Applying for Visa while waiting for OCI
- A foreigner of Indian origin.
- Spouse and children of a foreigner of Indian origin or Indian citizen.
- Spouse and dependent children of a foreigner coming to India on any other long term visa, such as an Employment visa or Business visa.
Full Answer
Do you need an OCI card to stay in India?
If you require an OCI card for staying in India for under five years, opting for an India visa is an ideal choice. This is because it is easy and convenient to apply. Also, you can apply it online through a third-party agent.
What is the best alternative to OCI card?
The Ideal Alternative to an OCI: India E-visa If you require an OCI card for staying in India for under five years, opting for an India visa is an ideal choice. This is because it is easy and convenient to apply. Also, you can apply it online through a third-party agent.
How do I apply for an OCI card?
We will send a guide with all the details you need. Send by mail the physical application to the Application Center. Receive the OCI card in 5 to 6 weeks.
Can I get an emergency visa for India?
They are not accepting tourist visas right now in India. The emergency visas are for 6 months, one time entry and were around $100 or so last year, not sure what it is now. If you want to go on an urgent trip you should probably go this route and do OCI once you come back.
Can I travel to India if OCI is in process?
As per the latest guidelines, all OCI card holders (with valid reason) holding US Passport are permitted to enter India.
Can we apply OCI and visa together?
Yes. On payment of requisite fee, a new OCI 'U' visa sticker will be issued. However, the applicant can continue to carry the old passport wherein the OCI 'U' visa sticker was pasted along with new passport for visiting India without seeking a new visa, as the visa is lifelong.
Can I apply for OCI while on entry visa in India?
Foreign nationals cannot apply for OCI in India while on Tourist Visa, Missionary Visa and Mountaineering Visa. Moreover, the foreigner has to be ordinarily resident of India to be eligible to apply for OCI registration in India.
Can you travel after applying for OCI?
OCI Card applicants can no longer travel internationally until their OCI Card application is submitted. If they leave the country, the six-month period resets and they must again not travel for six months to apply for an OCI Card.
Is it better to get OCI or Indian visa?
If you want to spend some time in India, you must check the travel documents you need for your visit. The India Tourist eVisa is available for foreign travelers who want to visit India for tourism. On the other hand, the OCI Card allows you to live and work in India.
How long it will take to get OCI card?
8-10 weeksOCI application normally takes 8-10 weeks for processing. The complete processing of OCI card involves a number of steps. The processing can be further delayed because of incomplete applications.
Can I travel to India without OCI?
The Government of India has decided to permit all OCI/PIO card holders regardless of which country passport they hold. (i) The Government of India has restored all existing visas, which had been suspended earlier, including electronic visa except e-Tourist Visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa.
Do I need visa if I have OCI?
Should I apply for entry visa to travel to India? No. As per the latest guidelines, all OCI card holders holding US Passport are permitted to enter India. You may also refer to https://www.cgisf.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=81 OCI Card holders do not require entry visa to enter India.
How long does it take to get Indian visa?
Although the processing time is usually 4 to 5 days, it's also common for applicants to receive their visas within 24 hours of completing their application. There's no need to go to an embassy or consulate in person.
How do I get an emergency visa for India?
E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESSApply online. Upload Photo and Passport Page.Pay eVisa fee online. Using Credit / Debit card / Payment Wallet.Receive ETA Online. Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA Will be sent to your e-mail.Fly To India. Print ETA and present at Immigration Check Post where eVisa will be stamped on passport.
What are the disadvantages of OCI card?
For OCI CardholdersAdvantagesDisadvantagesLifelong multiple entries for visiting India.Not eligible for purchasing agricultural land.No requirement for registering with local police authorities after 180 days.Not eligible for a government job.2 more rows
How long can you stay in India with OCI?
An OCI card holder does not need a visa to live or work in India. An OCI card holder can stay in India for life time. It is important for an OCI card holder to ensure that they hold valid passports from their home country.
Do I need a visa if I have an OCI card?
Should I apply for entry visa to travel to India? No. As per the latest guidelines, all OCI card holders holding US Passport are permitted to enter India. You may also refer to https://www.cgisf.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=81 OCI Card holders do not require entry visa to enter India.
Which one is better OCI or visa?
OCI is a lifelong visa to live and work in India as any other Indian citizen or NRI. But unlike visitors on other long-term visas (for example, work permits, student visas), OCI holders do not have to register with their local FRRO. OCI holders, just like NRIs, can open bank accounts and buy property in the country.
What are the disadvantages of OCI card?
For OCI CardholdersAdvantagesDisadvantagesLifelong multiple entries for visiting India.Not eligible for purchasing agricultural land.No requirement for registering with local police authorities after 180 days.Not eligible for a government job.2 more rows
Is OCI card a visa?
Although the OCI card is considered a lifelong visa, it's not actually a visa. It's a document that gives you the right to work and live in India. Most visas only allow you to visit countries.
How to apply for OCI?
