticker, however that was a month back.

Has anybody got back OCI card and did not have to submit the passport ? I already wasted £45 so far in Royal Mail + VFS fees plus a lot of time, do not want to go for that again.

Manka10
Senior Member
Posts: 714
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:11 am
Location: 127.0.0.1

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by Manka10 » Thu Apr 16, 2015 5:56 pm

ramesh66754 wrote:yea Bangladesh did not exist in 1931, but he stayed there from 1931 to 1965 , in 1965 he came to India.
Is the question asking for country of birth or where your father has lived???
Manka

bipsan
Newbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:00 am

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) stamping

Post by bipsan » Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:35 pm

My OCI Status

Applied at VFS Hounslow 10 March 2015

Application Sent to India 11 march 2015

Document Printing Status: 11 April 2015

Dispatch from MOIA (OCI) New Delhi : 15 April 2015

Document received at London : 16 April 2015.

Today 18 April 2015, I have not received any email or Post form VFS or HCI about further steps of stamping U sticker on my passport?

Could any one guide me? what to do? All above status I saw online with my OCI Number.

So I do need for letter or Email? OR we directly Approaching VFS or HCI?

Looking forward reply on above post and status:

Bipin

ak1031
Newly Registered
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:06 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) stamping

Post by ak1031 » Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:00 am

bipsan wrote:My OCI Status

Applied at VFS Hounslow 10 March 2015

Application Sent to India 11 march 2015

Document Printing Status: 11 April 2015

Dispatch from MOIA (OCI) New Delhi : 15 April 2015

Document received at London : 16 April 2015.

Today 18 April 2015, I have not received any email or Post form VFS or HCI about further steps of stamping U sticker on my passport?

Could any one guide me? what to do? All above status I saw online with my OCI Number.

So I do need for letter or Email? OR we directly Approaching VFS or HCI?

Looking forward reply on above post and status:

Bipin
VFS didnt contact me either by email or post and would likely not be contacting you as well. You need to take a printout of the status page along with British passport and goto the VFS office where you had applied for OCI. Some people have suggested that you can post these to VFS office as well, though I didnt try that.

varunadas
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) stamping

Post by varunadas » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:02 am

ak1031 wrote:
bipsan wrote:My OCI Status

Applied at VFS Hounslow 10 March 2015

Application Sent to India 11 march 2015

Document Printing Status: 11 April 2015

Dispatch from MOIA (OCI) New Delhi : 15 April 2015

Document received at London : 16 April 2015.

Today 18 April 2015, I have not received any email or Post form VFS or HCI about further steps of stamping U sticker on my passport?

Could any one guide me? what to do? All above status I saw online with my OCI Number.

So I do need for letter or Email? OR we directly Approaching VFS or HCI?

Looking forward reply on above post and status:

Bipin
VFS didnt contact me either by email or post and would likely not be contacting you as well. You need to take a printout of the status page along with British passport and goto the VFS office where you had applied for OCI. Some people have suggested that you can post these to VFS office as well, though I didnt try that.
So do we still need to affix U-sticker ? When I called on Friday to VFS Call Centre which is answered by staff in India, who simply went checking status on the same link as me and providing the same information :)

When I asked her what needs to be done further she advised to wait for few days as she mentioned that VFS have still not received the OCI cards from HCI. I do not find any logic in HCI doing this as they could have simply posted it to the applicant unless they want to proceed with the nonsense step of affixing U-sticker when it is not required.

I would prefer to not meet the idiots at VFS Goswell who simply talk nonsense and are very arrogant. I envisage the same fight for providing 3 envelopes to post back the passports for my family application when HCI have clarified that 1 envelope is sufficient.

ak1031
Newly Registered
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:06 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) stamping

Post by ak1031 » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:54 am

varunadas wrote:
So do we still need to affix U-sticker ? When I called on Friday to VFS Call Centre which is answered by staff in India, who simply went checking status on the same link as me and providing the same information :)

When I asked her what needs to be done further she advised to wait for few days as she mentioned that VFS have still not received the OCI cards from HCI. I do not find any logic in HCI doing this as they could have simply posted it to the applicant unless they want to proceed with the nonsense step of affixing U-sticker when it is not required.

I would prefer to not meet the idiots at VFS Goswell who simply talk nonsense and are very arrogant. I envisage the same fight for providing 3 envelopes to post back the passports for my family application when HCI have clarified that 1 envelope is sufficient.
Oh yes, you still need U-sticker. I went to give my passport on 10th and got my passport back with U-sticker and OCI book on 15th. I didnt want to waste anymore time arguing with VFS, so I gave 3 royal mail envelopes.

