OCI Renewal after attaining Age 50

[samverma]

I have heard conflicting information about renewing OCI Card after Age 50.

My current OCI Card was obtained before I was age 50. After receiving OCI Card, I had to renew my US Passport. This was done PRIOR to reaching age 50. I was travelling with my old passport as well as new passport since my U Visa was in my old passport.

Now, I am over the age 50 but my passport is still valid for several more years. Accoring to info on CKGS website, I need to renew my OCI card (1) time after turning Age 50. Other websites state that I could wait until my passport expires after reaching age 50 and continue to travel with my current OCI card.

Can somebody confirm which is true?

Thanks,

[desiman]

I have heard conflicting information about renewing OCI Card after Age 50.

My current OCI Card was obtained before I was age 50. After receiving OCI Card, I had to renew my US Passport. This was done PRIOR to reaching age 50. I was travelling with my old passport as well as new passport since my U Visa was in my old passport.

Now, I am over the age 50 but my passport is still valid for several more years. Accoring to info on CKGS website, I need to renew my OCI card (1) time after turning Age 50. Other websites state that I could wait until my passport expires after reaching age 50 and continue to travel with my current OCI card.

Can somebody confirm which is true?

Thanks,

(a) If your passport has not expired and you're over 50, you're FINE.

(b) I just got a response to a similar query from the Indian Consulate in Houston.

They said that if you're close to your travel date and just found out about the renewal process, even though you have a new passport, it's ok (meaning you're over 50 and your passport was renewed).
You can visit India and renew your OCI once you come back.
Might be a good idea to confirm this from other consulates as well but it sounds like the Govt will let you visit once especially if you were unaware of the rule.

In essence, if you're over 50 and your passport is still valid, don't renew your OCI.
If your passport expires once you're over 50 then reapply for OCI (which takes at least 9 weeks - 45 working days or longer), but if you're travelling it appears that you're forgiven once.

Others please chime in and confirm all this as well based on a non-Houston Consulate response

Good luck!

[Liberty48]

After new passport

CKGS website says,

For an applicant who is 50 years of age or older, OCI must be RE-ISSUED ONCE after the issuance of a new passport.


I had the same question. But after reading what is in CKGS website, it looks like you have to renew after you get a new passport after 50.

[samverma]

CKGS website says,

For an applicant who is 50 years of age or older, OCI must be RE-ISSUED ONCE after the issuance of a new passport.


I had the same question. But after reading what is in CKGS website, it looks like you have to renew after you get a new passport after 50.

Thanks for the quick responses but here is what I saw on the CKGS website. Does anybody have any experiences travelling in a situation like this?

'You will have to apply for reissue of OCI card only if your OCI card was issued to you before you turned 50 or the passport number in your OCI card is different from your latest valid passport. If you got your first or reissued OCI card after you turned 50, then you can travel on the same OCI card."

[samverma]

CKGS website says,

For an applicant who is 50 years of age or older, OCI must be RE-ISSUED ONCE after the issuance of a new passport.


I had the same question. But after reading what is in CKGS website, it looks like you have to renew after you get a new passport after 50.

Thanks desiman. I just received a response from the Consulate in Chicago and they also confirmed I can travel ONE TIME using my old passport and current OCI Card. In fact, I can travel even if my OCI renewal application is in process and doesn't complete before I leave.

Thanks,

[nzvik]

SO what finally happened

I have heard conflicting information about renewing OCI Card after Age 50.

My current OCI Card was obtained before I was age 50. After receiving OCI Card, I had to renew my US Passport. This was done PRIOR to reaching age 50. I was travelling with my old passport as well as new passport since my U Visa was in my old passport.

Now, I am over the age 50 but my passport is still valid for several more years. Accoring to info on CKGS website, I need to renew my OCI card (1) time after turning Age 50. Other websites state that I could wait until my passport expires after reaching age 50 and continue to travel with my current OCI card.

Can somebody confirm which is true?

Thanks,

Did you travel and have no problem ?

[samverma]

Did you travel and have no problem ?

I have not yet travelled. I am planning travel in January 2019.

[samverma]

Update after completion of travel

I have not yet travelled. I am planning travel in January 2019.

Hello,

So I have completed my travel and wanted to provide an update:

Upon landing at Mumbai and proving my current OCI along with old passport with U Visa, the immigration officer looked at his screen and had a perplexed look on his face. He asked me why I have (2) OCI Cards? I explained that I had applied to have my OCI transferred since I was over 50 years old and that the new OCI Card wasn't completely processed before travelling. (Actually, I was asked to submit my old OCI to CKGS for matchup just a few days before travel but did not want to do that since I would not get the new OCI before my travel).

The officer pointed to my U Visa sticker and says it is LIFELONG and why did I want to to transfer to new passport? I told him that this was the Govt guideline and I was trying to comply. He just shook his head and looked confused and said that I did not need to waste time and money to transfer my OCI. He stated that my new OCI Card is approved and let me go.

JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT EACH IMMIGRATION OFFICER USES HIS OWN JUDGMENT. We just need to be prepared to answer the questions.

Return trip to USA - No issues by immigration officer when leaving Mumbai.

When I returned to USA, I submitted my old OCI Card and Passport containing U-Visa and received my new OCI Card with cancelled old OCI Card within a week.

Just wanted to share my experience if it helps others out.

[Liberty48]

Thanks

Thanks samverma!!

>> JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT EACH IMMIGRATION OFFICER USES HIS OWN JUDGMENT. We just need to be prepared to answer the questions.

You said it right! Just be prepared.

[raky801]

I recently traveled to India. Had a situation where somebody could have asked why I did not renew OCI after getting new USPP. So I was carrying new USPP, old USPP and OCI. Summarizing my experience below if useful to anybody.
UA EWR check in guy was just happy to see the OCI card, did not care about renewed OCI etc. But another guy at the gate again wanted to check visa documents and seemed someone who possibly could care about this. But he/she also did not ask for old passport.
While entering India and leaving India immigration officer did not ask for the old USPP (the one having U sticker) and was OK with new USPP and OCI.
For domestic air travel USPP alone was enough. For Hotel check in they did ask for OCI along with USPP.
So the old USPP remained in the bag for the whole trip!
Now I just hope CKGS comes with a reasonable process to renew so I can renew OCI to match newer USPP.