OCI Card

CKGS contract with the Government of India is ending on October 31st, 2020. Thus, applicants only with the compelling reason are requested to contact the Indian Mission/post directly to apply for the Indian Passport, OCI, Renunciation, and Indian Visa.

CKGS website will not allow applicants to fill out any new application, w.e.f. October 14th, 2020 at 5pm EST.

Incomplete applications currently waiting for the missing documents shall be returned to the applicant on October 16th, 2020, evening using their shipping payment or a prepaid envelope if the requested documents are not received on or before October 16th, 2020.

Processed documents without a return shipping label or the return shipping payment shall be submitted to the Indian Mission/post on October 19th, 2020 morning.
Applications/documents without a return shipping label or the return shipping payment shall be submitted to the Indian Mission/Post on October 19th, 2020 morning.
New Postal applications will not be accepted by CKGS, w.e.f. October 19th, 2020. Applications/Mission documents received on or before October 16th, 2020, shall be accepted and processed by CKGS.
The applicant, with a compelling reason only, would need to contact the Indian Mission/Posts for further information.

The applicant will be able to track their application status on the CKGS website, which is already under process at CKGS or Indian Embassy/Consulate even after October 31st, 2020.

Hello

Where to get printout of photos for oci card ?

HI,

Wanted to know if anyone has experience of how to deal with this situation. My son has a medical condition (ptosis) due to which his right eye does not open when looking straight. However CKGS has rejected his photo as they do not meet their requirements and have asked for new ones.
At this point i can only think of getting a doctor's note explaining this. Anyone been through this experience? If you can let me know what can be done, that will be great.

I cannot speak to anyone at CKGS asking this as their call centers are closed. Also no walk-ins allowed.

Thank you in advance.

Hi,
I am not able to choose CKGS FedEx shipping option in OCI Application - Get Started page. I can only choose "I will use my own airway bill". That is the only option available in the dropdown menu. Based on the application guide CKGS is claiming they are not responsible for pickup or delivery of OCI card if we did not choose FedEx. That makes me nervous to send it through UPS.

Has anyone used UPS for OCI.

Thanks !

I am not able to get the option for Prepay Shipping Service offered by CKGS. The only option for shipping the documents and receiving the documents is by "I will use my own airway bill". I am not sure if any process has changes and CKGS has stopped their service to provide Prepay Shipping Option

The actual turn-around time was 5 business days but the OCI renewal process is tricky and experiences in this section help me a lot. So hopefully the below steps helps future applications.

PROCESS:

1. Take recent passport photo (ensure that it is not the same one in current passport), then get a digital copy and modify it to the specifications (JPEG, Max size should 200kb, minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height) and maximum dimensions are 900 pixels (width) x 900 pixels (height))
2. For children (5 or above - take a photo of their signature and below 5, take a photo of their thumb impression) and modify it to the specifications (JPEG, Max size should 200kb, aspect ratio 1:3, minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 67 pixels (height) and maximum dimensions are 900 pixels (width) x 300 pixels (height))
3. Start with CKGS website (OCI and How to Apply) and click on the link to the GOI website
4. Complete Part A & Part B of the application form and upload the photos from #1 and #2
5. DO NOT COMPLETE SUBMISSION or PRINT THE FINAL APPLICATION FORM (as you need to upload a notarized copy of a document obtained from #6)
6. Using the "USAW **** **" number obtained from #4, go back to CKGS (OCI and OCI Application - Getting Started), complete the details and create an account. From the CKGS account page, download all the required documents except the SHIPPING LABEL (as it would activate it and you need to use it within the allocated time)
7. The form "Parental Authorization Form" needs to be signed by the father and mother and needs to be notarized (both of you should sign in front of notary). Once notarized, scan it to a PDF
8. Upload below documents to GOI website under the below categories. Only ONE FILE can be uploaded PER CATEGORY which means for some categories where you need to upload both parents'documents, you need to combine them into ONE PDF document. Also files uploaded should be less than 1MB each. I have listed what I uploaded under the below categories but do your due diligence as well:
  - ADDRESS PROOF - Recent gas or electricity or water bill
  - CURRENT PASSPORT - current passport of the child
  - INDIAN ORIGIN PROOF - combined file of passports of father and mother
  - INDIAN VISA - previous OCI card
  - LEGAL STATUS OF PARENTS - combined file of visa / I-797 of father and mother
  - MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - of father and mother
  - PARENTAL AUTHORIZATION - the scanned notarized file "Parental Authorization Form" from #7
  - RELATIONSHIP CERTIFICATE - Birth certificate of the child
9. After uploading, generate the OCI Application Form from GOI website
10. Get notary for Affidavit in Liew of Originals and the OCI Application Form. These 2 documents need to be signed by the child, father and mother.
11. From the checklist obtained in CKGS, order the documents in the same order
12. Generate the shipping label and attach the bar code (part of the downloads from #6) and send through designated postal service.