I completely agree that HCI could have taken the passport directly but then maybe they were tired of receiving individual posts and wanted VFS to do that legwork as well!

varunadas
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) stamping

Post by varunadas » Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:14 am

ak1031 wrote:
varunadas wrote:
So do we still need to affix U-sticker ? When I called on Friday to VFS Call Centre which is answered by staff in India, who simply went checking status on the same link as me and providing the same information :)

When I asked her what needs to be done further she advised to wait for few days as she mentioned that VFS have still not received the OCI cards from HCI. I do not find any logic in HCI doing this as they could have simply posted it to the applicant unless they want to proceed with the nonsense step of affixing U-sticker when it is not required.

I would prefer to not meet the idiots at VFS Goswell who simply talk nonsense and are very arrogant. I envisage the same fight for providing 3 envelopes to post back the passports for my family application when HCI have clarified that 1 envelope is sufficient.
Oh yes, you still need U-sticker. I went to give my passport on 10th and got my passport back with U-sticker and OCI book on 15th. I didnt want to waste anymore time arguing with VFS, so I gave 3 royal mail envelopes.

I completely agree that HCI could have taken the passport directly but then maybe they were tired of receiving individual posts and wanted VFS to do that legwork as well!
I find this U-sticker fixing by HCI London a completely pointless exercise. All other embassies have dispensed away with the U-sticker, as that is not needed for travelling.

nani_varaprasad
Newly Registered
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:25 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by nani_varaprasad » Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:02 pm

Application Method to HCI: VFS/Paddington
Application Posted On : 23-03-2015 (1 adult for Myself)
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Alert Message Dispatched Received: 23-03-2015
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) :24-03-2015
Originals Received:30-03-2015
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 17-04-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 20-04-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On :
OCI stamped passport received On :

Please Clarify, Once the Status comes saying Documents received at London office- Should i book an appointment in Paddington office to submit my passport or can i walk-in and let them know about my online status and proceed for next steps?

varunadas
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Posts: 26
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Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by varunadas » Mon Apr 20, 2015 2:14 pm

nani_varaprasad wrote:Application Method to HCI: VFS/Paddington
Application Posted On : 23-03-2015 (1 adult for Myself)
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Alert Message Dispatched Received: 23-03-2015
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) :24-03-2015
Originals Received:30-03-2015
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 17-04-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 20-04-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On :
OCI stamped passport received On :

Please Clarify, Once the Status comes saying Documents received at London office- Should i book an appointment in Paddington office to submit my passport or can i walk-in and let them know about my online status and proceed for next steps?
Strangely HCI London's website asks applicants to post the Passport and Online Status page printout to the Aldwych address. I am tempted to take my passport and printout to over there. I want to avoid VFS at all costs 8)

tier1check
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Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:40 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by tier1check » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:08 pm

ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.

Thanks for clarifying in detail. I went to VFS and handed over my passports.
Lady there told me that HCI will continue u sticker process till they have existing stock.
After that they will stop. Probably after couple of months.
So it might be less hassle for people after few months.

akshyadeep
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Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by akshyadeep » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:12 pm

Hi,

Anyone knows Licester VFS contact number or Birmingham VFS contact number.

They been just biggest idiots and charges for pretty useless services.

So I applied VFS on 4th March, on 19th was asked to submit copy of Indian Passport (when VFS knew I submitted original Indian passport to them) and new application form with British Passport Number (rather Indian as I did mistake since the application form online didnt clearly specify this).

After that no status update from VFS (which they charged around £3 for sms update). I kept checking the status and got status as CGI B'Ham recieved on 8th April. Submitted the passport with printout in Licester on 9th.
Called VFS about the passport and they were cluless (reminds you I also sent email which I never got reply back- 48hr of SLA expired long back).
The guy first kept saying about the request for passport copy is the last update from March, when I told him its recieved with B'Ham and I submitted Birtish Passport at VFS, then went off the call for few min and came back, yes sir its with B'Ham and should get it by Friday.

So just as I dont trust them called CGI B'Ham today and lady told me, they sent the passport via a guy in VFS on 17th April. They couldnt stamp the passport as Card came back with Indian passport number. So again called VFS, they were clue less,
they dont know what to do or whome to call, or even what is correction process for this and who will correct it.

