Guidance to apply OCI

[hemant_lakhani]

Greetings,
My British Citizenship application is approved and I am attending the ceremony in 2 weeks time.
Also planning to travel to India soon so looking for guidance how to proceed to get OCI as soon as possible.

I believe I have to follow below sequence:

1) Attend the ceremony, get the citizenship certificate,
2) Surrender the Indian passport, get the surrender certificate,
3) Get British Passport
4) Apply for OCI, (approx. processing time duration of about 4-6 weeks)

Please advise if my understanding is correct, what can I do to fast track my process to get OCI ?
Many thanks in advance.

[hemant_lakhani]

Above sequence is fine.
I just spoke to UK VFS Global to check if we can surrender Indian Passport in India.
Their response is after becoming British citizen we need to surrender Indian passport in the UK only, after which we can apply for visitor visa / OCI.
I am surprised to hear that you can't even apply for visitor visa without surrendering Indian passport in the UK !!
Any comments / Please advise if this is not correct?

[NiharMathur]

Above sequence is fine.
I just spoke to UK VFS Global to check if we can surrender Indian Passport in India.
Their response is after becoming British citizen we need to surrender Indian passport in the UK only, after which we can apply for visitor visa / OCI.
I am surprised to hear that you can't even apply for visitor visa without surrendering Indian passport in the UK !!
Any comments / Please advise if this is not correct?

I can confirm from personal experience that you don't have to surrender Indian Passport to apply for visitor visa. I travelled within 2 or 3 weeks of getting my British Passport using an e-Visa. The Indian passport I only surrendered after returning from India.
There were no issues at all

[hemant_lakhani]

VFS Global and High commission confirmed that Surrender certificate or at least receipt of surrender is prerequisite to apply for any kind of Indian visa for those who were Indian unless that have travelled before with non India passport with Indian visa.

I have acquired british citizen ship, returned ILR BRP to Home Office and also received UK passport,
I would like to ask if this would work:

Can I use 3 months grace period to travel to India?
Travel from London to India using Indian passport within 3 months grace period and return using UK Passport ?

[ram4uintot]

Hi Hemant,

can you please confirm if we need to apply online in passport.nic.in for surrender certificate before going for VFS appointment?

[hemant_lakhani]

Hi, Please check VFS Global website, you can also call VFS helpline to clarify your queries.
You can book appointment using link from "How to Apply".
Form and documents required information available at:
http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/Surrender.html
I hope it helps. Thanks

[takdeerwala]

Greetings,
My British Citizenship application is approved and I am attending the ceremony in 2 weeks time.
Also planning to travel to India soon so looking for guidance how to proceed to get OCI as soon as possible.

I believe I have to follow below sequence:

1) Attend the ceremony, get the citizenship certificate,
2) Surrender the Indian passport, get the surrender certificate,
3) Get British Passport
4) Apply for OCI, (approx. processing time duration of about 4-6 weeks)

Please advise if my understanding is correct, what can I do to fast track my process to get OCI ?
Many thanks in advance.

Can one wait for British Passport and then only apply for Surrender certificate of Indian Passport?
Or it has to be done without getting british assport and immediately after Citizenship Ceremony??

[hemant_lakhani]

Greetings,
My British Citizenship application is approved and I am attending the ceremony in 2 weeks time.
Also planning to travel to India soon so looking for guidance how to proceed to get OCI as soon as possible.

I believe I have to follow below sequence:

1) Attend the ceremony, get the citizenship certificate,
2) Surrender the Indian passport, get the surrender certificate,
3) Get British Passport
4) Apply for OCI, (approx. processing time duration of about 4-6 weeks)

Please advise if my understanding is correct, what can I do to fast track my process to get OCI ?
Many thanks in advance.

Can one wait for British Passport and then only apply for Surrender certificate of Indian Passport?
Or it has to be done without getting british assport and immediately after Citizenship Ceremony??

You can apply either way:
1) before getting UK passport, you need to declare that you have applied for UK passport.
2) get UK passport (about 4 weeks process) and then surrender.
Main thing is after acquiring foreign country citizenship you need to surrender Indian passport asap and not use is (for travel, or in anyway as identity document,..etc)
* There is 3 months grace period (from ceremony / naturalisation certificate date) that allows to use Indian passport for travel.

