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Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
 

Persons of Indian Origin, who migrated from India after 26 January, 1950, and

1. who were citizens of India on or at anytime after 26.01.1950 or

2. who were eligible to become Indian citizens on 26^th January, 1950 or

3. belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15^th August, 1947 and

4. their children and grand children,

whose present nationality is such that the country of nationality allows dual citizenship in some form or the other under the local laws, will be eligible to be registered as OCI.  Minor children of such persons are also eligible for registration as OCI.  (Application cannot be submitted on the basis of spouse’s qualification.)  However, minor children, whose both parents are Indian citizens, are not eligible for OCI. 

The grant of OCI is extended to citizens of all countries (which allow dual nationality) other than those who had ever been citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh.  The amended legislation further reduces the period of stay of ‘two years’ to ‘one year’ in India for OCI, who is registered for five years, to become eligible for grant of Indian citizenship. 

Article 9 of the Constitution of India clearly states that a person shall cease to be a citizen of India, if he voluntary acquires the citizenship of any foreign State.  Therefore, one cannot have citizenship of any other country, if he is an Indian citizen. The expression ‘dual citizenship’ is, therefore, a misnomer.  However, the technical term used for the scheme in the Citizenship Act, 1955 (as amended vide Amendment Act, 2005) is ‘Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)’.

Persons registered as OCI are not Indian citizens.  This is a new category of citizenship created under the statute with certain restricted rights as compared to Indian citizens.  Such registered OCIs shall not be entitled to the rights conferred on a citizen of India with regard to the public employment, election to Constitutional offices like President/Vice President/Judges of the Supreme Court or High Courts/Members of Parliament or Legislative Assembly/Council or right to vote under Representation of People Act, 1950.

A  person registered as OCI is entitled to the following benefits: 

1. Grant of multiple entry, multi-purpose life long visa to visit India;

2. Exemption from registration with FRRO/FRO for any length of stay in India; and

3. Parity with NRIs in economic, financial and educational fields except in matters relating to acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties.

The benefits of seeking OCI are available on MHA’s website http://www.mha.nic.in/oci/

A PIO card holder can also apply for OCI if he/she is otherwise eligible for registration on payment of the prescribed fee.  Such applicants will have to enclose a copy of their PIO card along with the applications. 

A PIO/OCI Card does not entitle the cardholder to undertake any missionary work, mountaineering and research work; he/she would require special permission before they could undertake such work.

On grant of registration as OCI, the following two documents would be issued by the Mission to the applicant: - 

1. An OCI registration certificate in the prescribed form in the form of a booklet.  In the case of PIO card holders, registration certificate shall be issued on surrender of the PIO card.

2. An OCI ‘U’ visa sticker to the applicant which would be pasted on his/her foreign passport.  There is no separate visa fee.  On the expiry of the foreign passport on which ‘U’ visa has been pasted, a new visa can be pasted on the new passport on application by the registered OCI to the Indian Mission which issued the ‘U’ visa along with payment of prescribed fees.

Applications for OCI services can be made at the OCI Counter at the Consulate between 1000 hrs and 1230 hrs on all working days. Applications complete with all the required documents and fees (in Postal Orders in favour of Consulate General of India, Birmingham only) can also be sent to the Consulate by Special Delivery Post.

If considered necessary, the applicants would be called for an interview. 

Only when hard copies of Parts ‘A’ and ‘B’ of the application along with the accompanying documents and fees are filed, will the application be deemed to have been filed.

Applicants are advised to apply online.  They may please ensure that no column of the application is left unattended/incomplete. Apart from affixing photographs and signatures at the designated places on the application, it may also be ensured that the requisite numbers of spare photographs (04 in all) of prescribed size, that is, 35mm X 35mm without border and other specifications are enclosed with the application. The current foreign passport, cancelled or expired Indian passport if available and their photocopies also need to be enclosed along with the application.