One can apply for an OCI by logging on to passport.gov.in/oci. The OCI requirements must be satisfied to obtain one’s OCI within 30 working days from the date of application. Every application is stringently scrutinized by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What is the eligibility criteria to apply for an OCI card ?
One can apply for an OCI card if they satisfy any one the following criteria:
What is an OCI card?
OCI Card or the Overseas Citizenship in India is an immigration status that permits a foreign citizen (except Bangladesh and Pakistan) with an Indian origin to indefinitely live and work in India.
How long can a foreigner marry an Indian?
A foreign spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI card-holder is not eligible until having subsisted two years of marriage. Military personnel with a foreign passport are not eligible for an OCI if serving retired or otherwise. Entry/exit from the country is determined by the authenticity of the foreign passport.
Can I travel to India with an OCI?
That being said, we recommend you enter/travel India using your India visa. And, although, you may carry your old passport with your OCI, there are chances of your entry being denied into the country . Thus, we reckon OCI applicants and existing cardholders to apply for an India visa as it enables you to enter/travel the nation irrespective of the OCI discrepancies.
Can a non-ordinary passport be used for OCI?
Holders of non-ordinary passports are not eligible for an OCI. OCI not granted when either of the applicant’s parents, grandparents, great grandparents are or were citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh. A foreign spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI card-holder is not eligible until having subsisted two years of marriage.
Is an Indian visa cheaper than an OCI?
And comparatively, the cost of acquiring an Indian online visa is far less than that of an OCI.
How long is an emergency visa in India?
They are not accepting tourist visas right now in India. The emergency visas are for 6 months, one time entry and were around $100 or so last year, not sure what it is now. If you want to go on an urgent trip you should probably go this route and do OCI once you come back. If the trip could wait you may want to do OCI first.
Can I apply for renunciation at the same time?
I would think you could apply at the same time, yours would just need one more step because you have to apply for renunciation. You should ask them though to confirm, but it seems like they would process them as 2 separate applications even if you filed around the same time. You'll need to check the application instructions, sometimes they are picky about that.
Do I need an original passport for OCI 2021?
Thanks so much for your reply. As of April 12 2021 , they don't need original US passport anymore to be sent with the OCI application, only self attested copy is enough. So i thought i could apply for OCI and still get e-visa if needed since i will have my passport with me.
What line in MHA is OCI cancelled?
look under processing at MHA, First paragraph. line 4 , the registration that OCI already granted by the Indian post mission shall be cancelled.
What does "Granted" mean in Delhi?
"Granted" status only means that they have just touched your file at the Counsulate.
What is an overseas citizen of India?
Overseas Citizen Of India. A foreign national, - (i) who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after 26th January, 1950; or (ii) who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January, 1950; or (iii) who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947; or ...
Can foreigners visit FRRO?
Notice: In the backdrop of outbreak of COVID-19, no foreigners are allowed to visit the FRRO Office for OCI/Registrations and other Visa related services without prior appointment till further orders. For appointment, contact respective FRRO Support Centres Click here for more details..
Can I apply for OCI in India?
Foreign nationals cannot apply for OCI in India while on Tourist Visa, Missionary Visa and Mountaineering Visa. Moreover, the foreigner has to be ordinarily residen t of India to be eligible to apply for OCI registration in India.
How long does it take to get an OCI card?
You must follow the instructions and send all your paperwork to the VFS Application Center. Your OCI card processing time will be 5 to 6 weeks. Check more information about the OCI card processing time. Check the application page now.
What is an OCI card?
The OCI Card (Overseas Citizenship of India) is a document which grants permanent residency to people of Indian origin and their spouses to live and work in India indefinitely. The application process for the OCI can be rather long and contain a lot of requirements, which is why we’ve developed an application process to guide you from start to finish. The OCI Card processing time depends upon how quickly you want to receive your document. You can find precise processing times in the FAQs below.
How to make your first trip to India memorable?
We know that traveling to India for the first time may seem overwhelming. Therefore, we have gathered all the tips to make your first journey to India memorable. Keep your cool at times. You may encounter people who want to scam you or overcharge you for extra services that never happen. Be aware of people who want to take you to a specific hotel or travel agency. They could charge you a lot for a commission for this small favor. Stay calm and think that if a situation seems too good to be true, don’t trust it.
Can an OCI card be used to become an Indian citizen?
Apply now. Remember that although holders of the OCI Card have many of the same rights as Indian citizens, the card does not actually grant citizenship despite its name. Having this document can provide many advantages for people of Indian origin, but the application process can be complicated. Check out the most important information about ...
Do I need more documents for OCI?
More documents could be necessary according to the purpose of your application. We can help you with the OCI card processing time.
Is the OCI card higher than ivisa?
Due to the extensive application process, our services fees for the OCI Card are higher than most of our iVisa.com products. However, keep in mind that we provide every applicant with a detailed OCI Card Preparation Guide as well as 24/7 customer service to make sure your application process is smooth from start to finish. With such an important document, you don’t want to miss a single detail.
