Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

rogerroger · Post by **rogerroger** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:33 pm

thanks for the replies

are there a limited number of tokens for PIO?

will i get my british passport back the same day?

anonymous10 · Post by **anonymous10** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:11 pm

There is no limit on the number of PIO applicantions per day. Yes. You will get your British Passport back on the same day.

rogerroger · Post by **rogerroger** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:44 pm

thanks anaonymous
then can i go at say 11 or 12 o clock

jaihind · Post by **jaihind** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:00 am

You may need a little patience when you come to India with your brand new OCI visa. The immig. people in India are not familiar seeing it and so zooming through immig. may not happen first time around. So be prepared.
It took me 5 mins. at the immig. counter, but they were courteous.

vin123 · Post by **vin123** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:07 pm

raikal wrote:Whoever is going to apply for OCI. There is a suggestion.

The photos need to have white background and ears and shoulders should be visible ( not required for British passport ). They are rejecting the applications if the above is not followed. So be careful !!

You do need 8 photographs in total.

Goodness gracious ...I sent the OCI application last week (2 copies in total with self attested documents and 2 photos with the original cancelled Indian passport ).
I couldn't find that " 8 photograph" info http://www.mha.nic.in/oci/oci-main.htm. all they are saying is application needs to be submitted in duplicate. ... or did I miss it totally ?
I'm sure they are going to reject mines

suresh · Post by **suresh** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:45 pm

hi all,

I'm sooo dissapointed! I spent considerable time and energy reading the HCI London website for OCI information, collected all documentation, did an extra paper round to save the fee

and went to HCI London this morning to submit my documentation to become a proud overseas citizen of India...

...unfortunately the OCI interviewer threw out my application. The reason? Because I attempted to prove my mother's indian citizenship eligibility through her UK passport (which shows that she was born in India in 1932) and also through her UK naturalisation document which shows that she lived in India up to 1952.

The OCI interviewer told me that ONLY INDIAN documentation may be submitted as proof of parents/grandparents citizenship. I replied that the website info didn't state this, it says "any other proof" and doesn't say anywhere that only indian documentation is valid. I suggested that a UK passport is a bona fide legal document recognised internationally, but the OCI man stuck to his guns and I had to leave with my tail between my legs.

I'm sad that I'll probably never get to qualify for OCI now, as I don't think I can dredge up indian proof of my mothers indian citizenship. Has anyone else out there had any similar experience? Anyone care to commiserate with me?

Thanks

mhunjn · Post by **mhunjn** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:12 pm

That's quite surprising. I would think that naturalisation certificate and UK passport would be 'official' documents!

Maybe there is some valid legal reason behind this.... or else, just the clerks being difficult, which I wouldn't be surprised about!

Don't you have the old Indian passport of your mother that you could use?...
What about documents from your father's side, if he was a born Indian?...

suresh · Post by **suresh** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:26 pm

hi mhunjn,

the OCI man at HCI London simply said that UK documents, even an official one like a passport, were useless in terms of proving right to indian citzenship because my application was for overseas indian citizenship and so only indian documents would be accepted. His argument didn't really make an logical sense to me, i just thought he may be being bloody minded about it. But his word was final and I had no choice in the matter. I may try writing to the Minister Consular at HCI London, explaining my predicament and see if he confirms what the OCI guy said earlier.

My mum was born in a remote village in India, so no record of her birth, her original indian passport was lost during a revolution in Zanzibar many moons ago, and my dad, although ethnically indian, was born in Zanzibar so i've little chance from his side.

I know, i could marry an indian girl...

suresh · Post by **suresh** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:56 pm

hi US,

"Now I dont know whether UK Naturalisation can be a conclusive proof of that. Does it prove that she landed in the UK on or after 26th Jan 1950 ? It may not. So you may need Indian documentation."

The point the OCI man at HCI London was making to me was that ANY non-indian documentation, be it UK or any other non-indian documentation, is inadmissible as evidence of parental indian citizenship. The supporting documentation to prove parental indian citizenship has to be indian documentation.

"And your idea of marrying an Indian citizen is not good either"

OK, but it would be fun trying this option

dabar · Post by **dabar** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:28 am

Received letter from HCI on 26/04/2006. Went there to collect OCI next day.
FINALLY, I officially become an OCI in 12 weeks from application.
I feel so relieved.

hadim · Post by **hadim** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:47 pm

I went to take my photo for OCI and told the chap there about 35x35mm size and it is not a standard size. He was confused when I told him that I needed my sholders and my ears visible and on white background! I finally had the photo taken, but due to the fact that I have broad sholders my face/image appears small as the photo has to taken in "zoomed out" mode.

