OCI Visa

Hi there, I am a UK citizen from birth. My grandparents are from India but now have british passports.

I am thinking of applying for the OCI to give myself a lifetime visa to travel to India.

I have one question that I want to clarify before I go ahead and apply for it.

Will getting an OCI affect my chances of getting a UK government based job, for example: working for the police, ambulance service or NHS in the UK?

Someone has told me that I cannot get a job of this kind if I get the OCI?

I dont think there is any issue in working in govt job here and getting OCI.

Sanj_OCI wrote:Hi there, I am a UK citizen from birth. My grandparents are from India but now have british passports.

I am thinking of applying for the OCI to give myself a lifetime visa to travel to India.

I have one question that I want to clarify before I go ahead and apply for it.

Will getting an OCI affect my chances of getting a UK government based job, for example: working for the police, ambulance service or NHS in the UK?

Someone has told me that I cannot get a job of this kind if I get the OCI?

As a british citizen you have every right to apply for government jobs that you mentioned. You are a british national. OCI is a long term visa to india and it should not affect your rights of british citizen in any shape or form.

.

Thank you both very much.

Somebody told me if I go ahead with the OCI then my chances of getting a UK govt based job will be next to nothing. This is the only reason I am putting off getting an OCI as I am training to work for the police forensics department.

Is it okay for me to go ahead with the OCI process as you are sure it doesn't affect my chances of getting this type of employment?

Sanj_OCI wrote:Thank you both very much.

Somebody told me if I go ahead with the OCI then my chances of getting a UK govt based job will be next to nothing. This is the only reason I am putting off getting an OCI as I am training to work for the police forensics department.

Is it okay for me to go ahead with the OCI process as you are sure it doesn't affect my chances of getting this type of employment?

I get a feeling that you are very much concerned about the GOV employment prospects with OCI status. I would advise you to consult relevant employment agency on implications of holding a OCI visa.

I guess people in this forum would not be able to confirm.

Sanj_OCI wrote: Somebody told me if I go ahead with the OCI then my chances of getting a UK govt based job will be next to nothing. This is the only reason I am putting off getting an OCI as I am training to work for the police forensics department.

Is it okay for me to go ahead with the OCI process as you are sure it doesn't affect my chances of getting this type of employment?

UK GOV job is a very board subject. There are hundreds of departments with thousands of jobs.
OCI is a visa and it will normally not have any implication on govt jobs unless the job explicitly bars dual citizens (even though OCI is not dual citizen).
If you are interested in police forensics depart either browse their website or contact HR team for specific information rather than relying on "someone".

Ps: The other day i was browsing MI6 Security Services jobs and for some of the posts, applicants British Citizenship will not only be sufficient, applicants also need to have either British parent or parent with significant connection with the UK (either property or other estates).

OCI has no effect whatsoever on any UK government job.

For some jobs you have to be UK citizen, but it does not mean that if you are a UK citizen and also a citizen of another country then somehow you are not a UK citizen.

An OCI is not a citizenship at all whatsoever even slightly. It is just a visa, that's all. So the above statement should not be even pondered upon.

The fact of the matter is that OCI is a solid unequivocal proof that you are not a citizen of India. Because if you were a citizen of India, you will not need and won't be issued OCI. Not having Indian Citizenship is a pre requisite for OCI. Well, that is the whole point, isn't it, that people of Indian origin who are not citizens of India can get this unlimited visa known as OCI.

I know at least one million people who have OCI and they work in all kind of UK govt jobs including HMRC, Immigration officers, HO case workers, Police officers. My cousin is a presenting officer (in courts) for his local authority, and he is not even a British Citizen.

Recently a mayor of the city I live in had OCI.

Sanj_OCI wrote:

Somebody told me if I go ahead with the OCI then my chances of getting a UK govt based job

Whoever told you this must be a typical lazy unemployed and unmotivated person, who has come to a dead end as far as any future propects are concerned. This person is also very likely to be a pot smoker.

Hi
I applied for OCI for me,my wife and 2 month old daughter at High Commission London. The lady at OCI counter did not accept my wife's application as she works for Metropolitan Police. I argued with her as it just didnt make any sense. She said they sont accept OCI applications for people working with British Govt and gave example of Home Office,Border Agency, Met Police, Armed forces !
I was told that this is mentioned on the high commission website but i couldn't find any reference to british government personnel not being eligible.

I have no choice but to apply for Indian Tourist visa as i cant travel to india with an infant without her mother.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Apoorva

That doesn't sound correct.

That's right, what they did was weird ! I was surprised to hear that my wife was not eligible for OCI because she worked with Met Police . I requested them to take the application and then reject it if they indeed have such a guideline against offering OCI to people working with British Govt. But they didnt accept my argument and ask me to check the Indian High Commision website. I checked the website but there is no such guidance. I tried calling their landline number after reaching home but they dont pick the phone !

I am planning to go there next week to see to try my luck again, hopefully I will get another advisor and they might accept it. If not I have no other option but to apply for an Indian visa for my wife, which is not what I wanted.

It seems the person confused the restriction of an OCI holder working in public sector jobs in India with the OCI eligibility.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Govt Job in UK - NO OCI
see http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=152731

From HCI website
17. Whether foreign military/police personnel are eligible for grant of OCI?
No, foreign military/police personnel either in service or retired are not entitled for grant of OCI.


18. Whether civil Govt. servant working in Ministry of Defence as IT engineers/civil contractors entitled for OCI?
No.

https://www.hcilondon.in/oci.html (See FAQ)

samkma wrote:From HCI website
17. Whether foreign military/police personnel are eligible for grant of OCI?
No, foreign military/police personnel either in service or retired are not entitled for grant of OCI.


18. Whether civil Govt. servant working in Ministry of Defence as IT engineers/civil contractors entitled for OCI?
No.

https://www.hcilondon.in/oci.html (See FAQ)

Quite interesting. I think this has been added recently.
I don't know why they are hiding such an important information within the FAQ instead of making it pominent within the main eligibility section. Wondering why this has been introduced?

Yep, this why I am always passionately against going for OCI, although I was tempted to go for it many times just by looking at many people going for it.

But every time I hear these kinds of stories or changes, it makes it clear to me that OCI is something I do not want to go for, and will stick with my PIO card

Who knows what all changes they will introduce in the future, even affecting retrospectively, and these information will be kept buried in FAQs and user stories only

PIo card has been safe so far. It's pretty much a no-brainier, and there had been no changes to it ever since it was introduced, and pretty much gives all the benefits of OCI.