OCI Card/Visa is now cancelled EVERY TIME when US passport is renewed

[sunapana]

new OCI regulation complex and not good

This is an official travel advisory/policy posted by the Indian embassy, which effectively states that existing Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card/visa becomes INVALID EVERY TIME when the OCI card/visa holder's US passport is renewed before 21 years of age and once after 49 years of age:

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

To say the least the above is clearly an anti-NRI policy that is selectively attacking OCI card holders while 10 year tourist visa holders are allowed to carry old passport with visa and renewed passport to travel to India. This policy and the requirements thereof are in direct contradiction to the PM Modi's claim and promise to make immigration to India NRI-friendly. Needless to mention, this policy and the execution of it will have a significantly negative business impact on NRIs' immigration to India.

As per the requirement under this new policy, every time an existing OCI card holder renews their US passport before the age of 21 years and once after the age of 49 years their OCI card/visa (despite having lifetime validity endorsement) becomes invalid. As a result, all existing OCI card/visa holders are now being forced to reapply to get their OCI cards reissued every time when their US passport is renewed before 21 years of age and once after 50 years of age. Effectively, this policy imposes restriction on NRIs in that unless NRIs get their OCI card reissued after renewal of their US passport, they will not be allowed to travel to India, despite possessing OCI visa card that clearly reads "Validity: LIFELONG".

On top of this agony, the application for getting OCI card reissued involves significant yet unnecessary hardship by means of an extremely cumbersome, tedious and lengthy process, as it means applying for OCI card/visa all over again every time when one renews their US passport. The application for OCI card reissue/renewal also requires submitting same amount of paperwork as if one is applying for the first time, and then imposes a long waiting period of two long months - all this just to get existing OCI card reissued.

Please take a look at the CKGS website (CKGS is the official partner of the Indian Consulate, providing consular services for applying for/reissuing of OCI card, visas, etc) to see how much is involved in getting one's OCI card reissued:

https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/oci-categories.shtml

Take a look at the long list of documents that one has to supply just to renew their existing OCI card, just to get the idea of how the NRIs are being harassed just for maintaining their existing OCI card validity that was promised to be lifelong in the first place:

https://www.in.ckgs.us/resources/pdf/oci/oci-re-issue-new-passport-us-adult.pdf

Ironically, US passport holders with 10 year tourist visa are EXEMPT from having to even transfer visa from old passport to renewed passport! They are allowed to carry the old passport and the new passport to travel to India!

I must say that all NRIs with OCI cards have been cheated, as we were first granted lifetime validity visa/OCI (by charging the fee of almost $300 per person, and requiring a lengthy application process, with all the required documentation that we had to submit) and now the government of India does not want to honor their own endorsement and is forcing people to apply all over, again and again!

I have Tweeted PM Modi and Sushma Swaraj (and I think we all should), and appealed them to have the the Indian embassies in the USA and other countries retract this totally unfair policy or, at the least, to make the OCI card renewal/reissue process simple, easy, straight forward, and quick by requiring only the so called "match up" step, where the agency staff performs transfer of the lifelong visa from an existing OCI card to a new reissued OCI card.

If this policy is not retracted or modified, all NRIs with OCI cards will face significant hardship when wanting to travel to India on a renewed US passport.

New OCI regulation is complex. New rules are requiring many documentation for a person re-applying for OCI. This is more work for the individuals and government. OCI re-apply rule is providing exception for people aged between 21 - 50. For people under 20 or over 50 they have to re-apply OCI whenever US passport changes. This is discrimination and sad.

[proonindiandoc]

New OCI regulation is complex. New rules are requiring many documentation for a person re-applying for OCI. This is more work for the individuals and government. OCI re-apply rule is providing exception for people aged between 21 - 50. For people under 20 or over 50 they have to re-apply OCI whenever US passport changes. This is discrimination and sad.

well, I don't know where the information you found and how long ago. OCI re-issue had been coming to easiest way ever before, no proof of renunciation, for re-issue of OCI. Plus, the "Must" is never straight to the OCI holder with an expired passport, they always and cannot be stopped by the custom at any time, if the photo on the OCI card and the current passport not much different. and the rule of before 50 years old must make at least one OCI renewal is B.S, never never ever.

[jkamdar]

Hi,
I wanted to share my recent experience on traveling to India after passport renewal (after turning 50) and with old OCI card and old (canceled) passport with the OCI visa sticker.

