Good news for those applying for a new Overseas Citizen of India card in the United States! Much to our surprise, the OCI application process in the US has been simplified with effect from today, September 20, 2019. The Embassy of India, Washington DC has released a press release about the simplification of the OCI application process.
Instead of a two-step application process (Part A and Part B) for the OCI card, applicants are now required to complete only Part A. Starting September 20; they can fill out and submit the OCI application form at Indian Government’s website for OCI Services. Along with the application form, they can upload the requisite documents directly to the same website.
Filling in Part B manually, another form that applicants were required to sign and submit with the application, is no longer valid with effect from September 20.
There is more to the simplified OCI application process. Consular Jurisdiction for OCI applicants is free of any restriction starting today. Applicants can now choose to make the application at the Embassy of India, Washington DC, or any of the Consulates General of India in New York, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta or Chicago.
While submitting the application form and uploading the supporting documents to the Government of India website, applicants are required to select the location where it is convenient for them to have their application processed.
Once they are done with the online OCI application process, they need to get a printout of the submitted form. Then, they can send the application printout and copies of the documents as well as affidavits to the Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGD) office in the location that they select online.
The rest of the OCI application process has not been modified. The remaining steps are the same as before.
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Kindly tale time taken in total process and particularly after submission of online application. We will appreciate if OCI given to individual in week time and Indian embassy employee help individual in filling and submission of application.
Does your OCI and USA Passport need to have same address or it ok if it is different
as long as yu got OCI legally .
Because some officers in India they become too smart and misguide u.
You can actually write your address (use pencil as suggested in the passport) yourself unlike the Indian passport or OCI where it is printed by the issuing authority.
Your address will not be printed in the US Passport. So, some officers in India
cannot become too smart.
Brilliant idea . I wish we have Indian consulate in Seattle.
Life is becoming easier and simpler with Modi as PM.
Thanks to his vision and action.
Not really my friend!
Modi made life miserable to those who have PIO card.
There is no reason for cancellation of PIO. If at all he want to change the policies, let ithe existing PIOs expire and not going to issue again.
Some security clearance positions are not allowing to hold OCI, whereas PIO is not an issue.
This government is thinking of collecting money from NRIs but not things of their issues.
Modi told us “YOU ARE IN USA BUTWE RE WITH YOU”. But it is not true. The Indian consulate is not a help and CKGS is not a big help.
I CHAALANGE OUR HIGHLY RESPECTED PRESIDENT TO FILL OUT THE OCI APPLICATION AND SEE IF HE CAN DO IT.
This filing out the OCI application is not a USER FRIENDLY t all.
It leads toward to the out sourcing company to be hired to fill out the application and so CKGS get a commission.
Mr Modi this stinks.
even we educated people struggle for the procedure then how we can expect from our uneducated politicians to follow this process.
Agree 100%
Come on.. Re-issue of OCI – Why is that required when it was issued to be for life. Nothing ever changes in India.. Modi or anybody
For the same reason a green card expires every 10 years!
Green card expires for citizenship.
Why cox & kings is appointed as mediator?
This company makes force to buy their envelopes which are expensive, if we don’t buy return envelopes from cox & king then they don’t mail to us saying that it’s not our duty to send you wether they are given return envelopes, they keep with them and deliberately harrass the customer.
their return envelopes is a better option, so they can track and when i asked at fedex ($30), it was cheaper too($15). So better just use their return.
CKGI does not answer the phone and charges money to talk to you to help you. I have no respect for CKGS.
Cox and kings does not handle the documents well. After submission of all documents and everything perfectly also they still come up with some bullshit question without checking what or where in the documents. They are a true torture to customers! Why cant indian government take this responsibility it can also create some employment who are well qualified those who can handle paperwork well organised. CkGS has always been pain in th *** it sucks. please look for betterway than ckgs.
Very true. They are bloodsuckers and should be KICKED OUT
Teue..ckgs is really pain…process is still complicated…forcefully selecting overnight option even if we dont meed it in hurry
Cox and kings WEBSITE is not updated and it does not allow select other jurisdiction. On the Additional particular details when entering the zip code it stops from taking further stating that you are not belong to this jurisdiction. CKGS does not handle the documents well. After submission of all documents and everything perfectly also they still come up with some bullshit question without checking what or where in the documents. They are a true torture to customers! Why cant indian government take this responsibility it can also create some employment who are well qualified those who can handle paperwork well organised.
Any luck in able to move pass this step of “not valid jurisdiction” during application process
Does this mean, we can now directly apply through the government OCI site and not have to go through the hellish process of Cox and Kings?
