Documents applicable in case of fresh application of a person who

Documents applicable in case of fresh application of a person

who previously held Indian passport and later acquired

foreign citizenship by way of naturalization/registration:

ADULT (Applicants of or above the age of 18 years):

S. No.

Document

Duly signed OCI Application Form in original. The application may be

submitted online on the Government of India’s official website

https://ociservices.gov.in and physical copy of the OCI application needs to

be submitted with supporting documents. Please read the following carefully:

• If you are applying for OCI card for the first time and you never held

PIO card, kindly apply for new OCI registration.

• If you are already an OCI Cardholder, kindly use OCI Miscellaneous

Services.

• If you are a PIO Cardholder, kindly register through OCI Registration

(In Lieu Of Valid PIO-Card).

• If you are a PIO Cardholder and card is in lost state, kindly register

through OCI Registration (In Lieu Of Lost PIO-Card).

• To reprint your already registered application, kindly use 'Re-Print

Submitted Application' service.

In case of urgent travel, applicants may apply for appropriate visa.

Photograph & Signature: For detailed specifications - please click here

• The physical photo must be affixed on the physical application form

and the digital photo must be uploaded on the OCI form online.

Physical and uploaded photograph must be identical.

• The digital signature must also be uploaded online on the OCI portal

(only in blue or black ink). Uploaded signature must match with the

signature on the physical application form and passport.

Copy of current valid passport with validity of minimum 6 months at the time

of submission of application. Information page of the passport should be duly

signed at the designated space. The document must be self-attested.

Copy of last held Indian passport (first 2 and last 2 pages). If copy of Indian

passport is not available, copies of the documents submitted for obtaining

Renunciation/Surrender Certificate. The document must be self-attested.

Copy of Naturalization Certificate (the document must be self-attested).: The

naturalization certificate should be duly signed at the designated space. If the

applicant has acquired naturalization through parents and the applicant

doesn’t possess separate naturalization certificate, a notarized affidavit

signed by both parents may be submitted along with copies of their

naturalization certificates (Click here for the formant).

Copy of Renunciation Certificate / Surrender Certificate, if Indian passport

was surrendered after 31 May 2010. If Indian passport was surrendered on

or before 31 May 2010, copy of canceled Indian Passport with a stamp stating

the passport is canceled on acquiring US/Foreign citizenship. If Indian

citizenship was renounced on the basis of documents other than Indian

passport (in case of unavailability of Indian passport), copy of Deemed

Renunciation/Surrender Certificate may be submitted. The document must be self-

attested.

PROOF OF LEGAL STATUS IN THE USA (IF HOLDING NON-USA PASSPORT)

(The document must be self-attested).

Please submit any one of the following documents:

• Copy of valid Green Card – Front and Back, OR

• Copy of valid EAD – Front and Back, OR

• Copy of valid long-term US visa, OR

• In case visa extension is pending, I-797A Approval Notice / I-797C

Receipt Notice along with recently expired visa may be submitted.

Proof of Marital Status (Married/Divorced/Widow) (the document must be self-

attested):

• Copy of the marriage certificate, if married.

• Copy of the divorce decree, if divorced. If re-married, include a copy

of the marriage certificate.

• Copy of the Death certificate, if spouse is deceased.

• If proof of marital status is not available, a notarized affidavit may

be submitted, thereby confirming the marital status and indicating

the reasons of non-availability of requisite certificate.

Name Change Document issued by the local court or a duly notarized

affidavit regarding change in name, if the current legal name as per current

foreign passport is different from the name given in the last held Indian

passport. Previous name as per last held Indian passport must invariably be

mentioned in the OCI application, failing which the OCI application is liable to

be rejected. To be more specific, previous name must be mentioned even in

case of minor variation, including variation of a single letter. The following

examples may help:

Example 1: If a person’s name as per last held Indian passport is TRIPTA

TIWARI and the name as per foreign passport is TRIPTA TYAGI (surname

changed after marriage), previous name as per last held Indian passport

must be mentioned as TRIPTA TIWARI in the relevant column of the online

OCI application.

