By Vipul Jain
OCI stands for overseas citizenship of India. It is issued by the government of India to the people who are of Indian origin but are living internationally. The OCI card has a lot of benefits and has a lifetime validity so a person does not have to keep renewing it again and again. It acts like a visa for people who have a passport from some other nation but have migrated from India or were born of Indian parents residing abroad.
A person can get an OCI card by filling out an application form, submitting the required documents, and paying the required fees. However, not everyone must be aware of the application process for an OCI card. In this blog, we will learn about how to fill out the OCI card application, the required documents, processing time and the amount to be paid.
OCI (overseas citizen of India) card is provided to a person of Indian origin residing abroad. It is like an immigration status for such people to live, travel, and work in India for as long as they want. It was introduced in August 2005 to fulfill the demands of the Indian diaspora who were living in other countries and who demanded dual citizenship.
It was issued under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005. An OCI application form is the official document that one has to fill out when one wants to apply for an OCI card. You have to personal information, supporting documents, etc. to fill out that application form.
You can fill out the application form for multiple reasons such as to apply for a new OCI card, reissue an OCI card, or renew an OCI card. The steps are almost similar to filling out the application form. Follow the below-mentioned steps to fill out an OCI card application without any hassle.
Step 1: Fill Application
The first step before filling out an OCI application online form is to gather all the necessary documents. Documents are necessary for the application process. You have to submit every required document to apply for an OCI card.
The document may vary according to different individuals and situations so make sure to check the document requirements according to your situation and gather it before you start the application process. This will make your application process easier and smooth.
Step 2: Visit The Website
The second step in the application process is to fill out the application form online. Visit the Official website of OCI registration or VFS Global and then click on “New OCI registration”. You can choose according to your requirements if you want to apply for a new OCI card or reissue an OCI card. The VFS Global service center also helps with Indian passport renewal in UK.
After selecting you will get a captcha security question which you need to answer and then click on “Enter”. After that, you have to choose:” fresh application” and any country as the place of submission.
Step 3: Fill Required Details
Fill out all the information required like passport details, occupation, personal information, etc. All the information must be accurate and relevant. You cannot make any mistakes in your application.
You will get a temporary application ID in red color at the top right section of your OCI form as you proceed further with your application form. You have to keep this ID as a note because it will act as a reference number for accessing your application later. Save your application after verifying the details and move on to the next section
Note: Make sure that every detail that you enter in this section must be similar to the details of your current foreign passport and not your Indian passport. Provide details that are relevant to avoid the rejection of your OCI application.
Step 4: Click Save & Continue
After filling out the form click on “Update and continue” to move to the next part of the application. The next section will be page 2 of part A of the application. In this section, you will have to fill out all the details related to your address and occupation.
You will have to fill in your occupation details, present address, and native place address. After filling out all the information correctly. Move on to the next step by clicking on” Next”. You should keep this thing in mind if you add irrelevant or incorrect details your application may get rejected and you will have to start the application process from the beginning.
Before submitting after this section Recheck every information and detail that you have entered in the application form. You will not be allowed to make any changes to the application form after submitting it. Click on “Modify” if you want to edit anything before submitting it further.
Step 5: Duble Check- All The Information
After checking and making sure that all the information is accurate and relevant. Click on the “Submit” button to apply. You will get a confirmation message upon the successful submission of your application along with an OCI file reference number that begins with GRBL. You have to save this reference number as it is your OCI registration number.
You have to use this number to book your VFS appointment to submit your OCI application physically at the VFS Global Center along with the other documents.
Step 6: Upload All Documents
Now you are done with part A of your OCI card application in UK then comes part B. In part B you will have to upload all the required documents with your photographs and signature. You need to upload colored square-sized photographs and signatures according to the specific size and ratio. The photographs and the signature must meet the guidelines and must be clear and visible. Check the clarity, ratio, and format of the images and upload them, and then click on “Proceed to upload documents”.
After clicking on that, you will have to fill in the information in three sections. The sections will be Citizenship details, present nationality details, and other details. Once you have filled all the sections click on “Submit” to proceed after which you will directed to a confirmation screen.
Step 7: Pay The Fees
After applying and uploading the documents. The final step is to pay the OCI card application fee online. You have to pay this fee only one-time because the OCI card has a lifelong validity. Make the payment online and keep a record of the payment made to use it in the future as a reference.
Once you are done with making the payment and submitting the application. Now you have to book an appointment with VFS Global service. You have to visit the VFS Global service website to get your appointment scheduled. Choose the nearest application center and a convenient date and time according to you.
Step 8: Schedule Your VFS Appointment
On the day of your scheduled appointment, you have to printed visit the selected VFS application center physically. You have to take your printed OCI application form, original documents, photocopies, and everything required according to the checklist given by VFS Global.
You have to provide your biometric data, photographs, and fingerprint too. You will be assisted by the staff at the VFS Global application center so that you don’t miss out on anything and everything will be done in order.
Step 9: Get an E-Mail
When your application is processed, you will receive an e-mail from VFS Global informing you about the status of your OCI card update. You can keep track of your OCI card application status on the portal of VFS Global. If your application gets approved you can visit the VFS Global application center again to collect your OCI card and Original British passport.
You can follow these steps to successfully fill out an OCI application form and get an OCI card. You can keep checking the status of your OCI card online and the processing time for OCI application USA or anywhere may vary. OCI card has multiple benefits and you can explore various adventures, cultural heritage, landscapes, etc. in India with the help of an OCI card. VFS Global also provides an Indian passport renewal application form UK.