We landed at Delhi International airport and went to the OCI immigration desk (which, I think is the second from left). We were through in less than 10 minutes (for a family of 3) and no questions asked about OCI renewal. We just presented the new passport, OCI card and old passport with OCI sticker.

I was worried about this earlier and didn't find much information on this forum and thought that I should share my experience with other people in the same situation who might also be worried. From what I experienced, I can say that there is no problem and one can travel with new passport, OCI card and old passport (with the original OCI sticker).

I am hoping for the same experience. 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 old passport with U sticker.

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

[jkamdar]

Hi,
I wanted to share my recent experience on traveling to India after passport renewal (after turning 50) and with old OCI card and old (canceled) passport with the OCI visa sticker.

We landed at Delhi International airport and went to the OCI immigration desk (which, I think is the second from left). We were through in less than 10 minutes (for a family of 3) and no questions asked about OCI renewal. We just presented the new passport, OCI card and old passport with OCI sticker.

I was worried about this earlier and didn't find much information on this forum and thought that I should share my experience with other people in the same situation who might also be worried. From what I experienced, I can say that there is no problem and one can travel with new passport, OCI card and old passport (with the original OCI sticker).

I am hoping for the same experience. 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 old passport with U sticker.

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

[itworker]

I am hoping for the same experience. 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 old passport with U sticker.

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

Hi ,
Could you please advise how was the experience? I too have to travel next month and I just realized that I need to renew OCI for my kid but it seems I do not have enough time now.

Thanks

[itworker]

Hi jkamdar,

Could you please advise how was your experience? I have to travel next month and I just realized that I need to renew OCI for my kid. Thanks for your help !!!

[Liberty48]

New OCI required if you cross 50 and get a new passport; children every time!

First, I suggest MEA and CKGS review this forum to help themselves improve the process!!

I am not sure why they mark the validity as lifelong. They should mark the passport expiry date for below 20 and 50th birth date for above 20. This will make it very clear.

I know the immigration officers in India can be lenient sometimes and harsh other times. Some of them don't know all the rules. And if you know somebody ... the story is always good.


Per CKGS, the rule is simple ........... After you cross 50 and if you get a new passport, YOU NEED TO RENEW YOUR OCI!!!!! (what if you renew passport at age 49!) If you are below 20, new OCI every time you get a new passport.

https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/how-to-apply (select your state) says,

OCI RE-ISSUE NEW PASSPORT - APPLICATION GUIDE

It is very important that you follow the process defined on the CKGS website for OCI application at https://www.in.ckgs.us/.

OCI card holders should apply for RE-ISSUE of their OCI card if a NEW PASSPORT is issued

RULES

For an applicant who is 20 years of age or younger, OCI must be RE-ISSUED EACH TIME A NEW PASSPORT is issued.
For an applicant who is 50 years of age or older, OCI must be RE-ISSUED ONCE after the issuance of a new passport.
If the OCI card is issued for the first time after the age of 50 years, then there is no need for re-issuance of OCI.
For an applicant who is 21 to 49 years of age, there is NO need to re-issue OCI documents each time a new passport is issued. However, if the applicant desires, he / she can request re-issue of the OCI document to update the new passport number.
For USA applicants, the CKGS website has been customized through a widget so that the website, documents, forms and letters requirements are as per the instructions of the Embassy/Consulates of India in USA.

[snayak1213]

Hi Vijay

[QUOTE=vijaycv;509916][



We have too planned to travel this month end but haven't booked tickets yet. My kids PP renewed, I have applied for OCI renewal, waiting for 1 month now. They don't have U sticker on their old PP so was wondering if we can still travel with old,new and OCI card. As per Indian consulate of India they say you can travel with OCi card and just new PP see point 3 on the link. http://www.cgisf.org/notice/display/135

But as they dont issue U sticker anymore i am worried if they will still allow entry. I hope they should as OCI card says 'Life long Visa'on last page of OCI card.
If anybody else have OCI card with no U sticker on PP and travelling just with OCI card and NEW PP with success please let me know.

Regards,
Snayak

[NRI19]

OCI Renewal NRI Harrassment.

Hi Guys


I am also worried and concerned because, I turned 50 and also renewed by passport in UK. We all have U Sticker with Life Long VISA, and Lifelong OCI cards, My daughter also turned 5 years plus in 2017. I submitted all the documentations as per MEA OCI Govt of INDIA at the OCI Center VFS Goswell Road in London.

I paid Sterling 118 for delivery charges and 164.72 US. The guy in the receiving counter told me it should be ok you will get all your NEW OCI in 7 days.

