Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

reply to all queries:

I applied on 5th oct by post . still waiting to receive the surrender certificate. I have enclosed a self addresed envelope(with app. stamp) also. They only ask for active passport, not a passport which has already been cancelled by HCI. they don't send the passport back, therefore you should photocopy the passport before sending. Yes, you need to send postal order not banker's draft. You don't need to attest the photocopies.

I hope I have answered all your queries.

RAJ2007 wrote:reply to all queries:

I applied on 5th oct by post . still waiting to receive the surrender certificate. I have enclosed a self addresed envelope(with app. stamp) also. They only ask for active passport, not a passport which has already been cancelled by HCI. they don't send the passport back, therefore you should photocopy the passport before sending. Yes, you need to send postal order not banker's draft. You don't need to attest the photocopies.

I hope I have answered all your queries.

I have applied today for surrender certificate with the following documents
Orginal Indian Passport
Photocopy of Indian passport
Photocopy of Bristish Passport
Photocopy of naturalization certificate
Crossed postal order for £90
Recorded self addressed return envelope

cheers

Is £90 for each passport or spouse and kids are included in that.

gainvidya,

How could it be £90 for family? Do you have one family passport or individual passport ! I mean do you travel on one family passport (including wife and son) !

Like you pay seperate fee for making each individual passport, similarly for cancellation you have to seperately £90 for each passport.

RAJ2007 wrote:gainvidya,

How could it be £90 for family? Do you have one family passport or individual passport ! I mean do you travel on one family passport (including wife and son) !

Like you pay seperate fee for making each individual passport, similarly for cancellation you have to seperately £90 for each passport.

Probably you didnt understand my question.
I meant to ask one fees of £90 to surrender myself, my wife's and my kid's passport or £90 for each passport.
Anyways I got you answer. Thanks.

RAJ2007 wrote:reply to all queries:

I applied on 5th oct by post . still waiting to receive the surrender certificate. I have enclosed a self addresed envelope(with app. stamp) also. They only ask for active passport, not a passport which has already been cancelled by HCI. they don't send the passport back, therefore you should photocopy the passport before sending. Yes, you need to send postal order not banker's draft. You don't need to attest the photocopies.

I hope I have answered all your queries.

Hi Raj
If you could post the date after you recieve your surrender certificate, that would be great. helps us to know how many days it might take to receive one although all cases differ, just helps as a timeline. I have a bad experience of appliying for OCI by post on 2nd Sept and status is not updated yet, called up oci cell 3 weeks ago they said they are returning all unprocessed applications to comply with new rules, but never recd mine back, now they are asking to apply for SC in prep for new OCI app which i would apply after they send back mine.

Thanks

RAJ2007 wrote:reply to all queries:

I applied on 5th oct by post . still waiting to receive the surrender certificate. I have enclosed a self addresed envelope(with app. stamp) also. They only ask for active passport, not a passport which has already been cancelled by HCI. they don't send the passport back, therefore you should photocopy the passport before sending. Yes, you need to send postal order not banker's draft. You don't need to attest the photocopies.

I hope I have answered all your queries.

Hi

In the notice section of OCI asks you to send expired passports as well

In view of this legal provision all foreign nationals of Indian origin applying for Indian visa, OCI/PIO card or other consular services are required to surrender their Indian passports (valid/Expired) to the High Commission of India, London and at Consulates General of India at Birmingham & Edinburgh respectively. They would be issued surrender certificate in lieu of depositing their Indian passports.

Any one who had applied for SC had an expired passport not sent and recd SC, pls advise

msbabu wrote:

RAJ2007 wrote:reply to all queries:

I applied on 5th oct by post . still waiting to receive the surrender certificate. I have enclosed a self addresed envelope(with app. stamp) also. They only ask for active passport, not a passport which has already been cancelled by HCI. they don't send the passport back, therefore you should photocopy the passport before sending. Yes, you need to send postal order not banker's draft. You don't need to attest the photocopies.

I hope I have answered all your queries.

Hi

In the notice section of OCI asks you to send expired passports as well

In view of this legal provision all foreign nationals of Indian origin applying for Indian visa, OCI/PIO card or other consular services are required to surrender their Indian passports (valid/Expired) to the High Commission of India, London and at Consulates General of India at Birmingham & Edinburgh respectively. They would be issued surrender certificate in lieu of depositing their Indian passports.

