Surrendring Indian passport

[kamalmin]

Application Date: 04/09/2018
VFS office: VFS London Goswell (In-person)
Application sent to High Commission: 04/09/2018
HCI issued surrender certificate: 06/09/2018
Online Status (processed) / received at VFS: 07/09/2018
Received Surrender certificate: 08/09/2018

[anirban_paul]

Hi all,

Can someone confirm whether the Original Naturalisation Certificate is needed on the day of application?

If not - I can apply for UK passport straightaway.
If required, I will have to surrender passport first and then apply for UK passport.

Any knowledgeable input, especially based on personal experiences is appreciated.

Ideally, you should get Naturalisation Certificate on the day of your Citizeship Ceremony, then get British Passport and then apply for Surrender of Indian Passport. When you will go to VFS office, they will ask for your Original Indian Passport, Copy of Naturalisation certificate , plus they would also like to see the original Naturalisation Certificate. I also showed him my original British passport plus a copy of British Passport.

Which part you wish to skip ? Without naturalisation certificate, surrender is not possible. Without British passport in hand, it is unnecessary risk to be without any functioning passport.

Hi,

I would like to save some time and apply for OCI asap just after I get the naturalisation certificate. I would like to do this in following order:

1. Citizenship ceremony = get my naturalisation certificate on the day. Applied passport beforehand.
2. Surrender Indian Passport = showing original passport + naturalisation certificate (no British passport yet).
3. Receive Surrender certificate
4. Receive British passport
5. Apply for OCI = naturalisation cert + surrender cert + British passport copy.

Is this approach fine? Or do I need the british passport first before surrender?

Thanks

[kamalmin]

I would suggest once you get naturalization certificate first get British passport then apply for Indian passport surrender certificate because Indian passport surrender certificate will have your new British passport details, this will speed up the process when you apply for OCI card. for your information refer the attached surrender certificate table screenshot.

[OneMan]

Hi all,

Can someone confirm whether the Original Naturalisation Certificate is needed on the day of application?

If not - I can apply for UK passport straightaway.
If required, I will have to surrender passport first and then apply for UK passport.

Any knowledgeable input, especially based on personal experiences is appreciated.

Ideally, you should get Naturalisation Certificate on the day of your Citizeship Ceremony, then get British Passport and then apply for Surrender of Indian Passport. When you will go to VFS office, they will ask for your Original Indian Passport, Copy of Naturalisation certificate , plus they would also like to see the original Naturalisation Certificate. I also showed him my original British passport plus a copy of British Passport.

Which part you wish to skip ? Without naturalisation certificate, surrender is not possible. Without British passport in hand, it is unnecessary risk to be without any functioning passport.

Hi,

I would like to save some time and apply for OCI asap just after I get the naturalisation certificate. I would like to do this in following order:

1. Citizenship ceremony = get my naturalisation certificate on the day. Applied passport beforehand.
2. Surrender Indian Passport = showing original passport + naturalisation certificate (no British passport yet).
3. Receive Surrender certificate
4. Receive British passport
5. Apply for OCI = naturalisation cert + surrender cert + British passport copy.

Is this approach fine? Or do I need the british passport first before surrender?

Thanks

Hi,

Yes, you can go for surrender of Indian passport once you get Naturalisation certificate and british passport application is in process (ie. you have already applied for british passport). You have to confirm this by ticking the box on application.

[OneMan]

Timeline for surrender certificate:
Application Date: 08/10/2018
VFS office: VFS Hounslow (In-person)
Application sent to High Commission: 08/10/2018
(I opted for SMS and courier service.)
SMS Received for successful processed application and ready for courier: 15/10/2018
Couriered Surrender certificate: 15/10/2018
Received Surrender Certificate: 16/10/2018

[spartanking_007]

Hello All,

Can someone suggest whether i can book for an appointment for surrender of Indian before i receive my British Passport. I have already applied for British Passport already and have confirmation of the receipt of my application from HMPO.

It looks like the appointment are available in 10 days. Just to save some time rather than wait for the British Passport to arrive and make an appointment.

Whether will be an issue ?

Thanks.

[singrahu]

Hi,

I am about to submit application for surrender certificates for myself and my wife togeather.
Do I need to submit 1 or 2 A4 size special delivery envelops?

I went to post office and the guy there simply handed over me the envelop without any charges.
The envelop has got tracking barcodes stickers but no postage stamp.
Does envelop need to be prepaid? If yes, then how to affix postage stamp on it?

Regards,
Rahul

[Turbanator22]

Hi,

I am about to submit application for surrender certificates for myself and my wife togeather.
Do I need to submit 1 or 2 A4 size special delivery envelops?

I went to post office and the guy there simply handed over me the envelop without any charges.
The envelop has got tracking barcodes stickers but no postage stamp.
Does envelop need to be prepaid? If yes, then how to affix postage stamp on it?

Regards,
Rahul

You need postage on the envelope. Ask for a £6.50 special delivery stamp and stick it on your special delivery envelope or if they do not have a £6.50 stamp then ask for stamps that make up that value and stick them all on.

Postmaster

[spartanking_007]

Timeline for surrender certificate:

Application Date: 21/Nov/2018
VFS office: VFS Hounslow (In-person)
Application sent to High Commission: 21/Nov/2018
Never received any SMS (opted for it and was charged for it)

SMS Received for successful processed application and ready for courier:
Couriered Surrender certificate:
Received Surrender Certificate:

Question:
1) Has any one recently surrendered Indian Passport
2) how long will it take to receive the certificate.