One application form in Form XIX is to be used for a family consisting of spouses and two minor children.  If there are more than two minor children, a separate application form may be used for the remaining children.  When some children are not minor, separate applications shall be filed by each one of them.

Completed applications along with all the accompanying supporting documents/enclosures, must be filed in duplicate.

Incomplete applications will not be entertained.

We expect the OCI cards to be ready for collection in approximately 8-12 weeks and we request that no enquiry should be made for at least 12 weeks after submission of application.

For more information on OCI Scheme and to apply online and download application along with instructions for filling in the application, please click http://www.mha.nic.in/oci/oci-main.htm or go to Google search engine and type OCI Form/OCI Misc form.

IMPORTANT NOTE 

OCI CERTIFICATES COLLECTION PROCEDURES

At OCI Counter, CGI Birmingham:

Applicants need to obtain tokens at the time of collecting OCI Certificate. They should produce following documents at the OCI counter on any working day between 1000 and 1230 hrs: -

(a) Original payment receipt issued by CGI, Birmingham in case of applications submitted in person or postal receipt in case of applications sent by post.

(b) Print out of on-line status report.

(c) British, Indian or Foreign Passport.

(d) PIO card (where applicable)

OCI certificates will be ready for collection after two working days between 3.00 and 4.30 pm.  If the applicant is unable to collect OCI Certificate in person, he/she may authorise a person, who will bring the authorisation letter from the applicant and his/her identity documents, preferably passport.

By Post:

For collecting OCI Certificate by Post, the applicant must send aforesaid documents along with Special Delivery self-addressed stamped envelope to us by Special Delivery Post.  Consulate General of India, Birmingham will not be responsible for any loss of documents sent by Post.  They shall be posted back after two working days.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA APPLICATION

Counter will be open between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm on all working days.

• Duly filled application forms in duplicate with original signatures and photographs.

• 4 photographs of specifications given below.

• All the photocopies should be SELF ATTESTED.

• A fee of £165 for each applicant.  (In case of PIO holder, the fees is £18 for each applicant.)

Applicants who had Indian passport in the past should submit:

    Two photocopies each of:- 

• British passport.

• Indian passport.

• PIO card if the applicant holds it.

• Naturalisation/registration certificate.

• For applicants born before 1950, some satisfactory documentary proof that they migrated from India after 26^th January 1950.

Applicants who are applying on parent’s basis should submit:

    Two photocopies each of:-

• British passport

• Birth certificate stating parents name.

• Parents/grandparents Indian Passport.

• Parents/grandparents British passport, if any.

• Parents/grandparents’ Naturalisation/registration certificate, if any.

• Some satisfactory documentary proof that parents/grandparents were Indian citizens or were eligible to become Indian citizens on 26th January 1950.

SIGNATURE SPECIFICATION:

• The size of the signature should be 45 mm x 13 mm

• Specimen Signature should be affixed within the box provided  and should be affixed centrally in the box

• For minors, (those below 18yrs), thumb impression or signature of the minor only is needed. Box can be left blank but should not be signed by anybody else.

PHOTOGRAPH SPECIFICATION:

• The photograph should measure 35 mm x 35 mm without border.

• Show full front view of the person’s head and shoulders showing the full face centre in the middle of the photograph.

• Have a light colour background (not white)

• Colour contrast / brightness/ ratio of face to photo size/ clarity should be maintained.

Note: There is a coin-operated Photo Me machine installed in the Public Hall of the Consulate building (1st floor) which gives photographs of the required size at a charge of £3.50. This facility is open to public on all working days of the Consulate during the public hours.

Fee for OCI services will be as under:

The fee will be collected in cash or in British Postal Orders only. In case, you are paying fee in cash, please bring exact amount. If paying by postal orders, only crossed postal orders in favour of the Consulate General of India, Birmingham will be accepted. Please note that cheques and drafts are not accepted for payment of fees.

For further details, you may also visit the website of the High Commission of India, London www.hcilondon.net.