Any one who had applied for SC had an expired passport not sent and recd SC, pls advise

the notice clearly says send expired passports as well, so it is worth sending the expired rather than unnecessary adding a step
i dont have expied passport so i sent in my only active passport with other documents on 12th oct..will keep all of you updated...

Previous policy was to return cancelled passport and also there was no charge.

The £90 charge is too steep for cancellation/surrendering of Indian nationality.

I would like to know from where the HCI has got the power to charge for this service.

Also as they are not returning the passport, this is potentially an issue down the line when applying for a UK passport as one has to submit all previous passports (original copy).

I await to see what the explanation is for the new policy.

Goodfun,

How would you surrender indian certificate until you hold a british passport? therefore after you get british passport you would not need your indian passport. Therefore i am not sure what do you mean? also, if you provide a surrender certificate with a covering letter and a copy of the notice of the surrender certificate (HCI website), it should be fine.

Just to update you all. I spoke to HCI re. my son's appl for surrender certificate. They told me that acc to their record they received it yesterday (though acc to royal mail they received on 6th OCt) and told that they will process it and I will receive the certificate in a couple of days.

RAJ2007 wrote:Just to update you all. I spoke to HCI re. my son's appl for surrender certificate. They told me that acc to their record they received it yesterday (though acc to royal mail they received on 6th OCt) and told that they will process it and I will receive the certificate in a couple of days.

Can you please confirm what number you calling them?

Hi, I'm new to this forum. My wife aquired British Citzenship 5 years ago. We are going to India in November and were about to apply for visa when I read the notice about surrendering Indian passports. My wife had not surrendered hers - we did not know we had to, so had not bothered. She had never used it to travel to India. The High Commission website says that 'penalty cases will take longer'. Anybody have any ideas what are penalty cases and how serious they are about them? I think the £90 fee is scandolous!

RAJ2007 wrote:Goodfun,

How would you surrender indian certificate until you hold a british passport? therefore after you get british passport you would not need your indian passport. Therefore i am not sure what do you mean? also, if you provide a surrender certificate with a covering letter and a copy of the notice of the surrender certificate (HCI website), it should be fine.

The Indian passport becomes invalid as soon as you acquire nationality of another country. Therefore as soon as you get your certificate of naturalisation, the Indian passport becomes invalid and needs to be surrendered. One does not need to apply for a British passport immediately. If you look at the form it says submit original copy of the passport. This new policy does not seem very good.

GoodFun,

you don't haver to submit the Indian passport after you get your naturalisation certificate straightaway. wait till you get the british passport. As long as you are not using your indian passport after you get the naturalistaion cert, i don't think you are doing a crime! Therefore why not wait a few days and get the british passport first. Also, what the indian high commision is saying is that you need to get the surrender certificate before you apply for PIO/OCI?any other visa. Therefore why you would be in a hurry to return your indian passport? wait till you get the british passport.

Thanks for the reply RAJ. Well I have a until next year before I get British citizenship. I do not think this policy (of charging and not returning cancelled passport) is going to survive by that time.

just to update.

I surrendered my son’s Indian PP on 5th Oct and received certificate today.
Timeline:
5th Oct – posted Indian PP, photocopy of British passport, Photocopy of naturalisation cert, postal order £90 and a covering letter (since the app form was not available at that time), self addressed envelope with spl delivery stamp.
16th Oct- received certificate (Indian PP retained by the HCI London)

Hi Guys,

I am new to this forum. I have just applied for the OCI by post, without realising the new draconian rule that people in this forum are talking about, that has been recently introduced through the back door by the high handed HCI, London.

I have made a quick search of some other important Indian missions, for eg US and nowhere is there a requirement to first surrender your existing passport and pay a fee equivalent to £90.00 to get a certificate and then apply for the OCI. Even now, there is no mention of this in the requirements for OCI of the HCI site or in the Home Office of India site.

Is there anything that we can do rather than lie down and accept it as this is clearly an unfair rule? Can we complain and if so to whom?

What do you think will now happen to my application - will it be returned or would they ask me to first surrender my Indian PP and then send them my surrender certificate.

Anxiously yours,

Saabu.

saabu wrote:Hi Guys,

I am new to this forum. I have just applied for the OCI by post, without realising the new draconian rule that people in this forum are talking about, that has been recently introduced through the back door by the high handed HCI, London.