But that was just rubbish and these guys just tell you what you want to hear.

My Old Passport has been returned to me after verification ( which was Good because at least I have the Original Life Long U Visa ). I was then advice to check the ONLINE OCI Tracker Web site for an update.

I have been checking this update from 6th March 2018 until today, and the only update I have is as follows:


File Acknowledgment Number
Date Of Acknowledgment 05-MAR-2018
Registration Status at Mission LONDON
OCI- Number A89 YYYY XX
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 05-MAR-2018
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On
Document received At LONDON On

I was asked to come back to VFS Goswell in London, when the status shows Documents received at LONDON ?, but since 7th MARCH, no activity shown from DELHI MEA ( OCI ),

This is just harassment, because all my family have OCI since 2009 including myself. So how can it take that long to process existing applications fully Valid and Verified NRIs?

I am traveling on 29th March to Mumbai, my flights are booked.

So please guys advice me what should I do, my case is similar to Mr Vijay.

I also made several calls to OCI Vfs Helpline available here in UK, but when you call every day, I am receiving different answers., some say it all will be done in 7 days some say 10 days and some even have advice it will take 3 - 4 weeks to process Miscellaneous or Existing OCI applications ?? this is just sheer nonsense.

( I hope PM Narendra Modi and MEA OCI are listening ) .

Looking forward hearing from you guys, please pray for me.

Thank you for you support.

Kind Regards
NRI19.

Please advice me guys.

This is an official travel advisory/policy posted by the Indian embassy, which effectively states that existing Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card/visa becomes INVALID EVERY TIME when the OCI card/visa holder's US passport is renewed before 21 years of age and once after 49 years of age:

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

To say the least the above is clearly an anti-NRI policy that is selectively attacking OCI card holders while 10 year tourist visa holders are allowed to carry old passport with visa and renewed passport to travel to India. This policy and the requirements thereof are in direct contradiction to the PM Modi's claim and promise to make immigration to India NRI-friendly. Needless to mention, this policy and the execution of it will have a significantly negative business impact on NRIs' immigration to India.

As per the requirement under this new policy, every time an existing OCI card holder renews their US passport before the age of 21 years and once after the age of 49 years their OCI card/visa (despite having lifetime validity endorsement) becomes invalid. As a result, all existing OCI card/visa holders are now being forced to reapply to get their OCI cards reissued every time when their US passport is renewed before 21 years of age and once after 50 years of age. Effectively, this policy imposes restriction on NRIs in that unless NRIs get their OCI card reissued after renewal of their US passport, they will not be allowed to travel to India, despite possessing OCI visa card that clearly reads "Validity: LIFELONG".

On top of this agony, the application for getting OCI card reissued involves significant yet unnecessary hardship by means of an extremely cumbersome, tedious and lengthy process, as it means applying for OCI card/visa all over again every time when one renews their US passport. The application for OCI card reissue/renewal also requires submitting same amount of paperwork as if one is applying for the first time, and then imposes a long waiting period of two long months - all this just to get existing OCI card reissued.

Please take a look at the CKGS website (CKGS is the official partner of the Indian Consulate, providing consular services for applying for/reissuing of OCI card, visas, etc) to see how much is involved in getting one's OCI card reissued:

https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/oci-categories.shtml

Take a look at the long list of documents that one has to supply just to renew their existing OCI card, just to get the idea of how the NRIs are being harassed just for maintaining their existing OCI card validity that was promised to be lifelong in the first place:

https://www.in.ckgs.us/resources/pdf/oci/oci-re-issue-new-passport-us-adult.pdf

Ironically, US passport holders with 10 year tourist visa are EXEMPT from having to even transfer visa from old passport to renewed passport! They are allowed to carry the old passport and the new passport to travel to India!

I must say that all NRIs with OCI cards have been cheated, as we were first granted lifetime validity visa/OCI (by charging the fee of almost $300 per person, and requiring a lengthy application process, with all the required documentation that we had to submit) and now the government of India does not want to honor their own endorsement and is forcing people to apply all over, again and again!

I have Tweeted PM Modi and Sushma Swaraj (and I think we all should), and appealed them to have the the Indian embassies in the USA and other countries retract this totally unfair policy or, at the least, to make the OCI card renewal/reissue process simple, easy, straight forward, and quick by requiring only the so called "match up" step, where the agency staff performs transfer of the lifelong visa from an existing OCI card to a new reissued OCI card.

