Minor travelling on New / Old Passport without OCI Reissue

[ProNRI]

Why the disconnect? (Not that I am complaining)

forget about stupid call center of ckgs, they don't know. just do what i advise you.

I never understood the disconnect between the rules that Indian embassies around the world are posting and complete ignorance of them (particularly the OCI reissue requirement rule) "on the ground", where it actually matters (at the immigration check points on Indian airports).

I must say that for the first time in my life I am thankful for a "Right hand does not know what the left hand is doing" situation!

[visak]

I travelled to India last week and confirmed with both Qatar airways and Immigration at Hyderabad. They are OK with new passport, old passport having U visa and OCI card for minors. Both told me that U visa is lifelong that need to be accompanied by corresponding OCI card that is mentioned in U visa. Renewing OCI card makes it easy for you as you have to carry only current passport and OCI card.

[ProNRI]

Did you actually travel with minors and old passport, new passport and OCI card?

I travelled to India last week and confirmed with both Qatar airways and Immigration at Hyderabad. They are OK with new passport, old passport having U visa and OCI card for minors. Both told me that U visa is lifelong that need to be accompanied by corresponding OCI card that is mentioned in U visa. Renewing OCI card makes it easy for you as you have to carry only current passport and OCI card.

Great to know! Who did you ask at the immigration check point? Also, did you actually have with you any minor children whose passports were renewed, had the U visa on their old passports and the original OCI card when you traveled to India last week?

[Des Pardes]

What about PIO Card?

My kids will be travelling around Christmas 2016. Their PIO card is valid till June 2017. So carrying old passport on which those were issued and current passport is enough?
They are 17 and 20.

[ProNRI]

PIO will no longer be valid after December 31, 2016 (as per current deadline)

My kids will be travelling around Christmas 2016. Their PIO card is valid till June 2017. So carrying old passport on which those were issued and current passport is enough?
They are 17 and 20.

All PIO card holders are being forced to get OCI cards. The current deadline until which PIO will be valid is December 31, 2016.

[visak]

Great to know! Who did you ask at the immigration check point? Also, did you actually have with you any minor children whose passports were renewed, had the U visa on their old passports and the original OCI card when you traveled to India last week?

I asked the person who checks visas, passports and then stamps the passport at immigration desk in Hyderabad. My daughter passport is due for renewal next year and she is minor so will get a 5 year passport. I am not planning on renewing OCI card and just carry old and new PP along with OCI card on our next trips to India. It is expensive and headache to renew OCI card with every passport renewal for minor. I will eventually renew OCI once she is past 20 and has a 10 year passport.

[ProNRI]

How about the difference in OCI card picture and new passport picture (of the minors)

I asked the person who checks visas, passports and then stamps the passport at immigration desk in Hyderabad. My daughter passport is due for renewal next year and she is minor so will get a 5 year passport. I am not planning on renewing OCI card and just carry old and new PP along with OCI card on our next trips to India. It is expensive and headache to renew OCI card with every passport renewal for minor. I will eventually renew OCI once she is past 20 and has a 10 year passport.

Just one more curiosity: How old were your children when their OCI card was issued and how old are they now? I am trying to imagine how different their faces and new passport pictures look as compared to the pictures on their OCI cards and U visas. Remember, the whole reason why OCI cards are required to be reissued is the biological changes in minors' faces.

[visak]

She was 11 year old when OCI was issued and she is 14 now. Her passport was issued at age 10 and due for renewal next year. You know tourist visa is issued for 10 years and they can travel with passport containing tourist visa and new passport without needing to transfer visa even though the face changes in these 10 years. Actually tourist visa doesn't even contain photo, so Why can't they apply same rule to OCI card. When rest of the information matches with new passport and old passport/OCI card, then it should be valid too. Whoever creates these rules might not be conscious at that time when he is drafting it. It is just another way to make more money for consulates and their appointed agents such as CKGS.

[ProNRI]

Yes! I agree!

She was 11 year old when OCI was issued and she is 14 now. Her passport was issued at age 10 and due for renewal next year. You know tourist visa is issued for 10 years and they can travel with passport containing tourist visa and new passport without needing to transfer visa even though the face changes in these 10 years. Actually tourist visa doesn't even contain photo, so Why can't they apply same rule to OCI card. When rest of the information matches with new passport and old passport/OCI card, then it should be valid too. Whoever creates these rules might not be conscious at that time when he is drafting it. It is just another way to make more money for consulates and their appointed agents such as CKGS.

Yes, I agree! And that's why OCI has turned out to be a fraud, and now a money-making scheme for the government officials and their appointed agencies like CKGS (USA) and BLS (Canada).

However, I have asked couple of people that I know had the same situation as you (and I) and they all have traveled to India with their kids without any issues (carrying original OCI cards (not reissued), old passports with the U visa sticker and renewed passports.

[skmami]

I travelled to Hyderabad

We travelled to Hyderabad in Dec of 2015 and I had first gotten OCI card for my child when she was 2 years old and I had renewed her US passport two times since I recieved her OCI card. She was 11 years old when we travelled in December with all the old passports (total three passports including current passport) along with OCI card. We had no issues. The U-Visa stamp on her first passport shows it is a LifeLong. If it is limited to as long as their passport is valid then they should change that to reflect that appropriately. Otherwise I think it amounts to pure cheating.

[visak]

Did immigration in Hyderabad asked you to show all the old passports (especially the middle one as the first would have U visa and latest is the current one)? I was told that current passport and original passport containing U visa along with OCI card would be sufficient for them to allow entry.

[ProNRI]

You should have no problem!

Hi
My family will be traveling to India in about a month. We all have OCI cards, however my kids passports were renewed last year. Since we don't have time to apply for reissue of OCI based on the new passport I was going to apply for Entry Visa for my kids.

I wanted to check if anyone has any recent experience entering India, with minors travelling with Old & New passport and their OCI card.

Thanks
Vik

I have asked few families (including the latest typical case during this summer) who actually tested the "system" by not renewing their kids' OCI cards despite falling in the age range that requires it (as per the CKGS and Indian consulate websites) and traveled to India with the kids, and they had no problem at the immigration check points in India.

Although, to be safe, I would carry all old passports, original OCI cards and new passports. Needless to say, never carry your old Indian passports with you. It is illegal.

[traveltoindia]

OCI minor

Sorry to bring this up yet again - any recent experiences with traveling with minor to India (Delhi), with new US passport + Old US passport + OCI card? ie, OCI not renewed for minor? Found out too late, do not want to renew before trip, in case I don;t get original documents back from CKGS.

thanks

[milli]

Sorry to bring this up yet again - any recent experiences with traveling with minor to India (Delhi), with new US passport + Old US passport + OCI card? ie, OCI not renewed for minor? Found out too late, do not want to renew before trip, in case I don;t get original documents back from CKGS.

thanks

U stamp was neither checked nor old passport was asked @ chennai this week. Not worth the time/cost getting the OCI reissued.

[traveltoindia]

U stamp was neither checked nor old passport was asked @ chennai this week. Not worth the time/cost getting the OCI reissued.

Awesome, thanks for the update!