Procedure to apply and the documents checklist

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Applications for registration as OCI Cardholder is to be submitted only on the online system. For this purpose, kindly register and log on to https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/applyOnline and fill in the application form as per the applicable category.

For fresh OCI, apply under --> New registration (Those who are applying for registration as OCI Cardholder on the Indian origin basis of self/parents/grandparents/great grandparents etc. should apply under ‘Indian Origin Applicant’ category and those applying on the Indian origin basis of spouse should apply under ‘Foreign Spouse Applicant’ category.)
For re-issue of OCI card, due to any reason, apply under --> OCI Miscellaneous Services

Ø Kindly go through the eligibility criteria on the OCI website https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/) carefully before applying, to ensure that you are eligible for OCI.

Ø Applicants are required to upload all the requisite documents (self attested), photograph and signature (in the case of minors who cannot sign, left hand thumb impression) along with the application.

Ø Every person, including a minor, eligible to be registered as Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder under section 7A, may submit separate application. In case of a minor, the application from may be signed by either of the parents or by the person to whom the legal custody of the minor has been granted or by the legal guardian of such minor, as the case may be.

Ø After filling in the application form, applicant may book appointment with the nearest VFS centre through the following website link --> https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/appointment_home/ and visit the respective centre alongwith all the documentation required for the concerned service.

Ø Fee Structure: The fee for various categories of OCI services is as follows:-

S. No.	Application category	Fee in GBP	Consular Surcharge in GBP	Total (in GBP)
1	Fresh OCI application	215	3	218/- (excluding VFS charges)
2	OCI Miscellaneous Renewal of OCI card/ Renunciation of OCI card	20	3	23/- (excluding VFS charges)
3	Lost/Damaged OCI- OCI Miscellaneous Renewal of OCI card	79	3	82/- (excluding VFS charges)

3.1 A copy of the following list of documents is required to be submitted along with the OCI application, as per the respective category. Please note that this is a simplified summary of the documents required in most of the cases in support of the OCI application. For detailed information, kindly visit the OCI website --> https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/.

Note:-

(a) Please make sure to fill in the application form completely and correctly. Any incomplete/incorrect application form is liable to be rejected.

(b) Any application form with incomplete details/documents is liable to be rejected. So, kindly make sure to upload all the required documents and fill in all the details correctly.

(c) Any application form with uploaded photograph/signature not as per the specifications may not be accepted or may cause delay in processing of the application. (Please read the instructions for uploading photograph/signature carefully before uploading).

(d) Kindly also bring all the relevant documents in original for verification purposes.

(e) Kindly note that the OCI Officer may ask for additional documents other than those mentioned below, if required, to establish/verify the details mentioned in the OCI application form.

(f) If any of the documents are in a foreign language, English translation from an authorised translator should also be submitted.

(g) The normal turn-around time of applications is 6 to 8 weeks. However, delay beyond this time frame cannot be ruled out owing to certain technical reasons. All applicants are advised to book their travel only after receiving the OCI card. For those applying under ‘Foreign Spouse Applicant’ category, it may take longer.

(h) Status of the OCI application may be checked at https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/statusEnqury.

(i) Please not that at any point in time, if it is found that the registration as an OCI Cardholder was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact or the registered OCI Cardholder has shown disaffection towards the Constitution of India or comes under any of the provisions of section 7D of The Citizenship Act, 1955, the registration of such person will not only be cancelled forthwith but he/she will also be blacklisted preventing his/ her future entry into India.

3.2 OCI on Self basis (Adult)- those who held Indian passport earlier

Application Form
2 Passport Size Photo (2 inch × 2 inch)
Present valid Passport (with minimum 6 months validity)
Indian Passport (Front and Back details page)
Surrender Certificate (for those who have surrendered Indian passport in or after 2010). Those who have surrendered before 2010 and do not have surrender certificate may submit a Notarised affidavit as per the attached proforma.
Certificate of Naturalisation/ Registration for the present nationality of the applicant
Employment Letter/ Student id card/ letter on the company letterhead if owning business.
Address proof (Copy of the electricity/telephone/Council tax bill/Driving license/ lease agreement in own/parents/spouse name)
Marriage Certificate
Spouse Passport
Declaration regarding surrender of Voter id, ration card etc. (format attached)
Second passport in case of dual nationality
Enrolled deed poll in case of any name change or Notary Public Affidavit for name discrepancies in different documents, if applicable (not applicable in case of surname change due to marriage).
eVisa status of a foreign national other than a British Citizen.

3.3 OCI for Minor who held Indian Passport earlier

Application Form
2 Passport Size Photo (2 inch × 2 inch)
Present valid Passport (with minimum 6 months validity)
Indian Passport (Front and Back details page)
Surrender Certificate
Certificate of Naturalisation/ Registration for the present nationality of the applicant
Full version Birth Certificate
Parents Marriage Certificate/Joint Notarised affidavit in case no marriage certificate.
Address proof (Copy of the electricity/telephone/Council tax bill/Driving license/ lease agreement in own/parents name)
Parents’ Passport
Parents’ consent letter (format attached)
Enrolled deed poll in case of any name change or Notary Public Affidavit for name discrepancies in different documents, if applicable.
xiii. If the parents are divorced, court order of dissolution of marriage,which specifically mentions that the legal custody of the child is with the parent who is applying for the OCI card. If the court order is in any foreign language, translation in English by authorized translator is to be enclosed.

