OCI Application Document checklist for Adult US Naturalized Citizen

[beanpole9791]

Hello,

I had a frustrating call with a VFS agent that has opened up more questions for me regarding the document checklist for a new OCI application for myself.

I am an adult US (recently) Naturalized Citizen. Prior to US Naturalization, I was an Indian citizen. I have renounced my Indian citizenship. I have received my Surrender Certificate. I have also received my previous Indian passport back with a canceled (due to foreign nationality) stamp on it. I am married. My spouse has an OCI card but I am applying on my own and not through my spouse. My consulate location is San Francisco.

I have begun my OCI application. I have completed part A and B of form on the Govt. of India website. I am now going to digitally upload my documents on the Govt. of India website.

I am using this OCI checklist created by VFS for Adult US Nationals by Naturalization: https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/...TION-ADULT.pdf

In that checklist I see the requirement of self-attested copy of US passport. I know I have to submit a self-attested copy when I physically mail my application to VFS. But since I'm currently at the step of digitally uploading to the Govt. of India website, my question is:

Do I have to also digitally upload a self-attested copy of my US passport or is just a regular scanned copy of my US passport fine?

I called VFS to ask this. The agent, instead of answering this question, pointed me to the minors category section of the checklist (checklist is linked earlier in my message) despite my repeatedly telling the agent I'm an adult, not a minor, and kept emphasizing that I need to upload my birth certificate (I do have an Indian birth certificate but it seems that requirement only appears in the minors category of the checklist).

So now my second question is:

Do I need to upload my birth certificate too?

Per the VFS checklist, I was planning on digitally uploading the following to the Govt. of India website:

1. Copy of my US passport with copy of my recent Indian Visa
2. Copy of my Indian passport with canceled stamp
3. Copy of my Indian Passport/Citizenship Surrender Certificate
4. Copy of my US Naturalization Certificate
5. Copy of my marriage certificate (since I am married even though I am not applying through my spouse who has an OCI card)
6. Copy of my US driver's license (for address proof)

None of the condition-based supporting documents listed on the VFS checklist apply to me.

In summary, given the unclear answers by the VFS agent and potential misdirection, my final set of questions (including the previous two questions I listed earlier) are:

Q1. Should the copy of my US passport that I plan to digitally upload to the Govt. of India website also be self-attested or can it just be a regular copy?

Q2. Despite not being a minor and despite having a canceled Indian passport and Surrender Certificate, should I upload my Indian birth certificate?

Q3. Should the set of documents I digitally upload to the Govt. of India website exactly match the set of documents I physically mail to the VFS?

Q4. Is there any issue if I digitally upload additional documents which may not be required (e.g. birth certificate) and also include them in my physical application to VFS. If not needed, will they just ignore it?

Q5. On the Govt. of India website, here is a screenshot (from my mobile device) of all the options available to digitally upload documents. If I indeed do have to upload my birth certificate, do I do it as the Indian Origin Proof category? I was planning on uploading my canceled Indian Passport for that category (there is no separate Indian Passport category). Below is the screenshot:



Thank you all so much for reading through all this and additional thanks in advance for your guidance and responses!

[arkaa]

Never call VFS - they are useless on the phone, and they charge you for it. Always email, but even that is not very helpful.

It is always best to apply for OCI on your own (if you are eligible). Spouse based OCI has some limitations. So its good you are applying for yourself.

It doesn't matter if the upload is self-attested or not. (I uploaded just a regular scanned document). But, if you are concerned, go ahead and write "I certify that this document is a true copy of the original" on the copy and sign & date it. Please note that you should write on a white space on the paper, not over the image of the document.

I uploaded the following documents:
1) CURRENT PASSPORT (US Passport)
2) ADDRESS PROOF (Driving License)
3) NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE OF THE APPLICANT'S CURRENT CITIZENSHIP
4) RENUNCIATION CERTIFICATE OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP
5) PREVIOUS INDIAN PASSPORT OF SELF

So, no Birth Certificate. But go ahead and upload it if you want and submit with the application. By WHY though? Just stick to the checklist they ask for. It is clear about what proofs they want and for what purpose.

And yes, you need to submit the same documents with your application sent to VFS. By "exactly match" I assume you are asking about the self-attestation - then no, as I answered above.

