Recent experience of Kids OCI re-issue due to new passport

[karan76]

Travelling to India with kids' old passports with OCI stamps, OCI cards,new passports

This is to confirm if my childrens' old Australian passports (with the OCI stickers), their "Certificates of Registration/OCI cards" and their new Australian passports would be sufficient for them to travel to India along with us.

Would very much appreciate any inputs or recent experience of anyone traveling to India in the above scenario.

[karan76]

Travelling to India with kids' old passports with OCI stamps, OCI cards,new passports

This is to confirm if my childrens' old Australian passports (with the OCI stickers), their "Certificates of Registration (issued in 2012)" and their new Australian passports would be sufficient for them to travel to India along with us.

Would very much appreciate if anyone could share their recent experience travelling to India in the above scenario.

[ProNRI]

That's great news!

I reached out to Bureau of Immigration officer at Mumbai airport to get this information for Minor OCI Holders. I even called air line through which I'm travelling and they agreed to this as well. Now, I can sleep at night.

He can visit India only he should carry his old passport with U visa sticker , OCI card and his new passport.

OCI/PIO Cell,
FRRO, Mumbai

Would you share the phone number/e-mail that you used to contact the OCI/PIO Cell FRRO Mumbai? Also, was this also true for any person whose passport is renewed before the age of 21 or after the age of 50?

Jaydeep

[ProNRI]

Good thinking!

If in doubt, better to go for new OCI (updated OCI). If PIO/OCI was taken when kid was 2 years old and if you are travelling now (say kid is 10 years), its better to take new OCI.

Thanks! But I hope I can get away with my new passport (renewed after 50 years of age) and original OCI and U visa on old passport (OCI issued in 2007) when I travel to India this December.

This whole nonsense of OCI renewal requirement that came from nowhere (after luring us with lifetime validity of visa to India) is a money-making scheme, it seems.

[sunrag1]

What is the guarantee that the immigration officer in India will not go by what you are stating? My kids' pictures look different than their current US passport (renewed) as compared to their OCI visa on the old passport and on the actual OCI card, but same names, so do they ignore the pictures at the Indian airports?

Jaydeep

If in doubt, better to go for new OCI (updated OCI). If PIO/OCI was taken when kid was 2 years old and if you are travelling now (say kid is 10 years), its better to take new OCI.

[ProNRI]

This is not new... Even for PIO same info was there. However there is no need to endorsement once new passport is issues. If name changes are not there then we can carry old and new passports along with old PIO/OCI cards.

What is the guarantee that the immigration officer in India will not go by what you are stating? My kids' pictures look different than their current US passport (renewed) as compared to their OCI visa on the old passport and on the actual OCI card, but same names, so do they ignore the pictures at the Indian airports?

Jaydeep

[sunrag1]

As per the CKGS website https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/oci-categories.shtml, as of January 2016 there is an age stipulation to the provision of entry with three documents (old passport with U visa sticker, new passport and OCI card). With this new policy in effect, unless you renew your US passport between the age of 20 and 49 years, you MUST get your OCI cards reissued. Although, I am sincerely hoping that I am wrong.

As per the Indian Govt website we are required to have OCI card reissued unless our US passport is renewed between the age of 20 and 49:

http://mha1.nic.in/pdfs/GuidelinesOCI.pdf

Also, the Consulate General of India, Washington, DC has officially posted this travel advisory:

https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=20

They have got us chained, guys!

World's biggest democracy = World's worst bureaucracy (why do we have to go through the same tedious and pathetically painful application process as if we are applying for a brand new OCI card!!)

This is not new... Even for PIO same info was there. However there is no need to endorsement once new passport is issues. If name changes are not there then we can carry old and new passports along with old PIO/OCI cards.

[ProNRI]

OCI card holders versus 10 year tourist visa holders!

Add the cost of notary fees $$$ as well (requires almost all documents to be notarized which is crazy!!)

I would like to add a very important piece of information that will make your jaw drop!

Please see this policy for tourist visa, as stated on the official website URL below:

"The Validity of an Existing Tourist Visa does not expire if a Visa holder acquires a New passport (if old passport has expired or is damaged), as long as his / her personal particulars (Name has remained the same and nationality of the holder has not changed.) The visa holder can travel carrying their old passport with a valid Indian Tourist Visa along with new passport."

http://ww2.in.ckgs.us/visa/type-of-v...ist-visa.shtml

So, that means the OCI card/visa holders are being penalized for opting for a premium choice visa for which we paid 3 times more than the tourist visa fees. Not to mention, so much for being of the Indian origin, having the so called status of "Overseas Citizens of India" while we are being treated worse than those who would only have a 10 year tourist visa and a lot of them are not even of the Indian origin.

Personal example: My children and I have our OCI visa issued less than 10 years ago, and yet all of us are being forced to reapply all over again (despite having lifetime validity endorsed on our OCI card and visa in the passport) just because we are only renewing our US passports and that too with no change in our names. We too should be allowed to have the same luxury as a tourist visa holder has ("The visa holder can travel carrying their old passport with a valid Indian Tourist Visa along with new passport.")

