Spouse-based OCI Application

[FirangiBiwi]

Hello,
I'm the spouse of an Indian citizen and I'm applying for OCI from the UK (where we live). I have my appointment in a couple of days, but we are traveling to the US next week. Will they be keeping all the original documents at the appointment? My husband and I will both need our passports to travel to the US, so I am wondering if I need to reschedule the appointment until after we return?
Many thanks!

[jfrusc]

They wont take your passports, only the copies.

They will take your birth certificates, marriage certificate and any other supporting documentation. These will take about a week to be returned, but even if they don't get back in time you don't need them to travel anyway.

Its once the OCI card is approved you hand in your passport and you'll get it back in about a week. But I wouldn't hold your breath for the OCI card to be approved. I applied for my wife (spouse route) on 09/11/18 and its still under process.

[FirangiBiwi]

Many thanks! Did you have to provide your own birth cert for your wife's application? My husband has his Indian passport still - will that not be sufficient?

[jfrusc]

Many thanks! Did you have to provide your own birth cert for your wife's application? My husband has his Indian passport still - will that not be sufficient?

In our case they took originals (and copies) of the following:

- My Wifes Birth Certificate
- Our Marriage Certificate
- A letter from myself stating I authorised my Wife to apply for an OCI card on the basis that I am her spouse

And copies of the following:

- Her Passport
- My Passport
- My OCI card
- Letter from her employer confirming her employment
- Payslips


However, I would strongly advise you to take everything you have that may be pertinent. This is the Indian Government and their agent you are dealing with, nothing appears to be set in stone.

Moreover, I'd also advise having copies of all these documents aswell. It will be far cheaper and less stressful copying them at home, then doing it there. On one occasion their machine wasn't working so people had to go to the shop down the road. And even if it is working, it isn't cheap.

[jfrusc]

To help you gauge the timelines, my wifes OCI just processed:

Date Of Acknowledgment: 09/11/18
Documents Printing Status: 12/12/18

[jfrusc]

My final update, hope it helps others in the future to gauge timeline for Spouse (Non Inidian Origin) application, as there isn't much recent info on this:

OCI Application - Spouse of non Indian Origin (I'm British with OCI card)
VFS Centre: Goswell Road, London
Application Date: 09/11/2018
Date of acknowledgement: 09/11/2018
Documents Printing Status: PROCESSED ON 12/12/2018
Dispatched From New Delhi: 12/12/2018
Document received at London : 12/12/2018
Passport submitted in person: 14/12/2018
Passport and OCI card received: 20/12/2018

41 Days in Total from Application to receiving OCI card in hand. 6 Days from submitting PP and receiving it and the OCI card back in post. I submitted the Application to Goswel Rd, but the PP was submitted to Hounslow.

[Platypus]

Hi All,
My wife is similarly applying for an OCI, through me (I am an OCI holder).

She has is a dual Canadian and UK citizen. When she’s applied for Tourist visa’s in the past it has always had to be on her Canadian passport (as it specifies ‘nationality of origin’, for some strange reason even though we live in UK).

The OCI documents list does not however have the same restriction explicitly listed. Does anyone have experience with this on whether dual passport holders applying for an OCI must apply from ‘nationality of origin’?