Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

[zi1bbs]

HI ALL:

I have sent my passport to birmingham by post (special delivery, with an enclosed pre paid envelope for the return of documents) as my OCI is ready to collect, I know that they have received the passport as I tracked the mail online, I though that I would receive my passport along with the OCI back within two weeks, however, I am still waiting to receive it.....Could anyone tell me how long it takes before you receive the passport with the OCI through the post? Thankyou in advance.

[srdanda]

exactly 2 months from the date of acknowledgement. no updates online. tried to ring them the other day. number continuously engaged.
did you get yours?

hi i've submitted oci application in person@ birmingham on 08/12/11. acknowledged on the same day. no further updates after that. today being 07/01/12, exactly one month now. well even after considering all those bank holidays, birmingham seems to be lagging far behind london.
cant find many timelines for birmingham applications. anyone?

Same here too submitted in person @Birmingham on 12/12/11, acknowledged same day but no further updates and today is 11/01/12.

They did say that time to me it will take 15 to 16 weeks.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

[GBINR]

I’ve got my OCI document, so does my son who is 16. His British passport will expire in April. We plan to travel to India in March. I am going to apply for a new British passport for him. I don’t think there will be sufficient time for us to apply for U-Visa in his new passport. Can he travel with his old passport containing the U-Visa along with the new passport?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

On a similar note, do we have to submit 2 copies of the application for a new U-Visa or one copy is enough?

Cheers!

Please read the link given in OCI. They have wealth of info with even BOLDS in their website saying that transfering is not a must. We know that HCI London does not meet all expectations. Still do we pay naive attention to details even that are given explicitly?

http://hcilondon.in/oci.php

Note: 2 while travelling to India, it is important for OCI holders to carry both (a) the passport bearing 'LIFE LONG' visa sticker and (b) the OCI booklet. In case this passport has expired, there is no need to transfer 'LIFE LONG' visa to their new passports, but can carry the new passport along with items (a) & (b). Applicants are welcome to apply for transfer, but it will take the same 3 weeks as in the case of fresh applications

But if you read the FAQ from the Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of India - http://mha.nic.in/foreigDiv/OCI.html - OCI Miscellaneous Services for registered OCIs - No. 16, it implies you need to get it re-issued till 20 years of age !

I agree and admit that my post was wrong in that case
I went just by the info in OCI HCI page. Never knew about this ambiguity.

[pvsash]

Can anybody please help me.

Hello, I have lost my British naturalization certificate , Is it required to apply for OCI? If so, what alternatives do i have other then applying for a Duplicate naturalization certificate from the Home office.

Thank you

[nchowdhury]

Nothing yet, everday I check on their site it says under process. As I said earlier they said it will take 14 to 16 weeks at the moment, therefore no choice, got to wait.
If I knew, it will take so long over here, I would have sent to London office.
Regards.
NChowdhury.

exactly 2 months from the date of acknowledgement. no updates online. tried to ring them the other day. number continuously engaged.
did you get yours?

hi i've submitted oci application in person@ birmingham on 08/12/11. acknowledged on the same day. no further updates after that. today being 07/01/12, exactly one month now. well even after considering all those bank holidays, birmingham seems to be lagging far behind london.
cant find many timelines for birmingham applications. anyone?

Same here too submitted in person @Birmingham on 12/12/11, acknowledged same day but no further updates and today is 11/01/12.

They did say that time to me it will take 15 to 16 weeks.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

[ramesheuk]

Hi,

I got my OCI documents back to HCI, London and would like to collect that.
I applied under family application (2 adults + 2 children). If I want to send my passports through post, do I need to send 4 different special delivery covers for 4 passports or will one special delivery is enough?

And please could you let me know the timeline for collecting them by post?

Thanks in advance,
Ramesh.E

[GBINR]

Hi,

I got my OCI documents back to HCI, London and would like to collect that.
I applied under family application (2 adults + 2 children). If I want to send my passports through post, do I need to send 4 different special delivery covers for 4 passports or will one special delivery is enough?

