Consulate General of India
Chicago
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Press Release
OCI Card Reissue Guidelines
Government of India has recently relaxed the requirements for re-issue of OCI Cards. A press release dated August 01, 2021 was issued by the Consulate. The Consulate continue to receive queries on this matter from the Indian Diaspora. Government of India guidelines in this regard are reiterated as under:
i) OCI cardholder is required to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. (Applicants may refer to https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/apply-oci-servicesfor the process). The fees for this is US$ 25 and US$ 3 for Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). The applicant needs to pay US$ 15.90 to the Outsourcing Agency as service charge, and a fee for any Optional Services opted for like Shipping Labels. All such applications for OCI re-issue must be sent to the our authorized service provider VFS Global Centre at the following address by post:
Address: VFS Indian consular Application Centre,
180 N Stetson Avenue, 20th Floor,
Suite No. 2075, Chicago, IL 60601.
E-mail: chiicac@vfsglobal.com
ii) OCI cardholder is required to upload ONLINE a copy of the new passport and a recent photo each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. The uploading of these documents may be done within three months of receipt of the new passport.
iii) Foreign spouse of an Indian Citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder is required to upload a copy of the new passport and a recent photo ONLINE each time a new passport is issued, along with a declaration on subsisting of marriage, copy of the Indian passport of the Indian spouse/passport & OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse.
(In case of para 1(ii) and (iii), please visit https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome and select the option ‘OCI Miscellaneous Services’ for uploading copy of the passport, recent photograph and other documents. This does not involve any submission of documents through the Outsourcing Service Provider or the Embassy and will be Gratis).
(Note: The mandatory requirement of re-issuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age, is dispensed with.)
2. The Government of India has decided to grant further extension of time till 31 December 2021 to get the OCI cards re-issued in accordance with above guidelines.
3. The requirement of carrying old and new passports, along with the OCI card, has been done away with. Henceforth, an OCI cardholder traveling on the strength of existing OCI card bearing old passport number is not required to carry the old passport. However, carrying the new (current) passport is mandatory.
4. An applicant may go through the following link for FAQs :
https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/OCIFAQs_23072021.pdf
5. For guidelines on OCI miscellaneous services, please go through the following link:
https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/OCIMISCELLANEOUSSERVICES_Guidelines_16072021.pdf
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Chicago, 31 August 2021