Example 2: If a person’s name as per last held Indian passport is HARISH

CHANDER GUPTA and the name as per foreign passport is HARISH C.

GUPTA, previous name as per last held Indian passport must be

mentioned as HARISH CHANDER GUPTA in the relevant column of the

online OCI application.

Example 3: If a person’s name as per last held Indian passport is

GIRDHAR PRAKASH and the name as per foreign passport is GIRIDHAR

PRAKASH (one more ‘i’ in the first name), previous name as per last held

Indian passport must be mentioned as GIRDHAR PRAKASH in the

relevant column of the online OCI application.

Example 4: If a person’s name as per last held Indian passport is CHARU

LATA and the name as per foreign passport is LATA CHARU, previous

name as per last held Indian passport must be mentioned as CHARU

LATA in the relevant column of the online OCI application.

Example 5: If a person’s name as per last held Indian passport is

GHANSHYAMBHAI PATEL and the name as per foreign passport is

GHANSHYAM PATEL, previous name as per last held Indian passport

must be mentioned as GHANSHYAMBHAI PATEL in the relevant column

of the online OCI application.

Note: Date of birth in the current foreign passport must match with the

date of birth mentioned in the last held Indian passport. Mismatch is not

acceptable and the application is liable to be rejected.

10.

Copy of Employment / Work Letter (the document must be self-attested):

• If applicant is employed, a letter from the employer describing job

profile of the applicant may be provided.

• If applicant is self-employed / doing business, some documentary

proof of self-employment/business may be provided.

• If applicant is retired, some documentary proof regarding retirement

and details of the last employer may be provided.

• If applicant is a student, some documentary proof, e.g. admission

letter, may be provided.

• If applicant has never been employed/self-employed, a written

statement may be submitted.

11.

Copies of OCI cards issued to parents and spouse, if ever obtained and

available (The document must be self-attested).

12.

Copy of Indian visa, if ever obtained and available (The document must be self-

attested).

13.

Proof of address (the document must be self-attested): Proof of address must

match with the present address as per application. Copy of any one of the

following documents may be provided as proof of address:

• State issued Identity Card, OR

• Driving license, OR

• Utility bill – water / gas / electricity / telephone (Latest one, not more

than 3 month old), OR

• Valid Lease Agreement, OR

• Mortgage, OR

• Income Tax Return, OR

• For college/university students living in university

housing/dormitories, a letter from the institution on official

letterhead giving details of the applicant’s present address, OR

• In case of applicant residing with parents / children / relatives, a

notarized undertaking from them with any copy of address proof as

indicated above.

Note:

• Expired documents like lease/driving license are not acceptable as

valid proof of address.

• PO Box number is not acceptable as valid proof of address.

• Copy of Driver’s License should not be cut down to smaller size.

14.

Proof of native address for non-US nationals living in the USA (the

document must be self-attested): Non-US nationals residing in the USA on a valid

long-term visa should submit address proof of their home country. In the

absence of address proof, a notarized statement must be provided giving

details of native address.

Applicants having dual nationality should submit proofs of native address of

both the countries.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If any supporting document is in a foreign language

other than English, it should be translated in English by authorized translator.

15.

Affidavit in lieu of originals: A notarized affidavit needs to be submitted that

the documents in support of the OCI application are true copies of the original

documents, where only copies are being provided (Click here for the format).

16.

Undertaking by the OCI applicant (Click here for the format).

17.

Consent Letter, authorizing Indian Embassy/Consulate to make necessary

corrections on observing errors in the OCI application (Click here for the

format).

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Note: Consent letter is just for the sake of facilitating an OCI applicant to avoid

delay in processing the OCI application and it is not an assurance to edit the

OCI application completely. The responsibility lies primarily with the applicant

to fill in correct details in the OCI application. Also that some details as per

the OCI application are not editable subsequently. In some cases, the OCI

application with errors is liable to be rejected and may be returned to the

applicant for submitting fresh OCI application with correct details.

18.

Fee Receipt:

• Application confirmation letter/payment confirmation is mandatory.

Complete the process online on VFS India Consular Application

Centre’s website to get the application confirmation letter/payment

confirmation.