I have made a quick search of some other important Indian missions, for eg US and nowhere is there a requirement to first surrender your existing passport and pay a fee equivalent to £90.00 to get a certificate and then apply for the OCI. Even now, there is no mention of this in the requirements for OCI of the HCI site or in the Home Office of India site.

Is there anything that we can do rather than lie down and accept it as this is clearly an unfair rule? Can we complain and if so to whom?

What do you think will now happen to my application - will it be returned or would they ask me to first surrender my Indian PP and then send them my surrender certificate.

Anxiously yours,

Saabu.

Everyone has the right to seek information from HCI – London about the recent changes of rules to surrender passport and justification of unreasonable £90 fee. Everyone including PIO/OCI/ foreign national (if affected) has this right under RTI act 2005 http://righttoinformation.gov.in/

We can ask HCI to provide: Indian act under which this policy has been changed, name of person(s), their authorities & certified copies of notes /meetings held for changing this policy and justification for £90 fee…..and many more questions which you may think…..
I had received an email from Vijay Mehta HCI – London about seeking information under RTI act 2005 and he replied to me. The extract has been cut and pasted here
====
Please refer to your E-mail seeking advice on how to make a request through the High Commission of India, London for obtaining information under the Right to Information Act 2005.
2. For obtaining information under the RTI Act please submit the following:
a) Application
b) Copy of the passport
c) Fee of Rs. 10/- to be paid in Pounds (Exchange Rate £ 1= Rs. 80.56) in the form of a Postal Order or Bank Cheque.
Email your query on Second Secretary (Press & Information) (ss.pni@hcilondon.in
If required call Vijay K Mehta
Second Secretary (Press & Information)/PIO
High Commission of India
Aldwych, London
WC2B 4NA
Tel. No. 020 7632 3142
Fax No. 020 7632 3204

Please use following details to complaint about 90 pounds charges -

CHIEF PASSPORT OFFICER
Shri R. Swaminathan,

Joint Secretary (CPV) & Chief Passport Officer,

Ministry of External Affairs,

Room No. 20, 1st Floor, Patiala House Annexe, New Delhi-110001

Tel: 91-11-23384519,23384497,Fax:23782821
Email: grv.jscpv@mea.gov.in

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER (PUBLIC GRIEVANCES)
Public Relations Officer (Public Grievances)

Tel: 91-11-23384519, 23384497 Fax:23384461
Email:grv.jscpv@mea.gov.in

Dear Twinkletwinkle & Iinicell,

Thanks for your replies.

I shall send an e-mail to grv.jscpv@mea.gov.in, though I doubt anything will come out of it. I urge and hope that others in a similar predicament also voice their dissatisfaction to this rule and complain.

Regards,

Saabu

HCI London's website mentions penalty charges in the context of surrender of Indian passports. Does anyone know what these charges are and in what circumstances do they apply?

£90 for the privilege of surrendering your Indian passport is bad enough. Adding penalties on top of that - doesn't get any better, does it?

Can anyone help me please?
I submitted our family OCI application on 18/09/2009 at the HCI, London. I was asked to surrender our valid indian passports by filling a form which I did and the lady who collected the OCI application collected the Indian passports as well. She said that we will get surrender certificates at the time of collecting our OCi cards.
I now notice that we have to pay a fee to surrender the Indian passports. When I contacted the HCI (with great difficulty) the gentleman said that I should collect back the passports and resubmit at the passports counter by paying the fee.
Does anyone have the same problem?

cdoddamane wrote:Can anyone help me please?
I submitted our family OCI application on 18/09/2009 at the HCI, London. I was asked to surrender our valid indian passports by filling a form which I did and the lady who collected the OCI application collected the Indian passports as well. She said that we will get surrender certificates at the time of collecting our OCi cards.
I now notice that we have to pay a fee to surrender the Indian passports. When I contacted the HCI (with great difficulty) the gentleman said that I should collect back the passports and resubmit at the passports counter by paying the fee.
Does anyone have the same problem?

Thats what they have been telling others that is to resubmit with fees, for those who didnt pay the fees & also those who submitted at OCI counter rather then passport counter.

Thanks for that
The question is how do we collect the passports back. Do we just go there and ask for them or do we write a letter asking them to send it back?
This looks like a mine field to me. Hope they have not lost them.
Anyone else have the same problem?