So if anyone got contact number of VFS B'Ham I might be able to shout on those idiot (perticular the one who took the passport from consulate last week and didnt inform). ;(

varunadas
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Posts: 26
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Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by varunadas » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:22 pm

akshyadeep wrote:Hi,

Anyone knows Licester VFS contact number or Birmingham VFS contact number.

They been just biggest idiots and charges for pretty useless services.

So I applied VFS on 4th March, on 19th was asked to submit copy of Indian Passport (when VFS knew I submitted original Indian passport to them) and new application form with British Passport Number (rather Indian as I did mistake since the application form online didnt clearly specify this).

After that no status update from VFS (which they charged around £3 for sms update). I kept checking the status and got status as CGI B'Ham recieved on 8th April. Submitted the passport with printout in Licester on 9th.
Called VFS about the passport and they were cluless (reminds you I also sent email which I never got reply back- 48hr of SLA expired long back).
The guy first kept saying about the request for passport copy is the last update from March, when I told him its recieved with B'Ham and I submitted Birtish Passport at VFS, then went off the call for few min and came back, yes sir its with B'Ham and should get it by Friday.

So just as I dont trust them called CGI B'Ham today and lady told me, they sent the passport via a guy in VFS on 17th April. They couldnt stamp the passport as Card came back with Indian passport number. So again called VFS, they were clue less,
they dont know what to do or whome to call, or even what is correction process for this and who will correct it.

So if anyone got contact number of VFS B'Ham I might be able to shout on those idiot (perticular the one who took the passport from consulate last week and didnt inform). ;(
The whole thing to be honest is chaos. Every other person you ask have a different answer for OCI. Each VFS office has made up its own rules depending on staff's interpretation of the process.

I am equally surprised with HCI as in your case they ended up with Indian Passport Number on your OCI card - you got a double OCI :lol:

theasterix
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Posts: 13
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Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by theasterix » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:54 pm

tier1check wrote:
ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.

Thanks for clarifying in detail. I went to VFS and handed over my passports.
Lady there told me that HCI will continue u sticker process till they have existing stock.
After that they will stop. Probably after couple of months.
So it might be less hassle for people after few months.
I am not sure about less hassle. I would prefer to have this sticker.
- Considering typical instability and inefficiency of indian babudom You have no idea how information is being disseminated through the system e.g. some airline may not know this, some other immigration counter may not know this and could create trouble. Last time they started surrender certificate process for PIO after attack in Mumbai saying system was not fully secure. God forbid something happens tomorrow, minister may suddely wake up tomorrow and think it is prudent to have a sticker. Finally they are anyway going to put a passport number in OCI Booklet, so I would want to carry this passport till I use that booklet (having a sticker there does not harm me).

varunadas
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Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by varunadas » Tue Apr 21, 2015 4:19 pm

tier1check wrote:
ak1031 wrote:Hi tier1check,

VFS process is quite painful. I waited to hear from them (SMS/Email) if I had to go to VFS to give the passport for the U Sticker. However they didn’t send me anything so my wife went to give the passport with printout of the status page along with 3 (1 for each applicant) Royal mail special delivery envelopes. The same day in evening I got a message that the passports are ready for collection! Since it was after office hours, I didn’t know what they were up to. I called them again on Monday and the lady at the call centre again told me that my passport was ready for collection. When I told her that I had given RM envelopes, she said she will ask someone from OCI team to give me a call. I got a call but couldn’t pick up. The lady left a message that my passport has been send to HCI and I should ignore the SMS/mail; she didn’t leave a number so I couldn’t contact her to clarify. Tue was a holiday so there was another long wait. Finally I had enough of it, so I went to VFS Goswell road on Wednesday.

There was a very helpful lady at the enquiry counter who had incidentally taken my OCI application as well as passport from my wife. She remembered us as well! She went to check where my passports were. She told me that since I had applied on 4th March when VFS had still been instructed to hand deliver OCI book and that there was no need for U sticker, my application was fed in a system which was designed to give me a message when they scanned my passport a second time at VFS; that my passport is ready for collection. It had however been sent to HCI the same day and is with them. I went to HCI as well just in case they had a different story to tell. However, as expected, the babudom there was shocking and they managed to send me back without even letting me inside. The guard and another seemingly official person told me that I will certainly get my passport by Monday. If it doesn’t then I may come back and they will do something.

Thankfully by 3 pm yesterday I got a call that they have posted our passports after stamping. RM tracking also shows that the passports will be delivered today.

