New info!! OCI in lieu of PIO, New York only !!!

[Neil Base]

This is a new piece of useful information I want to pass on to the community to help clarify some confusion.

This applies to OCI in lieu of PIO for minors only !!!! NO Match-up @NY!!

This applies to New York Jurisdiction only !!! NO Match-up @NY!!

This is from my own experience in Nov-Dec 2016 getting OCI in lieu of PIO for my American born (American citizen) minor child.

Only New york jurisdiction wants the original USA passport of the child and the original PIO card of the child to be sent along with the physical application. This is because they are making the OCI cards in NY only and not in New Delhi (probably at the NY consulate, not at CKGS, but that's not relevant for the applicant since he deals only with CKGS) and sending the original passport, original PIO card and the new OCI card back by fedex within 10 working days. There is no match-up process involved. My experience: application sent Nov 21st, OCI received Dec 6th.

This is different in jurisdictions other than NY. In those other jurisdictions the process takes longer and there is the match-up process after the OCI card comes from New Delhi. (it's possible that OCI cards for all USA are now being printed in NY but that's just my speculation)

All other details regarding how to prepare the application etc. are same for all jurisdictions and applicant should refer to CKGS website for the same. Follow all instructions carefully and use CKGS fedex service to avoid delays.

This information is to clarify why the original passport and PIO card needs to be sent along with the application in NY only but not elsewhere. If one calls CKGS, like I did, to ask that question, they don't tell you that there is no match-up process for NY anymore. If they did, it will help people to plan their trips better. Hence this post!

This might change in the near future (as it often does). Preparing the application, even for straight-forward cases like mine, is still bizarrely complicated and painful with unnecessary documentation, checklists, photocopies, notarization, uploading files and pictures with stupid file size limits and what not.....but at least now no match-up process for NY...counting my blessings! I wonder if India will ever pass a law like the US called "paperwork reduction act" (Yes it exists, google it!) and make such over the top paper-work demands a criminal offense! It seriously took me at least 24 hours spread over a month to prepare the damn application! (I have a full-time job!). I am not even counting roughly $80 I had to spend for CKGS fees and fedex for this "gratis/free" service! Don't ask me why I did it because I don't have a convincing answer. I guess, I am still risk averse enough to give in to such abuse!

This applies to OCI in lieu of PIO for minors only !!!! It might also apply to other OCI categories at NY, but I don't have first-hand experience with that.

This applies to New York Jurisdiction only !!!

[proonindiandoc]

This is a new piece of useful information I want to pass on to the community to help clarify some confusion.

This applies to OCI in lieu of PIO for minors only !!!! NO Match-up @NY!!

This applies to New York Jurisdiction only !!! NO Match-up @NY!!

This is from my own experience in Nov-Dec 2016 getting OCI in lieu of PIO for my American born (American citizen) minor child.

Only New york jurisdiction wants the original USA passport of the child and the original PIO card of the child to be sent along with the physical application. This is because they are making the OCI cards in NY only and not in New Delhi (probably at the NY consulate, not at CKGS, but that's not relevant for the applicant since he deals only with CKGS) and sending the original passport, original PIO card and the new OCI card back by fedex within 10 working days. There is no match-up process involved. My experience: application sent Nov 21st, OCI received Dec 6th.

This is different in jurisdictions other than NY. In those other jurisdictions the process takes longer and there is the match-up process after the OCI card comes from New Delhi. (it's possible that OCI cards for all USA are now being printed in NY but that's just my speculation)

All other details regarding how to prepare the application etc. are same for all jurisdictions and applicant should refer to CKGS website for the same. Follow all instructions carefully and use CKGS fedex service to avoid delays.

This information is to clarify why the original passport and PIO card needs to be sent along with the application in NY only but not elsewhere. If one calls CKGS, like I did, to ask that question, they don't tell you that there is no match-up process for NY anymore. If they did, it will help people to plan their trips better. Hence this post!

This might change in the near future (as it often does). Preparing the application, even for straight-forward cases like mine, is still bizarrely complicated and painful with unnecessary documentation, checklists, photocopies, notarization, uploading files and pictures with stupid file size limits and what not.....but at least now no match-up process for NY...counting my blessings! I wonder if India will ever pass a law like the US called "paperwork reduction act" (Yes it exists, google it!) and make such over the top paper-work demands a criminal offense! It seriously took me at least 24 hours spread over a month to prepare the damn application! (I have a full-time job!). I am not even counting roughly $80 I had to spend for CKGS fees and fedex for this "gratis/free" service! Don't ask me why I did it because I don't have a convincing answer. I guess, I am still risk averse enough to give in to such abuse!