My point is that the new policy for OCI visa/card holders is illogical, discriminatory, inconsistent, counter-productive and therefore unnecessary.

[jvnanavaty]

Has anyone done this after January 2016?

no worry just travel with 3 ppts

As per the CKGS website https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/oci-categories.shtml, as of January 2016 there is an age stipulation to the provision of entry with three documents (old passport with U visa sticker, new passport and OCI card). With this new policy in effect, unless you renew your US passport between the age of 20 and 49 years, you MUST get your OCI cards reissued. Although, I am sincerely hoping that I am wrong.

As per the Indian Govt website we are required to have OCI card reissued unless our US passport is renewed between the age of 20 and 49:

http://mha1.nic.in/pdfs/GuidelinesOCI.pdf

Also, the Consulate General of India, Washington, DC has officially posted this travel advisory:

https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=20

They have got us chained, guys!

World's biggest democracy = World's worst bureaucracy (why do we have to go through the same tedious and pathetically painful application process as if we are applying for a brand new OCI card!!)

[proonindiandoc]

For anyone looking for information with regards to getting OCI re-issued on the child's new passport, here is the link to Bureau of Immigration, Govt of India, you are allowed entry as long as you are carrying the old cancelled passport that had the visa type "U" for LIFELONG

http://boi.gov.in/content/visa-requirement

"
Overseas Citizen Of India (OCI) :-
Passengers who are carrying old cancelled passports having Life Long Indian "U" Visa Sticker affixed on it along with new passport are allowed entry into India.
Even if the OCI card holder acquires nationality of a different country, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh, he/she is also allowed entry into India provided he/she is carrying his/her old passport having Life Long Indian "U" Visa sticker pasted on it along with the new passport of the recently acquired nationality.
"

no worry just travel with 3 ppts

[rareddy]

For anyone looking for information with regards to getting OCI re-issued on the child's new passport, here is the link to Bureau of Immigration, Govt of India, you are allowed entry as long as you are carrying the old cancelled passport that had the visa type "U" for LIFELONG

http://boi.gov.in/content/visa-requirement

"
Overseas Citizen Of India (OCI) :-
Passengers who are carrying old cancelled passports having Life Long Indian "U" Visa Sticker affixed on it along with new passport are allowed entry into India.
Even if the OCI card holder acquires nationality of a different country, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh, he/she is also allowed entry into India provided he/she is carrying his/her old passport having Life Long Indian "U" Visa sticker pasted on it along with the new passport of the recently acquired nationality.
"

[proonindiandoc]

$15 courier fees is incorrect

Now you need to send your NEW/OLD Original US passport with your application Which they send it back in 2 weeks ( $15)
At Match up again you send your original passport again and to receive it back ($15)
You are also not counting fees for sending your passport TWICE and if you follow their guidelines ($15 + $15)
If you even send it by USPS Priority signature mail it will cost you $10 (2 time)
So courier fees using their courier $15,15,15,15 = $60
if you send by USPS $5,15,5,15 = $40
You are much better of spending extra $20 using their courier

no physical passport to return separate, my break down of cost is correct, outbound from applicant is not mandatory to use ckgs courier unless do so. only sending the physical last held passport with U-visa and OCI for misc. unless applicant is sending to other jurisdictions than San Francisco, but they can choose another courier, you can't force them again to choose ckgs courier.

[SamIam1]

payment correction:

OCI reissue: $25
service fee:$17
ICWF: 3
courier: $15
totally payment enclose to application is $60.

submission courier is upon your selection do I can't and shouldn't calculate to the expense. If submit to San Francisco center no notary is required for adults, if for minor only parental authorization for minor to be notarized, and do not send physical current passport or parents' passport for verification, only U-visa passport and OCI card to send

$15 courier fees is incorrect (For most US NRI'S)

Now you need to send your NEW/OLD Original US passport with your application Which they send it back in 2 weeks ( $15)
At Match up again you send your original passport again and to receive it back ($15)
You are also not counting fees for sending your passport TWICE and if you follow their guidelines ($15 + $15)
If you even send it by USPS Priority signature mail it will cost you $10 (2 time)
So courier fees using their courier $15,15,15,15 = $60
if you send by USPS $5,15,5,15 = $40
You are much better of spending extra $20 using their courier

[proonindiandoc]

Add the cost of notary fees $$$ as well (requires almost all documents to be notarized which is crazy!!)

payment correction:

OCI reissue: $25
service fee:$17
ICWF: 3
courier: $15
totally payment enclose to application is $60.

submission courier is upon your selection do I can't and shouldn't calculate to the expense. If submit to San Francisco center no notary is required for adults, if for minor only parental authorization for minor to be notarized, and do not send physical current passport or parents' passport for verification, only U-visa passport and OCI card to send

[milli]

OCI Fees $25.00
ICWF Fees $3.00
CKGS Fees $17.00
dOC MAIL $15.00
Orig.Passport back $15.00
Match up send $15.00
Receive back $15.00

Total = $105.00 Exact

Add the cost of notary fees $$$ as well (requires almost all documents to be notarized which is crazy!!)