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In the UK, obtaining an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card typically takes four to eight weeks.
Yes, an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) can get an Aadhaar card.
Yes, Indian citizens living abroad (OCIs) are able to purchase both residential and commercial real estate in India.
Foreign military or defense personnel, foreign diplomats, individuals with Pakistani or Bangladeshi ancestry, and foreign nationals on certain visas.
To apply for OCI card you need to fill out the application form online available at passport.gov.in/oci and upload the required documents with your signature. After that make a printout of the form and along with the mentioned documents submit it to the Indian Post/Mission/FRRO of the country where you are residing.
An OCI card is eligible for those who were Indian citizens at the time of or at any time after January 26th, 1950. In addition, who were eligible to become Indian citizens on January 26th, 1950, or who belonged to a territory that became part of the country after August 15, 1947, or a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of an Indian citizen.
In most cases, OCI cardholders have the same rights as the NRIs in India. For example, the card provides them with a lifelong visa to travel the country. However, there are some restrictions on them as well like not being able to vote in the Indian election, unlike NRIs.
Under the Income Tax Act, the Indian government has reduced the number of staying days from 182 to 120 for the NRIs whose annual income is more than 15 Lakhs.
Yes, NRI, PIO, and OCI are allowed to buy any residential or immovable property in India. However, they are restricted to purchasing agricultural land, plantation property, or farmhouses in the country.
OCI cardholders are not entitled to get the benefits of government subsidies and repatriation in India.
The full form of NRI is Non-Resident Indian (NRI).
The full form of PIO is Person of Indian Origin (PIO).
To surrender your Indian passport after acquiring British citizenship for an OCI card, you need to apply for the surrender certificate through VFS Global. For this, you need to fill out the application, submit your existing Indian passport along with additional documents, book an appointment at VFS, and pay the required fees. Once you get your surrender certificate, you can apply for an OCI card in the UK.
In the UK, you can surrender your Indian passport at your nearest VFS Global center along with the requested documents. However, before visiting there, it is advisable to book an appointment to avoid a longer waiting time.
To surrender your Indian passport in the UK, you generally require a complete application form, Indian passport, valid address proof, naturalization certificate, citizenship, and residency status proof, declaration form, passport-size colored photographs, and a fee receipt.
The passport surrender process may vary depending on the application type, as some applications may take a longer time to process than others due to the increased volume of surrender certificate applications, the requirement of additional documents, or individual circumstances. Generally, the surrender certificate takes 10-12 weeks to process your application in the UK.
The Indian passport surrender in the UK costs around £22. This fee also includes £7.44 service charges of VFS Global. Talking about the OCI application fee in the UK, it generally ranges between £200 to £218. This fee includes VFS charges, courier fees, embassy fees, and SMS charges.
No, you cannot apply for an OCI card before surrendering your Indian passport. The surrender certificate is one of the key bases for obtaining the OCI card. It serves as proof that you no longer hold Indian citizenship and are eligible to apply for the card.
To track your surrender and OCI application status in the UK, you can use the VFS Global and OCI services website in the UK. Additionally, you can also use the application tracking tool of Visament to know the current status of your application. The tool is available on our website. It is easy to use and provides you with accurate information.
Yes, the surrender of an Indian passport is mandatory before applying for OCI UK, especially if you hold citizenship of another country. The surrender certificate is one of the necessary documents that Indian applicants who acquire foreign citizenship need to submit during their OCI application.
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