Bottom line - don't over think it. Follow the VFS checklist, read and re-read the instructions on VFS and the Govt site and you will have no issues.

[justathought]

Is the Overall Size of all the docs combined 1000kb or is it for each section? Also for each of those items listed above, does it need to be in PDF format?

[beanpole9791]

Is the Overall Size of all the docs combined 1000kb or is it for each section? Also for each of those items listed above, does it need to be in PDF format?

Each document (i.e. PDF file) that is uploaded has to be 1000 KB or less. So combined size of all documents can be greater than 1000 KB.

And yes, PDF format for all documents you upload. Just your photo and digital signature need to be jpeg files.

[beanpole9791]

Never call VFS - they are useless on the phone, and they charge you for it. Always email, but even that is not very helpful.

It is always best to apply for OCI on your own (if you are eligible). Spouse based OCI has some limitations. So its good you are applying for yourself.

It doesn't matter if the upload is self-attested or not. (I uploaded just a regular scanned document). But, if you are concerned, go ahead and write "I certify that this document is a true copy of the original" on the copy and sign & date it. Please note that you should write on a white space on the paper, not over the image of the document.

I uploaded the following documents:
1) CURRENT PASSPORT (US Passport)
2) ADDRESS PROOF (Driving License)
3) NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE OF THE APPLICANT'S CURRENT CITIZENSHIP
4) RENUNCIATION CERTIFICATE OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP
5) PREVIOUS INDIAN PASSPORT OF SELF

So, no Birth Certificate. But go ahead and upload it if you want and submit with the application. By WHY though? Just stick to the checklist they ask for. It is clear about what proofs they want and for what purpose.

And yes, you need to submit the same documents with your application sent to VFS. By "exactly match" I assume you are asking about the self-attestation - then no, as I answered above.

Bottom line - don't over think it. Follow the VFS checklist, read and re-read the instructions on VFS and the Govt site and you will have no issues.

Thanks arkaa for your clear response.

I emailed the VFS and got much better responses as you indicated might happen.

I'll share the responses here.

Q1. Should the copy of my US passport that I plan to digitally upload to the Govt. of India website also be self-attested or can it just be a regular copy?

VFS Answer: You can, but not required

Q2. Despite not being a minor and despite having a canceled Indian passport and Surrender Certificate, should I upload my Indian birth certificate?

VFS Answer: Birth Certificate not required if adult with canceled Indian passport

Q3. Should the set of documents I digitally upload to the Govt. of India website exactly match the set of documents I physically mail to the VFS?

VFS Answer: VFS requires marriage certificate per their own checklist (side note: I don't understand why) but Govt of India website does not if application is based on self as the root Indian

Q4. Is there any issue if I digitally upload additional documents which may not be required (e.g. birth certificate) and also include them in my physical application to VFS. If not needed, will they just ignore it?

VFS Answer: No issue. Documents not needed will be ignored

Q5. On the Govt. of India website, here is a screenshot (from my mobile device) of all the options available to digitally upload documents. If I indeed do have to upload my birth certificate, do I do it as the Indian Origin Proof category? I was planning on uploading my canceled Indian Passport for that category (there is no separate Indian Passport category).

VFS Answer: Yes. Same category is used for canceled Indian passport also

Q6. How should I include the 2 copies of the photo on the physical application to VFS?

VFS Answer: Don't paste. Paperclip it to form or leave loose in envelope

For others' benefit here is what I included. Note that in my case, I am US naturalized, married to OCI holder but applying based on self as root Indian and not based on OCI-holder spouse, possess the surrender certificate and canceled Indian passport.

Here is what I uploaded to Govt of India website. First two were jpegs and rest were pdfs. Nothing was attested:
* Photo
* Photo of my signature
* US passport copy
* Indian passport copy, including page that says canceled
* Surrender certificate copy
* Naturalization certificate copy
* Drivers license copy

So far, all this matches exactly what arkaa did.

