Minor travelling on New / Old Passport without OCI Reissue

[kpat2704]

Reissue is not needed for any one.

Hi

Much has been discussed about the renewal of OCI requirements for minor up to the age of 21 and for the over 50s.
I would like to share my recent experience as this forum has been quite informative for my travel needs. I travelled to Jaipur from London on 22/10/2017. Both my daughters (aged 13 and 15) had new passports, however, the OCI referenced the old passport numbers. Both old passports had the now defunct Uvisa stickers. My wife (aged 46) had her passport renewed too. According to the rules as stated on the website, she would be fine as hadn't reached 50 yet. My passport was still valid with the OCI it referenced. I mention the above as it covers most scenarios. I did carry all the old passports with me.
As a side note, I did try to get the OCI re-issued for my daughters to reference the new passports. However, the whole process is a total joke and nightmare. They would quite happily accept a postal application for a new OCI but re-issuance requires a personal trip to the embassy which is an uphill struggle at the best of times. I also e-mailed VFS to ask for their opinion but they replied with a standard cut and paste from the website which states that OCI needs to be re-issued for minors.

Anyway, I decided to chance it. My travel agent friend advised me that if old and new passports were carried there would be no issue. He was also talking from his own personal trip. When we landed in Jaipur, I just handed in the new passports and the OCI cards but did not show the old passports. I was expecting the officer to ask me for these. To my surprise, no such information was requested and we were able to clear immigration without any issue.

This was my experience but would of course add that each officer, airport, etc. may have their own way of operating.

Hope this helps.

[agoudar]

Travelled with Old US Passports /OCI/

Hi All:
First, let me thank all of you for your inputs which has helped me. Because I got confused when a buddy of mine calls me up today morning asking me the same questions as in this forum.
Let me share my experience.
Frankly I never knew about the new directives posted on Consulate web page about the Age < 20 >50 years criteria for re-issue of OCI.
Last year my daughter < 20 years and me > 50 years decided to travel to India with our OCI+New passport + Old passport with U visa sticker.
First I handed my new passport ( issued 2012-no India Visa stamp) to the immigration officer along with just the OCI card. (issued in 2004). Officer examines them and asks for Old passport with Indian visa stamp. I handed it and asked him if it was mandatory along with OCI. He said yes.
He processed it and I was good to go.
Then my daughter who has 2 old US passports since she was a baby plus new passport. Indian Visa is in the very first baby passport. Hands the 2 passports along with OCI. Officer checks the Indian 'U' Visa + OCI + New passport and even she is good to go.

In short --> The stamped indian Visa clearly states "lifetime validity". Besides they cannot ignore the rules of visa issuance pre-2015. The whole confusion is the way these Indian consulates dish out half baked information on their web sites. All that is needed is a statement in clear terms that OCI and VISA will be integrated into one from 2015 onwards.
By the way I have been travelling with age = 50 years for the last 5 years and had no problems..

[Aniraz]

OCI with Passport renewal

Hi, I am in the same boat and have to trvel due to a family emergency. Can you please share your experience at Indian immigration. Did you face any issue at all? I have just renewed my 10 year old's passport and applied for OCI renewal but not going to get it in time..

Thanks,
Shantanu

Hi , Now I am in the same condition. My daughter is Malaysian with OCI, We are travelling from Malaysia. Will there be any issue in Malaysia Airport or Indian Airport when we travel with OCI having cancelled passports number.

Please help

[jkamdar]

Hi, I went thru the same issue last year, I was travelling with my kids renewed passports which didn't have the OCI VISA, but I did not face any issues since we had the old passport that has the U VISA, we are travelling this year, looks like some wording has changed on the consular general website, saying that it's mandatory to get OCI re-issued each time a minor gets a new passport. Did some calling around, talked to people, finally on the Bureau of Immigration website found this information which clearly states that as long as you carry the old passport that has the LIFELONG U visa type, you should be good to enter the country.

Here is the link.

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.