I recently on Oct 2019 applied for OCU the n NY,, it is not simplified even a bit.
Three Document need to be notorized even if handing it in person, and
New OCI if new US Passport Incase for my children, in case of PIO it was valid for 15 years
Looks like purposely well designed confusing CKGS web site. Applicant has to pay extra $$ for tiny modification. Some time Applicant has to pay by Cashier check and/or Money order only, instead of credit card payment. That mean its become hard to trail $$ money transaction, because its a unauthentic charge, that goes directly to different account (looks like scam). India is promoting trail payment (PayTM etc.), why CKGS is not following this guidelines???
Also .. they provide comment/feedback link etc…. Ones you write negative comment, they will put you in different list. And applicant will be treated differently. (CKGS control every comment/feedback its not going forward any ware). Its advisable to NOT to write anything against CKGS, until your OCI application goes through.
we have OCI cards, one of my friend who is here since early 70’s wants to apply has a unique situation. He is us citizen now. His name changed as kind of nick name on USA passport etc, did it when he was a young boy for fun. When left india (indian passport) had a different, what can he do to take care of it.
No matter what improvements are made, Cox and Kings are very inefficient and they create issues themselves asking for useless information. Also, notarization is also a big inconvenience. Banks are no more notarizing forms and UPS charges $10 a page for notarization.
This was a while ago, One great example of CKGS inefficiency is when they returned our two OCI cards by mail, they failed to return our US passports. I had to go to their Washington D.C. office to get my US passports and it took them forever to locate my passports. My be process has changed since then hopefully.
I really wish the government of India would not contract with Cox and Kings. They have simply the worst website. The most user unfriendly piece of complicated crap I have ever used!
Do one have to reply and update OCI card if you turn 50. Even though the card is made 6 years ago?
I applied for oci reissue. In my USA passport place of birth says India. But old oci card place of birth says city name.
When I filled the form in ckgs site I did enter place of birth is India in both form . But in gov site I made mistake and I put City name instead of India. I caught mistake immediately but gov site won’t allow me to change. So I called ckgs and they say it’s fine just send the application with letter saying place of birth is India. Which I included the letter with the application form. Now my oci application approved and got msg to send my old oci card. I called ckgs and explained the situation but they are saying only option I have to reapply with oci card and pay again. Its not my mistake that gov site is not allowed to change any thing even error which immediately caught. Why do I have to pay again and wait for 60 to 80 days.
thanks to PM Modiji
it is never a simplified process. The application process very tedious and complicated. there’re are multiple steps and the requirement are meaninglessly stringent. The application fees are not accepted in personal checks that is one of biggest hassle. Once you submit the application, no one from embassy or ckg contact if they are need in more documentation or clarification. they are very careless. they don’t hadle documents carefully, often they loss the document and then serach it for weeks to return the documents.
I seriously cannot believe the complicated process of getting OCI renewals (Its an oxymoron when it says LIFELONG) every time we have to renew when a new Passport is issued. First, one has to visit CKGS website and then it directs to Indian Gov website and then back to CKGS website. As such the travel in itself to India is painful and long and much more added burden for a family to have OCI renewals – complicated process. Imagine doing the renewals for a family of 4 or more – when some were issued before ages 20 and 50. Once applied then a long wait and then on top documents getting lost in courier service. In the 21st century we live in – there is technology that identifies who an individual is – with face detection, finger prints and so on – yet this process is not going to make it easy.
As I read today – Indian Govt has given until June 2020 to complete the process of OCI renewal when new Passports have been issued. Looking back – it is much faster to obtain an eVisa where one can get in 2 to 4 days. Unless the process gets easier – I do not see the point of every 5 to 10 years one has to go through this process and long wait of 2-4 months. God save India.
I have applied for my father before this change and now I am applying for my mother. This new process seems faster, but still confusing. Looks like I don’t have to have anything notarized any longer (applying for a new OCI card)? The payment mode is very inconvenient though. It is 2020, ckgs and indian gov’t should be able to make this process a lot simpler by now.
Hi Jay,
So now no need to apply from CKGS website? By any chance do you have sample document that I can use as reference
My mother is old and need helps in filling out application forms online near chicago.
if anyone has any knowledge of agency can help her out with payment to submit with Cox and King.
Thanks and Regards
It is a total ridiculous process now. They split the process in 2. Now you have to first apply for renunciation then they’ll send you a renunciation certificate. Then you Apply for OCI. Your efforts have just doubled and Fees gone up by 45-50 dollars as you have to send and recieve papes twice. Will not blame the politicians because Indian bureaucrats are the real culprits. They have made people’s life miserable.
this is so freaking ridiculous form , almost 500 dollars rip off – certificate and then oci + money order .. I can’t believe .. such a stupid form , so complicated .. I pissed with this indian process .