• Don’t forget to enclose the application confirmation receipt. If

paying by Money Order or Banker’s Check, it should be made in

favor of “VFS Services (USA) Inc.” PERSONAL CHECKS ARE

NOT ACCEPTABLE. Please ensure to update the correct details

of the instrument (Money Order / Banker’s Check).

• Don’t punch dummy information. Incorrect information may lead to

rejection of your application.

• To complete registration on VFS Portal, (Click here to proceed).

Documents in support of the OCI application must be uploaded online. The

supporting documents (maximum size 1000kb) to be uploaded broadly fall under the

following categories:

(i)

Address proof

(ii)

Current passport

(iii)

Current Indian passport of parents / grandparents / great grandparents / spouse

(iv)

Marriage Certificate

(v)

Spouse passport

(vi)

Joint declaration of subsisting of marriage

(vii)

OCI Card

(viii)

Indian origin proof

(ix)

Indian visa

(x)

PIO card

(xi)

Spouse OCI card

COMMON MISTAKES IN OCI APPLICATIONS RESULTING IN REJECTION

(xii)

Relationship certificate

(xiii)

Previous Indian passport of self

(xiv)

Previous Indian passport of parents / grandparents / great grandparents /

spouse

(xv)

OCI card of parents / grandparents / great grandparents / spouse

(xvi)

Nativity certificate of self / parents / grandparents / great grandparents / spouse

(xvii)

Domicile certificate of self / parents / grandparents / great grand parents

(xviii)

Naturalization certificate of the applicant’s current citizenship

(xix)

Renunciation certificate of Indian citizenship

(xx)

Employment / work letter

(xxi)

Legal status of parents (in case of minor applicants)

(xxii)

Parental authorization (in case of minor applicants)

2. All the supporting documents, including those which may not be uploaded under

broad categories, must be submitted with the application form as per the checklist.

3. Indian Embassy / Consulate reserves the right to ask for additional documents for

processing the OCI application. Embassy/Consulate is under no obligation to inform

reasons, if the OCI application is rejected and the decision of the Embassy/Consulate will

be final.

1. Poor quality of uploaded photo / signature. Please ensure to upload good quality

photo and signature as per prescribed specifications.

2. All supporting documents not uploaded online.

3. Incorrect passport number / date of issue of passport

4. Incorrect name / place of birth / date of birth

5. Full names of parents / spouse not mentioned or not matching with their current

legal names.

6. Marital status / spouse name not mentioned.

7. Incorrect contact numbers and email address.

8. Part-B of OCI application not signed / Part-B (Minor Child) not signed by any of

the parents

9. Previous name not mentioned (if there is change of name, kindly mention the

same in relevant column of the application and provide supporting documents).

USEFUL TIPS FOR FILLING OCI APPLICATION ONLINE

10. Incomplete postal address (please provide complete address ZIP code in the

application).

11. Proof of native address not provided (proof of native address must be provided if

application is being submitted in a country of residence other than home country).

1. Please ensure that you have all the supporting documents in pdf and

photo/signature in JPEG format as per specifications before starting online

application.

2. Fill all the details in the application very carefully and exactly as per documents.

Please ensure that all the details like full names, date of birth, place of birth are

exactly as per current passport. Please note that the date of birth, if different

from the one mentioned in the last held Indian passport, is not acceptable.

3. Upload all the supporting documents under their correct category / equivalent

category (e.g. Birth Certificate can be uploaded under Relationship category). If

you are unable to find suitable category to upload the document, please upload all

the remaining documents (including any legal document) under current passport

category along with current passport. MOST IMPORTANT IS TO UPLOAD ALL

THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

4. Kindly check all the details of the OCI application once printed. In case

photo/signature and documents are not uploaded properly, these can be

uploaded easily by selecting appropriate option (Re-upload image/upload/re-

upload documents) available on the website.

Please note that the file reference number required to re-upload

photo/signature/documents is written vertically on left side and also below the bar

code at the bottom of first page of application form submitted online.

5. In case any information is wrong, please fill the form again.