I am hoping this holds true. We are travelling with 2 sons in 3 days. My wife and I have turned 50 and one of my son is now 22. He was 16 when we got his OCI card and now he has a new passport. I was worried that we have to get new OCI, but based on what I have read here and other threads, I don't need to. To be safe, I will carry the old passport with U sticker.

However, what a mess!!! It's so confusing. Why can't they get it together? I will update this thread, after I go through later on.

[Sharika]

Hi all
Have a huge problem.
Travelling to India tomorrow with my two sons whose passports have been renewed last year they are 16 and 19.Only just found out that their OCI should have been renewed 😔I have their old passports with U travel stamp.
Will they be allowed travel? are the customs very strict.
Thanks for any advice very stressed.

[Sharika]

I am hoping this holds true. We are travelling with 2 sons in 3 days. My wife and I have turned 50 and one of my son is now 22. He was 16 when we got his OCI card and now he has a new passport. I was worried that we have to get new OCI, but based on what I have read here and other threads, I don't need to. To be safe, I will carry the old passport with U sticker.

However, what a mess!!! It's so confusing. Why can't they get it together? I will update this thread, after I go through later on.

Hi did you have any trouble travelling?

[Sharika]

Can you please update if you were allowed entry to India without hassle? My son 16 years has got his passport renewed but we dont have enough time to get OCI reissued. He is travelling next month.

Please any latest updates on this?
Just realised this is an issue travelling tomorrow with my sons.

[skahuja]

any updates

Please any latest updates on this?
Just realised this is an issue travelling tomorrow with my sons.

hi Sharika.. did you face any issues? pl advise. thanks much!

[jkamdar]

I am hoping this holds true. We are travelling with 2 sons in 3 days. My wife and I have turned 50 and one of my son is now 22. He was 16 when we got his OCI card and now he has a new passport. I was worried that we have to get new OCI, but based on what I have read here and other threads, I don't need to. To be safe, I will carry the old passport with U sticker.

However, what a mess!!! It's so confusing. Why can't they get it together? I will update this thread, after I go through later on.

Reporting back on my experience:
So as everybody has mentioned, I didn't have any issue. I and my wife have turned 50 since we got OCI and one of my son, who was minor, when we go OCI for him and now he is 22 and does have a new US passport . So I was worried and as a matter of fact, got visa on arrival as I didn't want to take any chance. However, I never had to use visa that we got for him. We just showed an old OCI book along with his US passport and no issue at all. I was wondering, if they will notice that he has a visa as well. No question was asked while going, but he was asked while leaving India, but didn't have any issue.

Hope this helps. I still wonder, if I should get new OCI for them or not.

[hypeslayer]

Reporting back on my experience:
So as everybody has mentioned, I didn't have any issue. I and my wife have turned 50 since we got OCI and one of my son, who was minor, when we go OCI for him and now he is 22 and does have a new US passport . So I was worried and as a matter of fact, got visa on arrival as I didn't want to take any chance. However, I never had to use visa that we got for him. We just showed an old OCI book along with his US passport and no issue at all. I was wondering, if they will notice that he has a visa as well. No question was asked while going, but he was asked while leaving India, but didn't have any issue.

Hope this helps. I still wonder, if I should get new OCI for them or not.

Thanks for the info.
I'm in a similar boat. (OCI at age 16, passport renewed after 21)
I called cox and kings, the guy said I need to get it transferred.
I called the FRRO directly, they said I'm fine, I don't need to get my OCI reissued to travel to India.
I called cox and kings again just to see if a different call center employee has a different opinion. They're consistent, I'll give them that.

I'm inclined to trust the FRRO on this one.

[navk]

Travelling in 6 weeks

Hello everyone,

Seeking your guidance.

Converted the PIOs for my Son and daughter to OCI a while back.
My daughter got a U visa in her passport along with OCI.
My son did not get the U visa. We received the OCI only. Called up CGI and got a response that they are getting away from issuing the U Visas along with OCI.
With the long processing times, I don't think I can get their OCIs reissued.
Now we have renewed both my son's and daughter's passport as their previous passports expired. They are currently 10 yrs and 6 yrs resp.
Based on the replies to this thread, I think there will not be any issue for my daughter as she has the U visa on her expired passport and I can carr -y the OCI and her old passport as well.