[leavetoremain]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

[hemant_lakhani]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

[leavetoremain]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

Thanks a lot for the quick reply. Just booked for my family (3 members in total) but as per the appointment letter the timings are 0945 - 1000, 1045 - 1100 and 1245-1300 respectively which is weird. Hoping they would accept all the 3 in the first time slot.

[manyaonisland]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

Are you sure that we need to book the appointment post the OCI has been approved and status has been changed to "OCI Received"?
as per the link below, we need to turn up between 0830 and 1100
http://www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/OCI.html

also do we need to submit 2 special delivery envelops when we submit the status confirmation to get OCI card or the one we submitted when we apply for OCI is sufficient?

I took two with me but the personal on counter only took one and told me that second is needed later when the OCI card will be delivered but the online guidance on the site above says different and hence the confusion.

[hemant_lakhani]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

Are you sure that we need to book the appointment post the OCI has been approved and status has been changed to "OCI Received"?
as per the link below, we need to turn up between 0830 and 1100
http://www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/OCI.html

also do we need to submit 2 special delivery envelops when we submit the status confirmation to get OCI card or the one we submitted when we apply for OCI is sufficient?

I took two with me but the personal on counter only took one and told me that second is needed later when the OCI card will be delivered but the online guidance on the site above says different and hence the confusion.

Hi, sorry I thought you are going to submit OCI application for which you need appointment.
Good option is to call VFS Global helpline number to clarify.

[me786]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

Are you sure that we need to book the appointment post the OCI has been approved and status has been changed to "OCI Received"?
as per the link below, we need to turn up between 0830 and 1100
http://www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/OCI.html

also do we need to submit 2 special delivery envelops when we submit the status confirmation to get OCI card or the one we submitted when we apply for OCI is sufficient?

I took two with me but the personal on counter only took one and told me that second is needed later when the OCI card will be delivered but the online guidance on the site above says different and hence the confusion.

VFS personnel on the counter gave you the correct advice. You give one envelope to return your original documents during application submission and provide another envelope when you go back to VFS for collection of your OCI card. The second envelope is sent back to you with OCI and original passport in a weeks time. This is all explained on VFS website and shouldn't be confusing.

Also you dont need to book an appointment for collection. Just go to VFS centre in the first half with required documents.

[manyaonisland]

My OCI docs have been received in London. Should I book an online appointment to submit my passport & prepaid envelope or can I walk in directly with the required documents? Please can someone clarify

You need to book appointment online with VFS Global

Are you sure that we need to book the appointment post the OCI has been approved and status has been changed to "OCI Received"?
as per the link below, we need to turn up between 0830 and 1100
http://www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/OCI.html

also do we need to submit 2 special delivery envelops when we submit the status confirmation to get OCI card or the one we submitted when we apply for OCI is sufficient?

I took two with me but the personal on counter only took one and told me that second is needed later when the OCI card will be delivered but the online guidance on the site above says different and hence the confusion.

VFS personnel on the counter gave you the correct advice. You give one envelope to return your original documents during application submission and provide another envelope when you go back to VFS for collection of your OCI card. The second envelope is sent back to you with OCI and original passport in a weeks time. This is all explained on VFS website and shouldn't be confusing.

Also you dont need to book an appointment for collection. Just go to VFS centre in the first half with required documents.

Thanks for the steer!
Only one thing though on the returns procedure

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/OCI.html
in the stamping and collection of OCI tab

it states
Collection Procedure for OCI Cards and Documents:

OCI Cards will be delivered by Post/Courier only once approved and ready. Applicants are required to provide two self - addressed Special Delivery envelopes (Silver Royal Mail Envelopes) to return the Passport with OCI Card OR you can use the secured courier service offered at the centre., Two envelopes per application are required to return the original documents and processed OCI Card.


so this so not very clear whether two envelopes are required during return (which makes it 3 in total considering the one we gave when we submit the application) or Two in total for whole process..
But your clarification from your experience is spot on and thanks for that