OCI issued after age 20, US passport renewed

[ronnieboy]

Even if you choose overnight delivery of your new US passport, the old passport is often mailed separately by regular mail which can easily get lost or delivered to the wrong address. The MEA website says if you are between 20 and 50 years old or if OCI was issued for the first time after age 50 and you renew your US passport after getting OCI, there is no need to apply for a re-issue or present your old passport. Under these circumstances, applying for a re-issue is optional, not mandatory. However, I'm getting different answers from CKGS. One of them said I have to apply for re-issue if the OCI does not reflect the current passport number. Besides, if OCI does not have the current passport number, the immigration staff at Indian airports may ask for the old passport even though they are not supposed to. Anyone been to Mumbai or Delhi recently with an old OCI card and new passport (and without the old passport) please share your experience.

[ronnieboy]

OCI issued after age 20, US passport renewed

CKGS now says there should be no issues travelling with new passport but speak with Bureau of Immigration http://boi.gov.in/ to clarify. The old rule was you had to have your cancelled passport and your new passport, but the new rule per their website is: "Government of India has decided to dispense with the "U" Visa sticker on the foreign passport of OCI card holders with immediate effect. Accordingly, Immigration authorities shall not insist on production of foreign passport containing the "U" Visa sticker in the case of OCI card holders while they enter/exit India. OCI card holders shall now be given Immigration clearance on the strength of their valid foreign passport and OCI Registration Certificate (OCI booklet, popularly known as OCI card)."