Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a type of immigration status that is granted to foreign citizenships of Indian origin. With the OCI card, you are allowed to live and work legally in India forever. Consequently, it is considered the closest equivalent to dual citizenship, which is issued by the Indian government, and allows cardholders to enjoy many of the benefits and privileges of an NRI. And the Indian government recently made the process simple and you don’t need to reissue your OCI for every passport renewal. In this article, we will show you how to renew an OCI card in the United States.
Who Should Renew an OCI Card?
According to the rules, OCI cardholders only need to get the OCI card reissued once to capture their facial features, when a new passport is issued after they have reached the age of 20.
- OCI cardholders who have changed their personal details viz. Name, father’s name, nationality, etc.
- OCI cardholders who lost or damaged the OCI registration certificate.
- There is no mandatory requirement for OCI card re-issuance when a new passport is issued to a cardholder over the age of 20 and over 50.
Documents Required for OCI Renewal
To renew your OCI card, you must prepare the following photocopy documents:
l Must provide current valid passport with at least 6 months validity when submitting your application. You must upload it online and provide a photocopy.
- Provide OCI card or PIO card, upload the first and last page online and provide photocopy.
- Must provide employment with job description/own business/student ID card and other proof of employment, upload one online and provide photocopy.
- Provide proof of address such as utility bills and driving licences if you change address. Upload them and provide a photocopy.
- Provide original document if you change name or appearance and provide photocopy.
Other documents required on a case-by-case basis
Applicants for minor children must provide copies of both parents’ passports. If the parents are divorced,, the full legal custody of the child is with the parent applying for the OCI card. If both parents share common custody of the child, they give consent together to apply for OCI for the child or a specific court order gives permission to issue a child’s OCI card with one of the parents.
For married applicants, they must provide a Registered Marriage Certificate or equivalent proof and current passport copies to endorse the spouse’s name on the OCI card.
For divorced applicants, they must provide a copy of the divorce order issued by the relevant court.
For lost OCI cards, you must provide a copy of the police report/crime reference number/office letter stating the circumstances in which the documents were lost.
Steps to Renew Your OCI Card in the United States
Depending on why you use OCI Miscellaneous (Renewal) Services, there are two ways to do so: Free Gratis Service and Chargeable Service. The system will automatically display the refillable service when applicants apply for the Passport Particulars Update after obtaining a new passport after 20 years of age. The steps to renew your OCI card in the United States are simple:
Step 1: Go to OCI Services website and click on the option “OCI Miscellaneous Services” and then click “Proceed”. Read the instructions on the next page and select the “Accept” button.
Step 2: Read the details on the next screen and enter Captcha and click the “Enter” button.
Step 3: Click on “Fill in New Miscellaneous Application” on the next screen. On the next pop-up screen, you need to fill in your passport number, OCI Card number and date of birth as in OCI Card. Then click on the “Proceed” button. If you exit in the middle because of a bad connection, you can continue to complete the application by selecting “Complete partially filled Miscellaneous Application”.
Step 4: Choose one of four options according to your needs:
- Change of Personal Particulars
- OCI Certificate Loss/Damage
- Passport Particulars Updation
- Address/ Occupation Updation
Step 5: Upload the latest 2*2 photos, JPEG signature and other required documents one by one. Applicants over the age of 5 must upload their written name and thumb impression in blue/black ink. The signature photo must have an aspect ratio of 1:3 (height:width).
Step 6: Answer relevant questions honestly, such as: Have you/any member of your family applied for Indian citizenship overseas earlier?
Step 7: Upload the passport and other supporting documents in PDF format by selecting the “Upload Documents” button. (Max size 1000kb)
Note: If you are updating passport details, you must upload your current passport copy with a signature page. And if your OCI card is obtained on the basis of a spouse, you are required to provide the spouse’s current passport copy with a signature page. Make sure the size of OCI document you upload is correct, otherwise your application will be rejected.
Photo Requirements for OCI Cards
The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
- The photo must be 2 x 2 inches in size or 51 x 51 mm, covering 80% of the face.
- The photo must be in a light colored background.
- The photo must be printed on glossy photo paper.
- No hat, headgear or head coverings except for religious reasons.
- No dark glasses or over-the-counter glasses with tinted lenses.
If you take a photo at home, you can use AiPassportphotos online photo tool to help you get a compliant OCI photo quickly and upload it online.
How do I Renew My OCI Card After 50?
Under the new rules, you can renew your OCI card only once when a new passport is issued after you have reached the age of 20. So you don’t need to renew the OCI card every time a new passport is issued after 50.
OCI Card Renewal for Minors in the United States
If the parents of the minor children are Indian citizens or one of their parents is an Indian citizen, the children are eligible for the OCI Card. They don’t need to renew OCI cards until they are 20 . When a new passport is issued after the age of 20, they need to upload photos and passports online with OCI Miscellaneous services.
How Much is OCI Renewal Fees?
You must pay OCI Miscellaneous fees in the United States:
OCI Misc. Services application fee is $25.
ICWF – Indian Community Welfare Fund is $3.
The VFS Service Fee is $15.90.
If you take your OCI card by courier service, you will need to pay an extra fee. And if you pay online by card, it will charge 3.5% over the total payment.
Conclusion
How to renew your OCI card? You may have answers right now. Enjoy the benefits of OCI cards and keep them in good condition all the time. Otherwise, you cannot enjoy multiple entries to visit India. If you lose an OCI card, you will be fined for renewing it.
Erin Lo