What are the options in my son's case? He doesnt have the U Visa in his expired passport. In the OCI, he has a stamp that says OCI should be reissued when he gets a new passport. It also says Visa - Validity unlimited. or some thing in those lines.

Please advise.

[navk]

Resolution

Hello everyone,

Seeking your guidance.

Converted the PIOs for my Son and daughter to OCI a while back.
My daughter got a U visa in her passport along with OCI.
My son did not get the U visa. We received the OCI only. Called up CGI and got a response that they are getting away from issuing the U Visas along with OCI.
With the long processing times, I don't think I can get their OCIs reissued.
Now we have renewed both my son's and daughter's passport as their previous passports expired. They are currently 10 yrs and 6 yrs resp.
Based on the replies to this thread, I think there will not be any issue for my daughter as she has the U visa on her expired passport and I can carr -y the OCI and her old passport as well.

What are the options in my son's case? He doesnt have the U Visa in his expired passport. In the OCI, he has a stamp that says OCI should be reissued when he gets a new passport. It also says Visa - Validity unlimited. or some thing in those lines.

Please advise.

Sent an email to CGI and got a positive response.

"Your child may travel on OCI Card carrying both Old and New Passport

Your child may apply for OCI Re-issue when he comes back from his travel to India to update the information on his OCI Card."

[vikky789]

For Recent New OCI applications, they are taking passport along with application in initial step and returning USA passport within one week after they verifying it but OCI issue process will continue for another 60 days.
i checked my kid USA passport which was returned and it does not have any U Visa sticker. was this old process?? i am not sure what is this U sticker in passport?

- - - Updated - - -

Hello everyone,

Seeking your guidance.

Converted the PIOs for my Son and daughter to OCI a while back.
My daughter got a U visa in her passport along with OCI.
My son did not get the U visa. We received the OCI only. Called up CGI and got a response that they are getting away from issuing the U Visas along with OCI.
With the long processing times, I don't think I can get their OCIs reissued.
Now we have renewed both my son's and daughter's passport as their previous passports expired. They are currently 10 yrs and 6 yrs resp.
Based on the replies to this thread, I think there will not be any issue for my daughter as she has the U visa on her expired passport and I can carr -y the OCI and her old passport as well.

What are the options in my son's case? He doesnt have the U Visa in his expired passport. In the OCI, he has a stamp that says OCI should be reissued when he gets a new passport. It also says Visa - Validity unlimited. or some thing in those lines.

Please advise.

looks like they are not giving U sticker in passport any more when anyone apply for OCI these days. so can we travel without U sticker in expired passport and with new renewed passport and with old OCI?

[navk]

For Recent New OCI applications, they are taking passport along with application in initial step and returning USA passport within one week after they verifying it but OCI issue process will continue for another 60 days.
i checked my kid USA passport which was returned and it does not have any U Visa sticker. was this old process?? i am not sure what is this U sticker in passport?

- - - Updated - - -





looks like they are not giving U sticker in passport any more when anyone apply for OCI these days. so can we travel without U sticker in expired passport and with new renewed passport and with old OCI?

Yes we can. Just carry the old and new passports.

[Jr19]

Hello everyone, we recently travelled to India on the 1st of March 2018 and returned to London on the 15th of April. I went with my 16 year old son and 8 year old daughter. They had renewed there British passports a couple of weeks before traveling but we were only told one week before that my son and daughter need to renew their OCI because they have recently renewed their passports but we didn?t have time to do so. We therefore took a risk and took their old passports, new passports and the OCI. We arrived in Chennai and the immigration officer didn?t question us about my Son or daughters OCI at all. He did not ask to see the old passports either.We were absolutely clear to enter India. So just thought I would share my recent experience with you guys that if you plan to travel to India with old OCI for minors, there shouldn?t be a problem. But I would recommend to take the old passports too just in case. Hope this helps.