Then, to VFS I mailed the following in my physical application packet:
* Signed checklist
* VFS Application confirmation receipt
* VFS Payment confirmation receipt
* Signed Govt of India form (original) with two photos attached to it with paper clips
* SELF-ATTESTED US passport copy
* Indian passport copy (including page with canceled stamp)
* Surrender certificate copy
* Signed Consent Letter (original; just followed the simplest template off Google)
* Naturalization certificate copy
* Marriage certificate copy
* Drivers license copy

I mailed the packet via FedEx using the prepaid label VFS generated.

Let's see what happens! I'll keep this thread posted with progress

Thanks.

[justathought]

The Signed Govt. of India form is more than 1 page... do we need to staple/collate the pages or just leave it loose?

[beanpole9791]

The Signed Govt. of India form is more than 1 page... do we need to staple/collate the pages or just leave it loose?

I just left it loose. I didn't staple anything. Should be fine that way.

[justathought]

Thanks beanpole9791, In your SELF-ATTESTATION what did you write? Just "I certify that this document is a true copy of the original" on the copy and then sign & date it? Also in your signed checklist, did you have a list of the docs you put in the envelope?

[dvpatel]

This "self attested" crap is a joke. They have had this since decades and won't give up.

[beanpole9791]

Thanks beanpole9791, In your SELF-ATTESTATION what did you write? Just "I certify that this document is a true copy of the original" on the copy and then sign & date it? Also in your signed checklist, did you have a list of the docs you put in the envelope?

I don't think it matters what you exactly write. I wrote the following: "Certified True Copy" and then signed and dated under it.

Just make sure you do NOT write/sign/date any of this such that it covers any part of the actual image of the US passport.

In the signed checklist, I just put a tick mark in the rows that list the documents that I actually included but that was more for me to do some final checking before placing it in the envelope. I don't think they'd care either way.

[justathought]

Thanks beanpole9791. One other thingy!! The signatures that we put on digitally is really screwdgy as it has to be within 1500pixels:500 pixels with a 1:3 ratio( h:w). Normal signatures would differ... Does that matter or do we need to copy our digital signtaures on the paper itself?.

[beanpole9791]

Thanks beanpole9791. One other thingy!! The signatures that we put on digitally is really screwdgy as it has to be within 1500pixels:500 pixels with a 1:3 ratio( h:w). Normal signatures would differ... Does that matter or do we need to copy our digital signtaures on the paper itself?.

I don't know the answer to that question. The digital version of my signature looks a little more squashed and stretched than my regular signature but on the whole it looks similar. I'm hoping it should not matter and if I get my OCI issued without any problems, then I will know that minor variations between digital and actual don't matter but I don't know the answer to that specific question at this time.

[beanpole9791]

Folks, just a quick note that I successfully received my OCI card.

The time from mailing my application to receiving the OCI card was 39 days.

As a reminder, here is what I did:

For others' benefit here is what I included. Note that in my case, I am US naturalized, married to OCI holder but applying based on self as root Indian and not based on OCI-holder spouse, possess the surrender certificate and canceled Indian passport.
Here is what I uploaded to Govt of India website. First two were jpegs and rest were pdfs. Nothing was attested:
* Photo
* Photo of my signature
* US passport copy
* Indian passport copy, including page that says canceled
* Surrender certificate copy
* Naturalization certificate copy
* Drivers license copy

So far, all this matches exactly what arkaa did.

Then, to VFS I mailed the following in my physical application packet:
* Signed checklist
* VFS Application confirmation receipt
* VFS Payment confirmation receipt
* Signed Govt of India form (original) with two photos attached to it with paper clips
* SELF-ATTESTED US passport copy
* Indian passport copy (including page with canceled stamp)
* Surrender certificate copy
* Signed Consent Letter (original; just followed the simplest template off Google)
* Naturalization certificate copy
* Marriage certificate copy
* Drivers license copy

I mailed the packet via FedEx using the prepaid label VFS generated.

Let's see what happens! I'll keep this thread posted with progress

[fifthman]

Folks, just a quick note that I successfully received my OCI card.

The time from mailing my application to receiving the OCI card was 39 days.

As a reminder, here is what I did:

Hi,

Did you have to send your original US Passport at any point in the application process?

[Jot18]

Hi,

Did you have to send your original US Passport at any point in the application process?

For OCI, you don't need to send US PP. The OCI booklet is separately mailed now.