When you say they are rejecting the applications for photos - do you mean that they check the photos here in London and reject it outright (refuse to accept application) or keep the application with them but ask you to send in photos?

Hi,

Can you please let me know where you finally managed to get your photo taken. Was it in London or is it somewhere else in the UK? After a long period of the "granted" tag, I have just received a letter saying that I need to re-submit 4 photographs as due to technical reasons, the scanner is unable to pick up my photograph.

Did they accept your new photo? If so, how long did it take for them to come back with the acceptance letter again?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

global · Post by **global** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:29 pm

any recent experiences at hci london for OCI - how long it takes to get OCI? i dont have PIO card.

global · Post by **global** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:41 am

Hello -
any recent experiences at hci london for OCI - how long it takes to get OCI? i dont have PIO card.

And is better to go for OCI or PIO? Someone told me that OCI is not legal yet for employment in India is it true?

raikal · Post by **raikal** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:02 pm

I have applied for OCI on 5th April and on-line confirmation about 15 days after that. Yesterday I have received a letter saying the photos are not 35 X 35 and asked me to submit again.
I am mailing them again..

UK high streets are charging upto 10 pounds to take such pictures.

Snappy Snaps seems to know this procedure, when I said Indian immigration they said 9.99 pounds. It is ridiculous !

I went to asda , they charged 2 pounds for 6 photos. Let us see how it goes

sudeep_n · Post by **sudeep_n** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:22 pm

I applied from India as a UKC.

Applied in Feb 1st week at FRRO Mumbai
Got 'Granted' status in Mar 2nd week
Sent passport in March 4th week to MHA Delhi

I had to send my photos 3 times - once they said there was some prob (various reasons - someone said the photo was glossy, someone said there was a scratch and so on), next time they said they never recd it although I have confirmation from courier that it was delivered next day, finally I sent it again on May 2nd week

And now I have recd the OCI card, my UK passport with OCI visa.

Good thing to see that there are no mistakes, the photos are scanned very well and yes the OCI card and OCI visa look very good. I like the word 'LIFETIME' as validity in it.

Good luck to everyone - applying from anywhere.

sudeep_n · Post by **sudeep_n** » Wed May 24, 2006 2:47 pm

The online enquiry form for OCI is now much better......check it out.....cool, isn't it?

http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp

vin123 · Post by **vin123** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:31 am

Following OCI application information might help if you are in the process of applying (as of 29th May 2006 )

- Firstly, make sure you have a facility to print documents from the computer you are using for online application.

- Apply online using this link http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineO ... ationG.jsp .The link automatically prints a copy when the completed application is submitted. Make another photo copy and note down the reference no:. So, basically you gotto submit two copies of the same application(both part A & B) signed in original.

- Photographs

I'm still not sure about this information, The first rejection letter I got from OCI cell said 8 photographs and followed by a second letter all of a sudden after a week or so(around second week of May), which said *FOUR* 35x35mm photos required on a white background with shoulders and ears exposing. So I took a gamble and sent 4 photos (by attaching a copy of that second letter ). I paid £4.99 total from snappysnap - Twickenham.

It may be a good idea to keep all the photographs together in one block rather than pasting/clipping along with the applications

Documents. ( x 2 to go with the Duplicate copy )

Write "self attested" on a clear visible area and sign with Date and print name with black ink on all the copies you submit.

I included the following docs.

- Old cancelled Indian passport' front page.

- Old cancelled Indian passport' back page.

- British passport' photo page copy.

- A blank singed page written "upload the photograph" ( I don't know what this means, but it was mentioned in my second letter )

Fees

- £165 Demand Draft or postal order. Demand Draft will be cheaper as my bank did not not charge me

.
Postal order comes with a hefty commision of around £10-13.00

Hope this helps before they change the rules !!

British · Post by **British** » Mon May 29, 2006 12:04 pm

"A blank singed page written "upload the photograph""

Wo wo woh! I would not do this - i.e. i would never give anybody a blank signed page, be it to a person or Home office or Indian consulate or whoever!!!, no "blank" signed page! Period! If they insist on this, I would simply not go for the OCI.
PIO card serves all practical purposes for me!

vin123 · Post by **vin123** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:25 pm

Opps !, that was bad literature, of course.

