What's the best option to apply for OCI?

[InUkOnHsmp]

Wow, this is so complicated, sorry for hijacking your thread ric1982, but whats the best option then for people who have taken British Citizenship but still have their Indian passport and want to go back and settle in India (based on time required for the process after getting BC):

1) Travel to India on Indian passport, surrender Indian passport in India, apply for British passport from India, apply for OCI from India. (instant nothing blocking from going to India)
2) Surrender Indian passport in the UK, apply for British passport, get visitor's visa to India using one way flight ticket, travel to India, apply for OCI. (Time to surrender IP, apply for BP, get visit visa 2-3 months?)
3) Surrender Indian passport in the UK, apply for British passport, apply for OCI from the UK, travel to India on a one-way ticket based on OCI.(time to surrender IP, apply for BP, get OCI 3-4 months?)

In all cases I guess it would have to be a one-way ticket else it will be too expensive or complicated to get it cancelled.

Any suggestion appreciated.

[ban.s]

option (3) or in case of time constraint then (2)

option (1) is definitely not recommended. surrendering indian passport in india is a grey area; subject to discretion of FRRO and significant hassle.

[InUkOnHsmp]

Thanks for the inputs ban.s, I would be a bit short on time, so I guess 2 is the right option for me as recommended.

I know this may have been discussed earlier, but would I face any problems getting the visitor visas on one way tickets?

Also can someone who has done these earlier quickly jot down the approximate timelines for all the steps:

a) Surrendering Indian passports
b) Getting adult British passports (no fast-track option available as far as i know)
c) Getting visitor visas

What are the fastest way of achieving each, I do not mind paying a bit extra for any available fast-track service.

Regards

[InUkOnHsmp]

Any further inputs members?

Regards

[ban.s]

Also can someone who has done these earlier quickly jot down the approximate timelines for all the steps:

a) Surrendering Indian passports
3-4 days for in person at VFS London; 7-10 days for postal at VFS London (Hayes)

b) Getting adult British passports (no fast-track option available as far as i know)
3 week ish (subject to interview date)

c) Getting visitor visas
2-3 days

[InUkOnHsmp]

Thanks ban.s appreciate it, those timelines are not too bad .

[tmistry]

Hi

apologies for posting on this thread, but i wanted to know if anyone that has applied online, and then been to HCI london to get there passport stamped?

Do you need to take any other documents with you, ie birth certificate, marriage certificate etc, if your application has be 'PROCESSED' Online?

also which side que do you stand in to just get your passport stamped?

any help is appreciated, as im travelling from Manchester to London to do this!

Thanks

[ban.s]

take a look at the 'Collection Procedure' as mentioned in the HCI website

http://hcilondon.in/oci.html

you have to submit passport between 830-1200 and then have to collect it between 1630-1700 hrs

there is no need to arrive early and queue for collection. just reach there around 1030/1100/1130 and it will take few minutes to submit the passport.