Renew OCI for minor or just go with multiple entry visa

[mgk2010]

Hi,

We want to go to India in Feb. My 11 yr old has a new US passport, and i understand that we have to get her a new OCI card.

From the Cox & Kings website, that process may take about 60d, assuming we have all our paper work submitted properly. From this forum and the documentation needed, this process appears to be very complicated.

On top of this we will have to repeat this process again when she is 16 and gets another new passport.

Considering this hassle of reapplying again in 5yrs, and that our travel is within next 45d

a. should we just get a 5 yr multiple entry visa ?
b. does this impact the current, but obsolete, OCI ? If we get a ME visa, do we need to do something with her old OCI?


Thanks

[ExpiredUSPassport]

What did you do? Can you share your experience ? Did you renew the OCI from India?

[Liberty48]

ExpiredUSPassport , the original poster won't come back after 11 months to respond to you. Most people come here when they have questions and forget after that.

There are 3 stories about how to handle this and people have been successful - you can read the posts
1. Since OCI doesn't expire, you can take OCI you have with the old and new passport
2. Since OCI doesn't expire, you just take the OCI you have and the new passport
3. Get a visa for now, and renew the OCI when you have time.

Read the posts on this message board and pick your choice. It also depends on how (OCI/visa) educated the check-in person. Good luck.

Indian MEA made this complicated and confusing by saying OCI doesn't expire. Then why do they also say you have to renew when you turn 50 or children get a new passport before 20? It would have been simple if they just use the OCI expiry date the same as the passport expiry date. No one will question after that! No one questions why you have to renew the passport. The same will go for OCI if they do that!!

If you don't know, that is what airline check-in desk person does to fill in for the visa expiry date. Airlines treat OCI as a Visa and they enter your passport expiry date in the place when they have to enter the visa expiry date. A good check-in desk person from Cathay Pacific explained to me this!!

[ExpiredUSPassport]

Liberty48 Thank you so much for taking time out to respond to my post. Since the Govt of India has relaxed the rules so I can go with OCI and old and new passport. This gives me an opportunity to renew from India. Regarding, the gap between the passport renewals, I will have to see what FRRO says about it and hope that all goes well. I will update here once its done next year.

[Liberty48]

Here is the latest update on CKGS FAQ. This puts an end to a lot of questions on when to renew OCI. For children under 20, please plan to renew OCI when you renew the passport.

After 21, mandatory renewal is only after you turn 50 and get a new passport after 50. Until you get the new passport after 50, you must carry the OCI, the old passport linked to OCI, and the new passport.
Q.7. Are there any rules regarding re-issue of OCI Card? The following are the rules in case an applicant wishes to apply for ‘Re-issue of OCI Card’:

• 20 years of age or younger:
  OCI card must be RE-ISSUED EACH TIME A NEW PASSPORT is issued up to the completion of 20 years of age in view of biological changes in face of the applicant.
• 21 to 49 years of age:
  Re-issuance of OCI registration certificate (OCI card) is NOT mandatory each time a new passport is issued between 21 to 49 years of age. However, if the applicant wishes to avail this service, he / she can request re-issue of OCI to update the new passport number. It is also sufficient if the cardholder carries the OCI registration certificate (OCI card), old passport and the current valid Passport while traveling to India.
• 50 years of age or older:
  For applicants whose OCI cards were issued before 50 years of age, OCI must be re-issued ONCE after the issuance of a new passport after completing 50 years of age in view of biological changes in face of the applicant.
• If the OCI card is issued for the first time afterthe age of 50 years, then there is no need for re-issuance of OCI. It is also sufficient if the cardholder carries the OCI card, old passport and the current valid Passport while traveling to India.