There are some required documents that you need to submit to get an OCI card. The documents may vary according to specific situations and individuals. Make sure to verify the checklist for the OCI card application documents required to not miss out on any of the documents.
| Type of Application | Documents Required |
Documents for a New/fresh OCI card |
|
Documents for OCI Card renewal, reissue of OCI, or conversion of PIO to OCI |
Note: Check The Full Guide with Steps For How To Renew OCI Card in USA? |
Documents for OCI Card Application for Minor Children |
|
Documents for OCI card Application For Indian origin on a Spouse Basis |
|
These are the documents that you have to submit if you are applying for a fresh OCI card or OCI Card Renewal. Make sure to check the information booklet before submitting the documents. All the documents must be uploaded clearly and legibly.
The applicant can track the status updates of their OCI card application USA online. They can visit the VFS Global Service Center. The applicant will have to use their government reference number (ARN number), file number, or application ID along with their date of birth to track their application. Here is a step-by-step procedure to follow to track the status of your application:
Visit the official website of OCI services where you have already registered.
You can also visit: www.ociservices.gov.in
After that, you have to click on the “OCI Enquiry”
Next, Click on “Click Here to proceed”
Select “Status Enquiry” from the various options
Click on “Proceed”
After that n new page will occur where the applicant has to enter the passport number and either the online registration number or acknowledgment number.
You will have to enter the captcha code and click on “Get status”
You can now track your application and check your OCI Application Status.
You can also purchase their SMS service when you are making your online payment for the application with which you will get texts on SMS whenever there are some critical changes in the status of your application.
There is a possibility that you end up making some mistakes while filling out the application form for an OCI card or when you apply UK Visa. However, it is important to not make any mistakes in your application because an error can even lead to the rejection of your application. These are some common mistakes that you need to avoid while filling out the OCI application:
A lot of applicants end up adding some wrong details in a hurry. They add details with do not match their official documents. Every applicant needs to add relevant information according to the details in their official documents.
It is possible that you will make silly mistakes without even realizing it. You may write the wrong date of birth, the wrong spelling, etc. You must check if all the spellings are correct or not. Even if you think that I will not make any mistake still you should check and verify before submitting.
Whenever you submit your documents you have to submit photos and signatures which are of good quality. Applicant sometimes uploads bad-quality photos because of which their application gets rejected. So, to avoid that be sure to upload good-quality pictures in the proper format
Some people keep procrastinating on the work of submitting their form even after filling it. The reason may be anything but one has to submit their application form within 90 days from the date after filling it. If not then you may face rejection.
If you think that you will provide only two or three documents from all the required ones then it will not help you. Your application will not be approved if you do not provide the necessary documentation. So, provide every required document with good quality and proper format as mentioned on the website.
One must avoid these common mistakes to get their OCI card approved as soon as possible. These are some very silly mistakes that might not sound like a big deal but it is. You will not be allowed to make any changes after applying and if any error is found then the application may even get rejected. You will have to apply from the start and repeating the whole process can be frustrating.
The OCI card mainly focuses on individuals who are of Indian origin and their descendants who are citizens of other countries. There are some eligibility criteria to apply for an OCI application form which are:
An individual who is a citizen of India on or after the 26th of January, 1950, or who was eligible to become a citizen of India at that time and whose family is eligible for an OCI status is eligible.
A foreign spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder is eligible to apply. They must have been married for two years and the marriage must be valid as per the laws of India.
Minor children of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder can apply regardless of the nationality of that child’s parents.
An individual who was a citizen of India but later on renounced their Indian citizenship can also apply. (This situation is subject to certain conditions).
The individual who belonged to a territory that became a part of India after the 15th of August, 1947 can apply for an OCI Card UK Application.
There are some fees that you need to pay for the application to be processed and approved. The amount that you have to pay will depend on the situation:
| Issue of OCI card | $293.90 |
| OCI cards in case of lost/damaged/stolen OCI Card | $118.00 |
| For miscellaneous service on the OCI card | $43.00 |
| For issuing an OCI card to a PIO card | $118.00 |
A refund for some conditions is allowed. The amount that you will get is after deducting $59 as administrative costs.
If you opt for Tatkal service you will have to pay some additional amount to the normal fees.
The processing time for every OCI card application will vary depending on the situation. The normal processing time for a new OCI according to India origin is 5-6 weeks from the date you have applied. If you have opted for the Tatkal service then you may get your OCI card within 4-5 working days.
You must keep the OCI card application tracking to stay updated about the status of your application. Filling out the application form for an OCI card may seem tough and frustrating but if you do it the right way and be prepared in advance then it can be done easily. You can consider this guide to fill out the application form and enjoy the benefits of an OCI. Make sure to check every detail carefully before submitting it further and upload all the required documents clearly in the proper format.
One has to fill out the application form correctly without any errors even if they apply for us visa or an OCI card because you are not allowed to make any kind of changes once after submitting the application.
You can upload multiple OCI Application documents by combining them into a single pdf and uploading them under a similar category.
The applicant has to submit two color photographs with a white background. The size of the photograph must be 2*2 inches. The length and width must be the same. The photo must be clear and identical with the full face being visible, in front view, and with eyes open.
The applicant can check the status of their application online on by visiting the VFS global website. You can get an update from the website if your card is ready or not. You can also opt for sms text service by paying an additional fee while applying to get notifications on SMS. The VFS global service has services for Indian passport renewal in USA too.
An OCI Card comes with a lot of benefits that one can avail of but they are not allowed to cast a vote in India or be a member of the parliament, legislative assembly, or legislative council. The cardholder cannot hold any kind of employment in the government.
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