NOTARY:

1. Parental Authorization Form
2. Affidavit in Liew of Originals
3. OCI Application Form

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS TO SEND:

1. Old OCI Card
2. All 3 notarized originals from the "NOTARY" list above

OTHER INFO:

1. Passport photos from Costco
2. Cashier's check from bank for $75 (OCI Re-Issue for New Passport Fees - 25.00, ICWF Fee - 3.00, CKGS Service Fee - 17.00, SHIPPING From You to CKGS - 15.00, From CKGS to You - 15.00)
3. Notary from bank
4. I did not self attest any of the other documents / copies

TIMELINE:

Sep 22, 2020 - Documents sent via UPS.
Sep 23, 2020 - Application ‘Received’ by CKGS and 'Not Verified'.
Sep 23, 2020 - Application Verification is ‘Complete’. Processing of your application will continue. Full payment received and payment receipt sent to your registered email ID.
Sep 24, 2020 - Application is ‘Under Process’ at CKGS.
Sep 24, 2020 - Application is 'In Transit' to the Embassy.
Sep 24, 2020 - Application is 'Under Process' at Embassy for decision making.
Sep 28, 2020 - Application 'Reviewed' by Embassy and ‘In Transit’ to CKGS Application Centre.
Sep 28, 2020 - OCI Card ‘Received’ at the CKGS application centre and is at the ‘Sorting Facility’ where it is being processed for delivery.
Sep 28, 2020 - OCI Card picked up by UPS.
Sep 29, 2020 - UPS Delivered OCI Card.

New OCI card application.
Aug. 14, 2020, Fri- ‘Application received’
Aug. 14, Fri- ‘Application verification is complete’
Aug. 17, Mon- ‘Application in transit to consulate’
Aug. 18, Tue- ‘Passport reviewed by consulate’; ‘Application under process at consulate’
Aug. 18, Tue- Original passport returned by UPS

Aug. 19, Wed- Date of acknowledgment; application status- ‘under process’
Sep. 16, Wed- Document printing status- ‘processed’
Sep. 25, Fri- ‘Dispatched from MEA (OCI)’

Sep. 25, Fri- OCI card in transit from Consulate to Cox & Kings; card dispatched from San Francisco
Sep. 28, Mon- OCI card received

Every time I deal with CKGS-Consulate in Chicago, I experience the most professional and fastest service:

New OCI Application - Received by CKGS on 17th Sept at 12.30pm, and US passport shipped by them in 3 hours, after verification at CKGS and Consulate. WONDERFUL. A total of 8 steps in 3 hours.

I sent a mail requesting if my OCI could be expedited, I got a clear response within hours as well as a personal phone call from consulate.

I am proud to be of Indian origin.

Ramna Gupta

OCI-Application Status Details (as on 25/09/2020 07:21 PM IST)

Applicant Name YYYY YYYY X YYYY YYYY XX
File Reference Number USA YYYY YYYY X
Date Of Acknowledgment 04-SEP-2020
Registration Status at Mission CHICAGO
OCI- Number A YYYY ZZZ
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 24-SEP-2020
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 24-SEP-2020
Document received At CHICAGO On 24-SEP-2020

CKGI Updates :

Sep 24, 2020 - Thursday05:26 pm OCI Card picked up by UPS from CKGS in the Pre Paid Envelope provided by you.

Your AWB Number is 1Z610X990 YYYY YYYY X

To track the ‘Progress of Your Shipment’, log onto the site of your Service Provider and enter your AWB Number.
Sep 24, 2020 - Thursday03:46 pm OCI Card ‘Received’ at the CKGS application center and is at the ‘Sorting Facility’ where it is being processed for delivery.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 24, 2020 - Thursday03:44 pm Application 'Reviewed' by Consulate and ‘In Transit’ to CKGS Application Centre.
 
Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday05:17 pm Original Passport handed over to by CKGS in the Pre Paid Envelope provided by you.

Your AWB Number is 1Z610X990 YYYY YYYY XX

To track the ‘Progress of Your Shipment’, log onto the site of your Service Provider and enter your AWB Number.

Your OCI Application will continue and take the pre-defined processing time. Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday04:55 pm Original Passport ‘Received’ at the CKGS application centre and is at the ‘Sorting Facility’ where it is being processed for delivery.

Your OCI Application will continue and take the pre-defined processing time. Please continue tracking your application status online.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday04:55 pm Passport 'Reviewed' by Consulate and is ‘In Transit’ to CKGS Application Centre.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday04:51 pm Application is 'Under Process' at Consulate for decision making.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday04:34 pm Application is 'In Transit' to the Consulate.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday04:19 pm Application is ‘Under Process’ at CKGS.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday01:35 pm Application Verification is ‘Complete’. Processing of your application will continue.

Full payment received and payment receipt sent to your registered email ID.

The Consulate may request for further documents over and above those already submitted as per the Document Checklist.

Please continue tracking your application status online.
Sep 03, 2020 - Thursday01:01 pm Application ‘Received’ by CKGS and 'Not Verified'.

You will receive an E-mail advising you of the outcome of the verification process.

Hi, We applied for an OCI card for my US born son at the end of August. This would be on the basis of his grandparents being Indian. We heard back right away with a couple of things they still needed from us. We sent these things in, and are assuming it was all fine since the process continued, the application was sent to the consulate and we got his passport back. It seems like everyone who has posted their process on this forum had a date for when the GOI website acknowledged their application, right around the time the passport was sent back. Seeing this, I got on the GOI website today and tried tracking my son's application. It says there is no such application. This is very worrisome! I was expecting his card in the next few weeks. Should I be concerned? Did anyone else in a similar situation receive their OCI card despite no acknowledgement on the GOI website? If our circumstance is unusual, where can I go for help?!