This applies to OCI in lieu of PIO for minors only !!!! It might also apply to other OCI categories at NY, but I don't have first-hand experience with that.

This applies to New York Jurisdiction only !!!

it is not NY only, and not OCI in lieu of PIO only, it is apply to all OCI categories and all across the country.

[Neil Base]

it is not NY only, and not OCI in lieu of PIO only, it is apply to all OCI categories and all across the country.

You may be right, I don't work for them so I don't know.

They seem to have changed the system/portal since I applied about a month ago. Had I known that the OCI will be given so quick without a match-up process I would have purchased my air tickets earlier and saved some money...now the ticket prices are sky high for December. But of course, the CKGS and Indian consulate doesn't believe in making life easier for Indians!

The system seems to be evolving as their brains slowly evolve from monkeys to ....are they human yet?

[proonindiandoc]

You may be right, I don't work for them so I don't know.

They seem to have changed the system/portal since I applied about a month ago. Had I known that the OCI will be given so quick without a match-up process I would have purchased my air tickets earlier and saved some money...now the ticket prices are sky high for December. But of course, the CKGS and Indian consulate doesn't believe in making life easier for Indians!

The system seems to be evolving as their brains slowly evolve from monkeys to ....are they human yet?

we work very closely with the consulate, and the information is most reliable compare to other sources. welcome to any visa questions

[jenim]

Thank you for such detailed info, Neil Base! Even though the minor/PIO to OCI conversion is not applicable to my case, just wanted to appreciate the info shared.
Wish someone could post a detailed account of applying for adult OCI via CKGS NY.

[Sreedbilla]

Minor signature on Affidavit in Lieu of Originals

I am applying OCI card for my 2 months old daughter. I just downloaded Affidavit in Lieu of Originals. I got confused, who has to sign on it. I spoke to ckgs customer care 3 times.3 different answers I received. 1) Thumb impression of child only. 2) thumb impression of child in the box and below the box both parents should sign 3) Both parents should sign in the box itself..all are answering differently.
Check boxes are also not editable.
looks like 2 things changed in recently. one is original passport, another is Affidavit in Lieu of Originals. As per original post we need to send original passport to ckgs in case of NY. I need clairification on signature of minor on Affidavit in Lieu of Originals.
Can somebody respond who has applied in dec-2016 or in Jan 2107.

[pavithara]

I am applying OCI card for my 2 months old daughter. I just downloaded Affidavit in Lieu of Originals. I got confused, who has to sign on it. I spoke to ckgs customer care 3 times.3 different answers I received. 1) Thumb impression of child only. 2) thumb impression of child in the box and below the box both parents should sign 3) Both parents should sign in the box itself..all are answering differently.
Check boxes are also not editable.
looks like 2 things changed in recently. one is original passport, another is Affidavit in Lieu of Originals. As per original post we need to send original passport to ckgs in case of NY. I need clairification on signature of minor on Affidavit in Lieu of Originals.
Can somebody respond who has applied in dec-2016 or in Jan 2107.

Hi,

Below is what we followed for our kid for NY CKGS.

1) Infant's Thumb Impression on Part A (Inside the box below the photo). Right thumb impression for girls and left thumb impression for boys. Thumb impression only if the kid is below 5 yrs of age. Kid need to Sign in the box instead of thumb impression if the kid is 5+Yrs.
2) Signature of both the parents on Part B. It should be signed in-front of the notary officer. Kids need not sign Part B
3) Part B of the application should be notarized. Parents to sign in-front of notary as said earlier.
4) Parental Authorization Form to be notarized.
5) Affidavit of Lieu of Originals to be notarized.
6) Additional Particulars Form need not be notarized
7) All the photo copies including kid/minor applicant's photo copies are to be self-attested by both the parents.

In Total, 3 pages are to be notarized
1) Part B of application
2) Parental Authorization Form
3) Affidavit of Lieu of Originals

Please mention the list of documents clearly in the Affidavit of Lieu of Originals