And please could you let me know the timeline for collecting them by post?

Thanks in advance,
Ramesh.E

Actually speaking Royal Mail has to be worried about the weight and if it is more they would charge you. To avoid risk, in my case, for me and my daughter I sent just 1 SDE and I got it back without any issues with both of our PP + 2 OCI booklets.

So in your case you can send 2 SDE. However if you feel that 4 PP + 4 OCI documents willbe under 500g, you can use 1 SDE. But if I were you, I would use 2 SDEs.

I can give timeline in my case.
Passports sent by post/SDE, for OCI Collection on - 28/12/2011
Passports reached OCI London on - 29/12/2011
OCI along with passports received on - 04/01/2012

[ramesheuk]

Hi,

Thanks GBINR

We are able to collect our OCI cards along with stamps but found a mistake in my son's OCI Card.

In the place of Nationality, it mentioned as 'IND' instead of 'GBR'. Please could any one advice me how to correct this?

Thanks in advance.

[vipul1981]

rameshuk, i had the same problem with my OCI. They did Misc service correct and put the observation in my passport. I submitted OCI card in the morning at HCI London and collected with observation in the evening. It costs just under £10

[srdanda]

update!!
acknowledged on 08/12/11 ( applied in person @ birmingham)
photo/signature scan on 16/02/12
OCI granted on 17/02/12
documents printed on 21/02/12.
not dispatched from delhi yet.

Nothing yet, everday I check on their site it says under process. As I said earlier they said it will take 14 to 16 weeks at the moment, therefore no choice, got to wait.
If I knew, it will take so long over here, I would have sent to London office.
Regards.
NChowdhury.

exactly 2 months from the date of acknowledgement. no updates online. tried to ring them the other day. number continuously engaged.
did you get yours?

hi i've submitted oci application in person@ birmingham on 08/12/11. acknowledged on the same day. no further updates after that. today being 07/01/12, exactly one month now. well even after considering all those bank holidays, birmingham seems to be lagging far behind london.
cant find many timelines for birmingham applications. anyone?

Same here too submitted in person @Birmingham on 12/12/11, acknowledged same day but no further updates and today is 11/01/12.

They did say that time to me it will take 15 to 16 weeks.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

[ramesheuk]

rameshuk, i had the same problem with my OCI. They did Misc service correct and put the observation in my passport. I submitted OCI card in the morning at HCI London and collected with observation in the evening. It costs just under £10

Thanks Vipul,

Do we need to take any documentation with us for this? And is there any form to fill?

Can any one go for this or should it to be only parent?

Thanks in advance.

[nchowdhury]

Thats good news.
Hope mine should be done next week or so looking at the time scale.

Have you decided to go in person to collect or through post.
Regards
N. Chowdhury

update!!
acknowledged on 08/12/11 ( applied in person @ birmingham)
photo/signature scan on 16/02/12
OCI granted on 17/02/12
documents printed on 21/02/12.
not dispatched from delhi yet.

Nothing yet, everday I check on their site it says under process. As I said earlier they said it will take 14 to 16 weeks at the moment, therefore no choice, got to wait.
If I knew, it will take so long over here, I would have sent to London office.
Regards.
NChowdhury.

exactly 2 months from the date of acknowledgement. no updates online. tried to ring them the other day. number continuously engaged.
did you get yours?

Same here too submitted in person @Birmingham on 12/12/11, acknowledged same day but no further updates and today is 11/01/12.

They did say that time to me it will take 15 to 16 weeks.

Regards
N. Chowdhury

[srdanda]

dispatched from delhi: 24/02/12
i will send two special delivery envelopes ( for 4 members).
more than likely yours will be done next week.

Thats good news.
Hope mine should be done next week or so looking at the time scale.