The word *BLANK* does not mean that you gotto sign in a blank sheet.

I think what they mean is, permission to scan and "upload the photograph" with signature. So make sure you put this information.

jaihind · Post by **jaihind** » Tue May 30, 2006 12:25 pm

global wrote: And is better to go for OCI or PIO? Someone told me that OCI is not legal yet for employment in India is it true?

Did you ever hear of anything that is NOT legal in India?
If you have heard so, you certainly haven't been there for a VERY long time !

boylove · Post by **boylove** » Tue May 30, 2006 3:34 pm

I believe once you go through these online, you still need to visit Indian embassy to submit the OCI applicaton. There is no postal application in London as per the official website. Could you please confirm that? Thx!!

vin123 wrote: Following OCI application information might help if you are in the process of applying (as of 29th May 2006 )

- Firstly, make sure you have a facility to print documents from the computer you are using for online application.

- Apply online using this link http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineO ... ationG.jsp .The link automatically prints a copy when the completed application is submitted. Make another photo copy and note down the reference no:. So, basically you gotto submit two copies of the same application(both part A & B) signed in original.

- Photographs

I'm still not sure about this information, The first rejection letter I got from OCI cell said 8 photographs and followed by a second letter all of a sudden after a week or so(around second week of May), which said *FOUR* 35x35mm photos required on a white background with shoulders and ears exposing. So I took a gamble and sent 4 photos (by attaching a copy of that second letter ). I paid £4.99 total from snappysnap - Twickenham.

It may be a good idea to keep all the photographs together in one block rather than pasting/clipping along with the applications

Documents. ( x 2 to go with the Duplicate copy )

Write "self attested" on a clear visible area and sign with Date and print name with black ink on all the copies you submit.

I included the following docs.

- Old cancelled Indian passport' front page.

- Old cancelled Indian passport' back page.

- British passport' photo page copy.

- A blank singed page written "upload the photograph" ( I don't know what this means, but it was mentioned in my second letter )

Fees

- £165 Demand Draft or postal order. Demand Draft will be cheaper as my bank did not not charge me .
Postal order comes with a hefty commision of around £10-13.00

Hope this helps before they change the rules !!

NRI · Post by **NRI** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:01 pm

Hi,

Can you please let me know where you finally managed to get your photo taken. Was it in London or is it somewhere else in the UK? After a long period of the "granted" tag, I have just received a letter saying that I need to re-submit 4 photographs as due to technical reasons, the scanner is unable to pick up my photograph.

Did they accept your new photo? If so, how long did it take for them to come back with the acceptance letter again?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

I had the same problem a couple of months back. Sent them 4 copies of new photographs taken in UK via recorded delivery. Did not hear back for one month so called them up and they said that it has been rejected again without giving a reason. After lot of emails and phone calls asking them to upload photos again my application was accepted on 4th May

Received my OCI card and visa on 29th May. Very happy and relieved now.

British · Post by **British** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:23 pm

After reading so many posts in this thread about the photos, i have a feeling that the Indian government is somehow obsessed with rejecting photos several times, before they accept it.

This obsession sounds very unprofessional to me! How could almost all of the OCI applicants be wrong in their photographs and their config/quality.

The PIO process was such a breeze!

I think i will stay with it, rather than OCI.

I mean there are only 2 benefits really by getting OCI:

1. You don't have to renew the visa/status as OCI, but you will have to renew a PIO card every 15 years. I mean how many times can we expect to renew in our lifetime - 4 times - Max

So i don't really see any benefit of OCI over PIO on this point.

2. You don't have to register with Foreigner's office in India, but on a PIO card, you will have to.

Well, in reality, with a PIO card, you will need to register only once in your lifetime and that too only if you wish to remain in India for more than 180 days at a stretch.

3. WIth OCI, you can get your Indian citizenship after staying in India for a speficified number of year(s) but with PIO card it may not be possible (or may take a longer number of years).

But my point is, even if one really wanted to settle down in India for good, you could simply do that with your British (foreign) passport + PIO card. This will also give you the benefit of not losing British consular protection while in India and anywhere else at teh same time enjoy being settled in India with a PIO card.

So i don't really see (personally) any benefit in taking a OCI card, especially when we have to deal with this ugly "photographs rejection" obsession of this OCI visa department of India.

These are my personal views only. No offense mean to anyone.

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