Thanks

[harv31]

Hello all,

I'm a British Citizen and I plan to apply for an OCI through my Mum. She used to be an Indian Citizen but now holds a British Passport which she got in 2008. She received her OCI in 2016.

I've currently prepared the following documents:

My passport
My birth certificate (Apostilled by FCO)
My Mum's marriage certificate (Apostilled by FCO)
My Mum's Old Indian Passports (which have 'cancelled' stamped on them)
My Mum's current British Passport
My Mum's Naturalization certificate
My Mum's OCI book

The one document my Mum can't find is her surrender certificate - which she obviously had at some point in order to apply for her own OCI in the first place.

Do I still need her surrender certificate for my application? I would've imagined that her OCI is enough proof that I have indian heritage.

If I need to get her surrender certificate, do she have to re-apply for it from scratch?

[jojo001]

My wife got her british passport and we surrendered her Indian passport via VFS.

The process was very smooth and she got her surrender certificate and old Indian passport in just over a week.

What I noticed is that there is no cancellation stamp on her Indian passport.

Have they stopped putting a cancellation stamp on the indian passports now?

When I surrendered my Indian passport a few years ago it came back with a cancellation stamp.

[Vish15]

Hi
I did my passport surrender application recently and I got my passport today with cancellation stamp and dated on the page 1 itself when you open the passport.

My wife got her british passport and we surrendered her Indian passport via VFS.

The process was very smooth and she got her surrender certificate and old Indian passport in just over a week.

What I noticed is that there is no cancellation stamp on her Indian passport.

Have they stopped putting a cancellation stamp on the indian passports now?

When I surrendered my Indian passport a few years ago it came back with a cancellation stamp.

[Vish15]

I submitted my surrender application on 3rd December walk-in at Goswell Road. It took 4 to 5 hours to get my turn but it just took 5mins to submit application. They just took self attrested photocopies of naturalisation certificate, British passport and Indian passport original and photocopies of all used pages.

I got my passport and certificate dated 6th December delivered 10th December so it took exactly 1week (5 working days).

[jojo001]

Thanks for the update Vish.

[mpandey]

Application Date : 17/02/2020
Postal / In-person: In-person
VFS office: VFS London Goswell Road
HCI issued surrender certificate : 20/02/2020
Online Status (processed): 21/02/2020 - email received
Received Surrender certificate: 22/02/2020

[xebec]

My wife got her british passport and we surrendered her Indian passport via VFS.

The process was very smooth and she got her surrender certificate and old Indian passport in just over a week.

What I noticed is that there is no cancellation stamp on her Indian passport.

Have they stopped putting a cancellation stamp on the indian passports now?

When I surrendered my Indian passport a few years ago it came back with a cancellation stamp.

You might want to get that passport cancelled stamp to avoid future issues.

[Siliconductor]

Hi Everyone

Given the consulate is shut and VFS is not accepting any applications does anyone know whether the 90 day grace period for surrendering the passport would be extended. Is anyone else in the same situation?

Nikhil

[Sdhawan]

Hi - I am wondering if someone could please help.
I have the British passport as well as the Indian passport. Was meant to surrender Indian passport last week, however as the VFS is closed, I couldn't.
My ques is:
1) I have to travel post 15th April to India, if they open international borders, please if someone could confirm if I could fly with Indian and British passport? And if yes, then the arrival stamp in India would be on my Indian passport and the arrival stamp in UK would be on British passport, would that cause any issues?
2) can I surrender my Indian passport in India, apply for OCI in India and then fly back to UK? And if I do so, do I have to pay any penalty for surrendering it in India and not UK?

Thanks.

[Siliconductor]

Hi Everyone

Received the following update from VFS..Does this mean they will postpone the time required to surrender a passport? As per below you cant surrender.

Dear Applicant,
In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in UK & keeping in mind the safety of all our applicants and staff members, effective 24 March, All India Visa & Consular Service Application Centres in UK will remain closed until further notice. Information regarding the reopening of Centres will be published on the VFS Website (https://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/) and please refer to the website for regular updates.

Regards

Thank you & Regards,

Information Service Desk

VF Services (UK) Limited

Nikhil

[Siliconductor]

Did anyone get a reply or further update from the high commission?

[xebec]

Does this mean they will postpone the time required to surrender a passport? As per below you cant surrender.

They would have to honour the time period when they are closed as these are unprecedented times.

[xebec]

Hi - I am wondering if someone could please help.
I have the British passport as well as the Indian passport. Was meant to surrender Indian passport last week, however as the VFS is closed, I couldn't.
My ques is:
1) I have to travel post 15th April to India, if they open international borders, please if someone could confirm if I could fly with Indian and British passport? And if yes, then the arrival stamp in India would be on my Indian passport and the arrival stamp in UK would be on British passport, would that cause any issues?
2) can I surrender my Indian passport in India, apply for OCI in India and then fly back to UK? And if I do so, do I have to pay any penalty for surrendering it in India and not UK?

Thanks.

If you've just obtained British citizenship, you can fly to India on the Indian passport as they have a three month grace period to travel on the Indian passport. I suggest you surrender the passport in the UK to avoid complications exiting India. The Indian government will have no record of you entering on that British passport number. I am not sure how well their systems are linked, but for a foreigner exiting without a date of entry: - be prepared for lots of questioning at outbound immigration.

[Siliconductor]

Thanks..Does anyone know when VFS is likely to open given the new government guidelines?

[Siliconductor]

Is anyone able to get appointments?

[alokpanda123]

Hi team,
Apologies if I am being naive - can we do renunciation and OCI application together?