VFS still don’t know what the process is. I met a person at VFS who got 2 RM envelopes per applicant for OCI/passport as he had been told so by VFS call centre! He had already given 1 envelope during application for getting the original certificates back. Another person hadn’t given any envelope or paid for DX secure of VFS and had got his docs safely by RM 2nd class. I did learn that there is OCI town hall/ grievance meeting at HCI at 11 am -12 every Wednesday. So those of you who haven’t got any reply to your OCI and have not been able to reach public response unit of HCI on their 2 listed numbers (020 7632 3070/170), you can go to HCI on wed and can get to meet the officials to highlight your case. They did give me another number as well to call - 020 7632 3138 but it was always engaged which actually seems to be good news as someone was definitely there on the other end answering calls!

Final update
Application made in Person to VFS Goswell road (2 Adults + 1 Child) : 3 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date Of Acknowledgement (on website) : About a week after. I was using the old website for a while so didn’t see the acknowledgement being posted.
Originals Received: 17-03-2015
Documents Printing Status: Processed
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 06-APR-2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 07-APR-2015
OCI Document received At HCI/VFS On : 08-APR-2015
Passport given to VFS in person on : 10-APR-2015
Passport posted by VFS on : 15-APR-2015

OCI status site https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury does not show any update after the update of 8th Apr. It does not show that my passport was received for stamping or was posted, so this process seemed to have changed as those who applied at HCI before the move to VFS, seem to see these updates.

Hope it helps clear some of the confusion surrounding VFS process.

Thanks for clarifying in detail. I went to VFS and handed over my passports.
Lady there told me that HCI will continue u sticker process till they have existing stock.
After that they will stop. Probably after couple of months.
So it might be less hassle for people after few months.
That is a great use of the sticker :evil:
Even though it is not required at places it was designed for, HCI wants to affix it on your passport. May be they are trying to Royal Mail a favour by creating an additional demand for Special Delivery Envelope.

marrik
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Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 4:49 pm

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by marrik » Wed Apr 22, 2015 8:42 am

Hey Guys,

Our (family application 2 Adult + 1 Kid) OCI application has been processed and documents returned to London on 20th April (Applied on 13th March). However, as noted, NO SMS/EMAIL to tell us that it has been processed. When I called VFS office, they have asked me to come and submit all passports along with the receipts and 3 SDEs. VFS Customer service guy mentioned that these documents will then be posted to HCI who will put stickers and send the passport along with booklet.

1. Does anyone know the timeline from submitting the documents (after application is processed) to receiving the passport from HCI? Reason is, i am flying for a business trip to US in 2.5 weeks time and bit concerned if its leaving it too late.

2. Does this mean, we will have a sticker as well as booklet from now on? i thought since March 1st week the process has changed and there no longer would be any sticker in passport.

thanks a lot.

vrsec666
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Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:54 am

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by vrsec666 » Wed Apr 22, 2015 2:55 pm

Application made in Person at VFS Hounslow (2 Adults ) : 05 Mar 2015
Registration Status at Mission: LONDON
Date of Acknowledgement : 09 Mar 2015
Originals Received: 19 Mar 2015
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On : 11 APR 2015
Dispatched From MOIA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On : 15 APR 2015
OCI Document received At HCI On : 16 APR 2015
Passport given to VFS Hounslow in person on : 17 APR 2015
Passport with OCI sticker & Booklet received : 22 APR 2015

vrsec666
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Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:54 am

Re: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

Post by vrsec666 » Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:02 pm

marrik wrote:Hey Guys,

Our (family application 2 Adult + 1 Kid) OCI application has been processed and documents returned to London on 20th April (Applied on 13th March). However, as noted, NO SMS/EMAIL to tell us that it has been processed. When I called VFS office, they have asked me to come and submit all passports along with the receipts and 3 SDEs. VFS Customer service guy mentioned that these documents will then be posted to HCI who will put stickers and send the passport along with booklet.

1. Does anyone know the timeline from submitting the documents (after application is processed) to receiving the passport from HCI? Reason is, i am flying for a business trip to US in 2.5 weeks time and bit concerned if its leaving it too late.

2. Does this mean, we will have a sticker as well as booklet from now on? i thought since March 1st week the process has changed and there no longer would be any sticker in passport.

thanks a lot.
From my status above , it is not more than 2 working days after you submit your passport at VFS ..you have 2.5 weeks which should be fine I think and if you don't hear anything after 1 week you can always go to HCI and request them to expedite your case or else for your peace of mind you can do it after your trip !

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