3.4 OCI for Minor who holds Foreign Passport from Birth

Application Form
2 Passport Size Photo (2×2)
Present valid Passport (with minimum 6 months validity)
Apostilled full version Birth Certificate*
Parents Marriage Certificate /Notarised Joint affidavit in case the parents are not married.
Address proof (Copy of the electricity/telephone/Council tax bill/Driving license/ lease agreement in own/parents name)
Parents’ Passport & Indian origin proof (OCI card/ Indian passport)
Parents’ full version apostilled Birth Certificate* (if the one of the parents is not holding OCI card and is not of Indian origin).
Parents’ consent letter (format attached)
Enrolled deed poll in case of any name change or Notary Public Affidavit for name discrepancies in different documents, if applicable.
xi. If the parents are divorced, court order of dissolution of marriage, which specifically mentions that the legal custody of the child is with the parent who is applying for the OCI card. If the court order is in any foreign language, translation in English by authorized translator is to be enclosed.

3.5 OCI for Adults who hold Foreign Passport from Birth (applying on Indian origin basis of parents/grandparents)

Application Form
2 Passport Size Photo (2×2)
Present valid Passport (with minimum 6 months validity)
Apostilled full version Birth Certificate* (and full version birth certificate* of parents, if applying on the basis of the grandparents)
Parents Marriage Certificate
Both parents’ Passport
Indian origin proof# of one or both parents [full version apostilled Birth Certificate* of the other parent (if the one of the parents is not holding OCI card and is not of Indian origin)].
Employment proof/Student id card/letter on the company letterhead if owning business.
Address proof (Copy of the electricity/telephone/Council tax bill/Driving license/ lease agreement in own/parents/spouse name)
Marriage certificate and spouse passport copy, if applicable
Enrolled deed poll in case of any name change or Notary Public Affidavit for name discrepancies in different documents, if applicable (not applicable in case of surname change due to marriage).

*Note1-

The birth certificate should be a full version one, containing details of both the parents.
Foreign issued Birth/marriage certificate (in case of applying on basis of parentage lineage) should be apostilled by the concerned government authority of the country from where the birth certificate has been issued. The UK issued birth/marriage certificates should be apostilled by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK.
If the birth/ marriage certificate has been issued by a country which is not signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, 1961, it will have to be first attested by the authority concerned in that country followed by re-attestation by the Indian Mission in that country to make the document acceptable to apply for OCI.
The list of the member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention may be seen at --> https://www.hcch.net/en/states/hcch-members
E-apostille on the birth/ marriage certificate is not accepted, physical paper based apostille is required.

#Note2:- Indian origin proof of self/parents/grandparents may be one or more of the following documents:-

Indian passport,
OCI card alongwith documents to prove Indian origin,
Domicile certificate issued by the competent Indian Government authority (usually First Class Magistrate/ District Magistrate of the concerned place),
Nativity certificate issued by the competent Indian Government authority (usually First Class Magistrate/ District Magistrate of the concerned place),
Certificate of residence or place of birth of self/parents/grandparents from First Class Magistrate/ District Magistrate of the concerned place.
Birth Certificate from Birth Registrar (India) should be supported by (i) Educations documents from India, and (ii) Documents of inherited land property in India.

3.6 OCI for Foreign Spouse applicant category:-

[Please note that for applicants under this category, the OCI card will be initially issued for five (05) years which may be renewed at the time of its expiry, and the renewal shall be subject to a fresh investigation and a personal interview with both husband and wife at the concerned Indian Mission/Post/FRRO]. After filling in the online application form and uploading all the below mentioned documents, applicants under this category may send an email to oci.birmingham@mea.gov.in for appointment for a joint interview alongwith the Indian origin spouse, at the Consulate (2, Darnley Road, Birmingham, B16 8TE), (between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm on any working Wednesday), before submission of application at the VFS.

Application Form
2 Passport Size Photo (2×2)
Present valid Passport (with minimum 6 months validity)
Apostilled Marriage Certificate*
Employment Letter/ Student id card/ letter on the company letterhead if owning business.
Address proof (Copy of the electricity/telephone/Council tax bill/Driving license/ lease agreement in own/parents/spouse name)
Apostilled full version Birth Certificate*
Spouse Passport Copy/ OCI Card
Joint declaration of Subsisting marriage for more than 2 years (signed by both)
Spouse Consent Letter signed (person who holds Indian Passport/ OCI card)
Enrolled deed poll in case of any name change or Notary Public Affidavit for name discrepancies in different documents, if applicable (not applicable in case of surname change due to marriage).
e-visa status of Foreign national other than British Citizen

*Note 1-

The birth certificate should be a full version one, containing details of both the parents.
Foreign issued Birth/marriage certificate (in case of applying on basis of parentage lineage) should be apostilled by the concerned government authority of the country from where the birth certificate has been issued. The UK issued birth/marriage certificates should be apostilled by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK.
If the birth/ marriage certificate has been issued by a country which is not signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, 1961, it will have to be first attested by the authority concerned in that country followed by re-attestation by the Indian Mission in that country to make the document acceptable to apply for OCI.
The list of the member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention may be seen at --> https://www.hcch.net/en/states/hcch-members
E-apostille on the birth/ marriage certificate is not accepted, physical paper based apostille is required.

Note 2: Only one living spouse duly fulfilling the conditions laid down in clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 7 A of Citizenship Act, 1955 shall be registered as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.