When we got OCI, we were told it is life time visa and no need for renewal. what a mess now with current process of renewal. CKGS acts like typical Indian babus of Indian govt…no help from them and only see they want to suck the blood by getting as much as they can. A travel visa is much better option than OCI if one is not planning to settle in India after retirement. No respect to OCI,CKGS and Modi govt whose administration backed out from earlier promise of life time visa. My 2cent to Indain Govt is : Monitor the CKGS performance in terms of their rejection rate on pretty issues, their customer service and response rate.
TOTALLY WRONG information about OCI applications from US
I applied for my OCI on 1/19/2021 to DC and 2 weeks later – received by passport back but the online status is just saying Your application has reached the Embassy – which is useless doesn’t give any meanginful information- whether US or India..could’ve been more detailed.
oh btw…VFS made me go through part A and B – the worst part is – we have to do both scanned copies and print out s…just wasted effort, and THE EVEN WORST PART IS VFS makes us pay for customer service if we have question. is this a new way to loot money by the Indian Government? What world are we living in to pay for customer service??????
Hi Ramesh! This information was published way back in September 2019 when CKGS was the service provider.
Did you get your OCI, wondering how long is it taking these days to get the OCI, I applied mid Feb 2021, nothing yet.
Somewhere I read government discontinued its relationship with CKSD for OCI processing. However, this newsletter does not reflect that. Can’t figure what to believe.
Hi Sivadasan! Please go through this article
https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/ckgs-to-stop-oci-passport-visa-services/
Just got mine within exactly 2 weeks in Atlanta. Significantly easier process than before. The process is handled by VFS now. Minimal amount of paperwork. One suggestion- stick to the document checkllist provided by VFS and upload only those docs that are required per the VFS list. I say this because the web upload page can be a bit confusing. Also, if you’re married, just submit your spouse’s passport copy and marriage certificate copy even if you’re applying on your own behalf and don’t necessarily want their name on the OCI.
How long is the process? We have sent our indian passports to be canceled but we have booked out tickets to go to india first week of December 2021 is it possible to get the oci before that?
I am trying to update my new usa passport information with my OCI in Washington DC. I tried more than 15 times to upload my picture and signature as per the specifications with different size and pixels. But I always get the same message “your is rejected by the authorities: upload your signature/picture image again”. Is anyone known the real problem of getting same message?
NOTHING is simplified, OCI application is a pain and time consuming, the processing time is worse not only that you may miss USA passport or some other valuable documents when they return your OCI card and it will be really painful and frustrating to get those documents back.
The process to complete any application is not user friendly. Uploading the photo and signature in that particular size is not easy for a layman, beside that putting Passwords and username at every second corner makes it difficult for a normal person who has little computer knowledge. Once you use an email address, then you cannot use the same email address which is ridiculous It would be much better if it could be made a simple application. I fail to understand why same information is required at so many times at different places, whereas all the information given is verifiable with the documents submitted. I would recommend the officials to see the process of completing US passport application online, it is so simple and easy to complete. None of our applications are as simple.
Hi Jaspal! Are you referring to the OCI application process?
Can renunciation of Indian citizenship and applying for OCI card be done together instead of two different processes ?
The website is not user friendly at all. It cannot go ti the previous window, which means you have to enter the same information over and over again. There is an error message “country’s name is needed”, but where? Even after checking each column to see if everything is entered, the same message appears. Is it a joke? Anyways after 10 hours of work I surrendered! I am unable to complete the process for new passport. Please someone verify the website and simplify it for goodness sake. Thank you
Indian Govt makes all processes way too complicated. Why is the OCI application so effing complex. You have the applicant’s US passport, Applicant’s Birth certificate that states the Parent’s names , and the applicant’s Parent’s OCI card.
1. Isn’t this ENOUGH to establish proof that the Applicant is a non Indian citizen by virtue of a foreign passport he / she holds.
2. The applicant’s Birth certificate spells the names of the Parent (A proof that the applicant is a child of the named Parents).
3. The Parent’s OCI card states that they are a person of Indian Origin.
Is all the 3 items above not good enough to issue a DAMN OCI card?
The reason I am applying for a OCI card is just to get into India without having to go to Indian Embassy and beg for a visa from Incompetent staff running the show.
Shame to the Indian Govt for making this simple 5 minute job a Monumental Task.