The OCI card helps foreign nationals of Indian origin to stay in India for a prolonged period of time. Some of the benefits that it provides to OCI card holders are multiple entry visa for visits to India, no need to inform authorities about duration of stay, and equal status as that of NRIs in terms of educational, financial and economic rights.
Despite these advantages, OCI card holders could face a very tricky situation when their passport validity expires. The main issue that individuals face is how to transfer the OCI card when they get a new passport. To help you get past this situation, here are some useful guidelines and steps.
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Documents Required
To transfer your OCI card to a new passport, you will need to submit some documents, such as:
- A copy of the OCI U Visa that is stamped on your passport
- A copy of the OCI Registration Certificate (the OCI booklet)
Fees Involved
Currently, the fee is US$25 if you are doing this at an Indian Consulate in your country. If you are applying for the transfer in India, you will need to pay ₹1,400. This payment has to be done through a demand draft in favor of the Pay and Accounts Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, payable in New Delhi.
Steps to Transfer OCI to New Passport
Here are the steps to transfer the OCI card to your new passport:
- Log in to the Government of India’s OCI Services website.
- Click on “OCI Miscellaneous Services” on the left and then click on “Proceed.”
- Enter the captcha given on the screen correctly to continue.
- Now, you will be shown two options on the “Miscellaneous Services” page, click on “Fresh Application.”
- Enter the information required in the form to proceed. This includes your passport number, any one of U visa number, OCI file number or OCI number, and your date of birth, along with your mother’s name.
- Click on “Proceed” after entering the information in the different fields.
- Choose the “Change of Passport” particulars service and fill the online form.
- After submission of the form, you will receive a print option with a reference number and form filling instructions. Print out a copy of this form.
- Fill the details in the form, affix your photograph and sign in the signature box.
- Send the completed form, along with the required documents, to your nearest Indian consulate. It is not mandatory to send it to the consulate that processed your original OCI application.
After you have sent the application form and the relevant documents, you will get an acknowledgement number on your email address. You can use this to check the status of your application online.
The process may seem difficult at first, but it is very easy to follow with all the instructions provided online. Also, it is recommended to keep your old passport and the OCI U visa with you when you come to India. This will prevent any unnecessary hassles during entry into the country.
Hi Mani, many thanks for helping out NRIs. This is a great website. Great Karma.
I too am planning on returning to India as major changes for the better are taking place in our Motherland.
I am over 50 years and just renewed my British passport. The previous OCI has my old British passport number and simply need to transfer my new British passport number to my OCI. You have explained the procedure but could you let me know what documents they will require?
I was born in India and my British passport confirms that, however I cannot get a Birth certificate as there is no record at the Registry. I have tried everything and made 15 visits but the system is against me. I did get the OCI on my Mother’s passport as my name and DOB was mentioned in her old passport. Also the British Naturalization Certificate is lost. So please advise what documents will be required just to transfer my new British Passport to a new OCI card.
Thanks
Ram
Hi,
I’m applying from India. There is no mention of fees anywhere for transferring OCI card to new passport. Just wanted to make sure the fee is not changed. (no one answers my call to FRRO office)
Also I’m bit confused about photo spec. It says face should be covered 80%. Do you have more info on this or an example?
Hi Ram, this is Ram Patel from Gujarat. Join the club mate.
However, I can help you with your questions.
1) For renewing an OCI in India it is Rs1400. So there is a charge. That isn’t too bad but the problem lies with sending all the past documents which the OCI Offices have already in their Records. For renewing OCI, we should only be sending our UK/US/other NRI countries new and old passports, old OCI and proof of current address.
2) Regarding your photo, simply show this to the professional Photo Studio and they will do all that for you:
”The photograph should be in colour and of the size of 2 inch x 2 inch (51 mm x 51 mm). The photo-print should be clear and with a continuous-tone quality. It should have full face, front view, eyes open. Photo should present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin”.
All NRI’s must write to their Indian Ministers/OCI Offices to make the renewal process easier. Modiji can help NRI’s improve their lives in India. I can understand the need to ask for necessary documents for New OCI’s but once they have our records, it should be straight forward to renew without asking for all the documents again.
Jai Swaminarayan
Jai Hind
Hi, my question is that is it really mandatory to update your OCI when you change your passport in case of minors under 20?
I’m A British passport holder and my family and I have held OCI’s for over 10 years. Never once have I had them updated even for my children who have now had two different passports since the OCI Was first issued. We have been travelling to India every year and I have only just come to know about the rule about mandatory OCI update which was issued in 2015. I travelled with my daughter to India last year and had no issues at immigration with her new passport and old OCI. I am now a little bit confused as I’m travelling again in October so not sure if I may face any issues at immigration if I travel without having the OCI updated. Anybody have any experience of this? Have they become stricter the immigration lately? It’s all very confusing as I’m getting different feedback from different people.
Thank You
Hi Jasmin,
My reply may be too late, as you mentioned you are travelling to India in October. Nevertheless, I just returned from India a couple days ago and thought I’d let you know my experience.
I have an OCI on my old passport. I carried my old and new passports along for my visit. At the entry point at Mumbai, I had no problems. The officer asked if I have an OCI card. I told him I only had the stamp in my passport. He said that’s fine and duly stamped my new passport and let me go.
On my exit from Mumbai, the person at the airline ticket counter said I would need to renew my OCI on my new passport, as I am 50+. He said this is a new requirement.
That is my experience. I had no problems using my OCI on my old passport, but have been cautioned that I will need to transfer it over to the new one.
Hi Ram
I am in a tricky situation,please help.My daughter is 19 and recently changed her uk passport,i understand she should apply for transfering OCI to new passport etc.However she need to go to India on an emergency and I was thinking of applying for an e visa;however on the application they are asking for the previous visit and visa details.I could not find any thing to select preveous OCI card details there.Is there any thing you know about this please?
HI
My name is Bibin. while I was doing the change passport, there is a question asking about “enter latest passport number in which oci(u-visa) transferred” is this asking about the new passport number where I don’t have the OCI issued or the old passport number where OCI issued?
thank you
I have the same question.
I have the same question! Could someone please clarify? Thank you.
The old passport with the OCI issued.
Hi, I Mr. Dushyant Patel , My wife is travelling to USA based on UK new passport having USA visa included in new passport. She is having OCI issued by GOI at the age of nearly 60 years. Does she require new passport endorsement
in OCI card. Will you please guide me ? ( She will be coming back in October 2020.)
I was over 50 when I applied and got my OCI granted, do I now have to transfer it to my new passport? The information for persons who were over 50 when they got their is not clear or can I still travel after June 2020 as long as I carry my old passport too?
I have changed my citizenship, my original OCI was on country A and now am a citizen of country B, is the process still the same and going through OCI miscellaneous, change of passport?
Can I travel to India with my oci card with old passport with visa ? I got new passport but visa with old passport.
I have new passport and o.c.i.enrorsed on old passport. Is it mandatory to have it transferred to new passport?
I was doing the change passport, there is a question asking about “enter latest passport number in which oci(u-visa) transferred” is this asking about the new passport number