If this policy is not retracted or modified, all NRIs with OCI cards will face significant hardship when wanting to travel to India on a renewed US passport.

[nagchinna]

Not applied for new OCI Card after New US passport renewed

My daughter is currently in India and got OCI on Apr 2016. No U VISA stamp on old passport. US passport got renewed on JUN 2017 while in india. I did not apply for new OCI card for my daughter after US passport is renewed. Now I need travel to UK for official purpose so can i travel to UK with my daughter with OCI , old US passport with no U VISA stamped and new passport. If needed i can apply for new OCI from UK. Please advise.

[swetz24]

New PP old oci card.

[QUOTE=snayak1213;557907]

[



We have too planned to travel this month end but haven't booked tickets yet. My kids PP renewed, I have applied for OCI renewal, waiting for 1 month now. They don't have U sticker on their old PP so was wondering if we can still travel with old,new and OCI card. As per Indian consulate of India they say you can travel with OCi card and just new PP see point 3 on the link. http://www.cgisf.org/notice/display/135

But as they dont issue U sticker anymore i am worried if they will still allow entry. I hope they should as OCI card says 'Life long Visa'on last page of OCI card.
If anybody else have OCI card with no U sticker on PP and travelling just with OCI card and NEW PP with success please let me know.

Regards,
Snayak

Hi,
Please let me know what was the result of your travel. Me too in the same boat. Applied for OCI reissue and planning to travel in a month. Yet to receive the new oci card.
Was it fine for you to travel with old oci card and new and old PP?s?

Thanks

[Seshan]

Indian Government does not seem to believe in living up to its words

New OCI regulation is complex. New rules are requiring many documentation for a person re-applying for OCI. This is more work for the individuals and government. OCI re-apply rule is providing exception for people aged between 21 - 50. For people under 20 or over 50 they have to re-apply OCI whenever US passport changes. This is discrimination and sad.

Indian Government does not seem to believe in living up to its words. They first issue a LIFELONG OCI in the mid 2000s, and some years later, to squeeze out more revenue from hapless NRIs, they throw in new clauses that revokes the lifelong status which they promised to you just a few years ago. If they really want to address the question of different appearance of teh person at different ages, why can't they just accept a new photograph and endorse the existing OCI card instead of forcing us to re-issue the OCI which is a prolonged and costly and cumbersome process? The answer is they just do not care about you.

[Liberty48]

Lifelong?!

Lifelong OCI is an oxymoron. How can you have a lifelong OCI if you have to renew after 20 and 50?

Guys, get over this non-existent lifelong OCI. Whoever wrote the OCI regulation/guidelines didn't think about all these questions. Get an OCI when you get a new passport after 20 and 50. Even better, get new OCI whenever you get a new passport. Like there is no lifelong passport, there is no lifelong OCI. Respect the law of the land, and make it easy for your travel. You just need to carry one passport when you travel to India. Or else you could be harassed by the immigration officer. Finally, it is up to you to take the risk or want to have smooth immigration process.

[Krflame]

Lifelong?!

Lifelong OCI is an oxymoron. How can you have a lifelong OCI if you have to renew after 20 and 50?

Guys, get over this non-existent lifelong OCI. Whoever wrote the OCI regulation/guidelines didn't think about all these questions. Get an OCI when you get a new passport after 20 and 50. Even better, get new OCI whenever you get a new passport. Like there is no lifelong passport, there is no lifelong OCI. Respect the law of the land, and make it easy for your travel. You just need to carry one passport when you travel to India. Or else you could be harassed by the immigration officer. Finally, it is up to you to take the risk or want to have smooth immigration process.

Hi all,
I am a minor holding a US Passport and a OCI card I have not renewed yet. I have to travel abroad by myself in the second week of April, and because the OCI renewal process takes up to 10 weeks, there is no way the card will arrive in time for me to collect it before I fly. If I carry my old passport, new passport and OCI card, will I be allowed to enter India? The fact that others have gotten into India scot-free is reassuring, but an article (https://www.keralakaumudi.com/en/new...stricter-60823) says that that might not continue any further. If they do catch this at the immigration desk upon rearrival in India, what will be the consequences? Can they prevent my entry? Or will it just be 15-30 minutes of trouble, because I'm fine with that. If anybody has any recent experiences crossing into India, please do share. I will be flying out of BLR if that helps.
Thanks

[visa121]

Can Kids travel on OCI card with a new passport since old passport expired and not endorsed on OCI card ( no reissued OCI with new passport number)?