Have you decided to go in person to collect or through post.
Regards
N. Chowdhury

update!!
acknowledged on 08/12/11 ( applied in person @ birmingham)
photo/signature scan on 16/02/12
OCI granted on 17/02/12
documents printed on 21/02/12.
not dispatched from delhi yet.

Nothing yet, everday I check on their site it says under process. As I said earlier they said it will take 14 to 16 weeks at the moment, therefore no choice, got to wait.
If I knew, it will take so long over here, I would have sent to London office.
Regards.
NChowdhury.

exactly 2 months from the date of acknowledgement. no updates online. tried to ring them the other day. number continuously engaged.
did you get yours?

[vgvirgo]

Applied in Person at HCI LONDON on 14Feb2012
Acknowledged on 14 Feb 2012
Photos/Signature scanned on 15 Feb 2012
Granted on 15 Feb 2012
Printed on 16 Feb 2012
Dispatched on 22 Feb 2012
Received at HCI, London on 24 Feb 2012

[londonfemale]

Hi
could someone tell us how many photocopies we need to submit for OCI ?
We will be very thankful if someone who recently applied can answer.

[vjhunt]

Hi members,

Can someone suggest me what time someone should be at the token counter to be served at earliest possible. Just wish to know around what time people start piling up token window. In addition, how many copies of OCI form are required.

Any comments much appreciated.

[londonfemale]

Only 1 copy required and get there by 9 am .There aren't long queues and there are 2 counters for submission of OCI applications.So if you are in by 9 you will be out before 11. Hope this help.

[vjhunt]

Only 1 copy required and get there by 9 am .There aren't long queues and there are 2 counters for submission of OCI applications.So if you are in by 9 you will be out before 11. Hope this help.

Thanks indeed Londonfemale for the information.

Cheers

[dhana]

The website says that my OCI documents are received at London. How do I collect them. Is there a time for collection or I can walk-in any time of the day.
Pls help

[vjhunt]

I've recently been to HCI London. What I have gathered is, you need to be there in the morning around 8:30 to submit your passport so that they can put OCI sticker on it. There is a separate Window to submit the passports for OCI sticker. I think you do not need to join the token queue to submit the passport. Just jump the queue and submit the passport. After submission, you can collect the passport in the second half of the day around 4 pm.

Alternatively, you may send your passport via post with self addressed special delivery envelop and after stamping they would send your passport to you.

All the best.

[Panesar]

You can collect after 4pm.

[tintin]

Quick question:

When you send your OCI application by post, how long does it take for the tracking information to be available online on the MEA website?

My wife's application was delivered to HCI more than a week agao, but still there is no tracking information i.e. it says 'Application not yet acknowledged or wrong passport number'.

[vipul1981]

Family Application for Mother & Infant
Applied in Person at HCI LONDON on 5th March 2012
Acknowledged on 5th March 2012
Photos/Signature scanned on 6th March 2012
Granted on 6th March 2012
Printed on 7th March 2012
Dispatched on 9th March 2012
Received at HCI, London on 15th March 2012
Colltodos in person on 16th March 2012

Really impressed with the speed

[drwho]

postal application HCI london.

application sent by special delivery on 6/2/2012
Reached HCI london on 7/2/2012 (via royal mail website)
Date of acknowledgement : 21/2/2012
Photo/Signate Scanned : 21/2/2012
Registration granted : 22/2/2012
Documents printed : 22/2/2012
Dispatched from Delhi : 27/2/2012
Documents Recd London : 2/3/2012

I am planning to collect it in person in a few days.

[Troops]

Hi,

Does anyone know the current time line for OCI applications in Birmingham CGI? I will be applying for my OCI in second week of April and planning to fly to India on 22nd July. Just wanted to know what chances I have of getting the OCI stamped or will i need to apply for Visa to travel to India ? Please can the board members share their experience or post the current time line for OCI approvals in Birmingham.

Thanks.