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Document requirement for OCI
Please read the below advise carefully to ensure correct compilation of the documents required for your application.
Applications can only be submitted with prior appointments, please click here for scheduling your appointment.
Important note for all OCI Applicants (Mandatory): Applicants are required to submit the originals along with a set of photocopies of the originals, both sets of documents need to be submitted at the counter. Originals will be returned once the High Commission of India is satisfied with the documents provided. All photocopies need to be self-attested.
Mandatory documents for an OCI Application:
Printed Application form: All applicants need to fill the online application form on the website to see click here
2 photographs as per the photo specifications – please ensure the photo & signature specifications are strictly followed, application may not be accepted if the specifications are not met completely. Please visit the ‘photo specifications’ tab above for more details
Foreign Passport Copy (which should be valid for more than 6 months)
Copy of Naturalisation Certificate, if applicable (Applicants, who have obtained Foreign Nationality by Naturalisation, are required to submit Naturalisation Certificate (Original) along with the copy.
If gained naturalization through any other method i.e. registration, etc. copy and original of the document confirming the same are required to be submitted.
All OCI applicants, other than minor children less than 18 years of age, are henceforth required to submit along with their application a (duly signed) letter from their respective employer regarding their job description, mentioning clearly the nature of the job and the post held. In the absence of such a letter, the OCI application will not be accepted.
This is for the information of Researchers and Journalists applying for OCI Card that, in addition to submission of all the mandatory documents, it is also required to submit an undertaking – please click here and download the undertaking format.
In case the applicant is ‘unemployed' proof of last employment and bank statements for a current account need to be submitted along with the application.
In case applicant is a ‘businessman' he/she should provide proof of Tax returns along with Company registration.
Address Proof
All applicants are required to submit the originals along with the copy of the Proof of Indian Origin documents as per the below list. In addition to the above documents the below additional documents will be required as per the cases advised:
Documents required for conversion of a valid PIO to OCI:
(i) Duly filled OCI Form on OCI Services Portal (in lieu of valid PIO) at the link https://ociservices.gov.in/
(ii) Valid PIO (original + copy)
(iii) Current Passport (original + Copy)
(iv) Passport linked to the PIO (Original + Copy)
(V) Birth Certificate
(vi) Marriage Certificate
(vii) Two51 mm x 51 mm white background photographs
(viii) Occupation Proof
(ix) Address Proof
Documents required for OCI Miscellaneous applications:
(i) Duly filled OCI Form on OCI Services Portal (OCI Miscellaneous Services) at the link https://ociservices.gov.in/
(ii) OCI card(original + copy)
(iii) Current Passport (original + Copy)
(iv) Passport linked to the OCI card (Original + Copy)
(v) Two51 mm x 51 mm white background photographs
(vi) Occupation Proof
(vii) Address Proof
(viii) Marriage Certificate and Spouse passport (original + Copy) if applicable
(ix) In case of change of name after marriage, an affidavit for the same is required.
(x) In case of Lost OCI, Police abstract and affidavit stating lost OCI details (and passport details if it is lost too)
Documents required for Applicants born In India:
Applicants are mandatorily required to submit Certificate of Renunciation of Indian citizenship (original).
The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, does not allow dual citizenship. Holding Indian Passport / acquiring Indian Passport / travelling on Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties. Under the Indian law, Persons of Indian Origin who have acquired foreign Nationality are required to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian Mission/Post immediately after acquisition of foreign citizenship on order to obtain Certificate of Renunciation of Indian citizenship.
Applicants who have held an Indian passport, and obtained foreign nationality before May 2010, but are unable to produce the same for Surrender of Indian passport for any reason (lost/misplaced/submitted to Kenyan Immigration long time back) are required to furnish a notarised affidavit in original from Kenya stating the facts about their Indian passports along with other necessary documents as mentioned below.
Applicants who were born in India and never held Indian passport, and travelled on parents’ Indian Passports, are required to submit a notary affidavit in original from Kenya stating the fact and how they travelled to Kenya along with other necessary documents as mentioned below:
Domicile certificate (in original)
OR
Original Birth Certificate issued from Indian Municipality or Panchayat. Recently issued birth Certificate (Post-dated birth certificates) from Municipality/Panchayat etc. This should be duly certified by the District Magistrate/District Collector of the area, with name, stamp, seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification. The certificate should also be apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
OR
School Leaving Certificate (in original). Post-dated School Certificate/School Leaving Certificate from India should be authenticated by Director of Education/District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp, seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification. The certificate should also be apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs of India
OR
Agriculture land documents (certified). The document should be apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs of India
Documents required for Applicants born in India/Abroad and applying on the basis of Parents/Grand Parents/Spouse:
Applicant who are born in India/abroad and wish to apply on the basis of their parents/grand parents’/spouse Indian origin) must furnish the below documents
A photocopy and the original of the applicant’s full version birth certificate and marriage certificate along with the Indian origin proof of their parents/grandparents/spouse must be furnished by the applicants to prove their link with them. For any other foreign-born applicant Birth Certificate must be in full version and it has to be translated in Hindi/English by a reputed and registered translation authority. If the Birth Certificates have been issued in any country other than India or Kenya, they should be first attested/apostilled by the concerned Indian Mission/Post in the country where it was issued.
Applicant applying on the basis of parents needs to submit his/her full version Birth certificate with both the parent’s details on it, along with parent’s proof of Indian Origin. If the parents are OCI card holders, then the base documents on whose strength they obtained the OCI should also be presented.
Applicants applying on the basis of Grandparents are required to furnish:
Applicant’s full version Birth Certificate
Applicant’s Parent’s full version Birth Certificate
And Grandparent’s proof of Indian Origin. If the Grandparents are OCI card holders, then the base documents on whose strength they obtained the OCI should also be presented.
Applicants applying on the basis of Spouse need to submit their registered marriage and Birth certificate along with spouse’s Valid Indian Passport or OCI Card of the Spouse. Marriage should have been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than 2 years immediately preceding the presentation of the application. Applicant should also carry:
A consent letter written by the spouse (of Indian Origin) providing consent for the applicant to be able to obtain an OCI based on his/her Indian Origin. Letter needs to be addressed to the High Commission of India
Joint Affidavit signed by the couple stating that in case of dissolution of marriage or deceased spouse, the applicant must notify and return his/her OCI Card to the Indian Embassy/Consulate/High Commission.
Domicile Certificate of the applicant or of his/her parents/grandparents issued from concerned Competent Authority in India i.e. District Magistrate/Collectors/Sub Divisional Magistrate may also be accepted as a proof of Indian Origin (in original). The Domicile Certificate should also be attested/endorsed by the Ministry of External Affairs, India in New Delhi. OR
Nativity Certificate (in original): If the applicant is unable to produce any documentary proof of parents/grandparents or self. He/she must submit the Nativity Certificate in the prescribed format as per link below. The Nativity Certificate should be certified by the District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp, seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification. The Nativity Certificate should also be attested/endorsed by the Ministry of External Affairs, India in New Delhi. Please click here to see the format of Nativity Certificate.
Please note that if the applicant was born in India and is submitting a nativity certificate, then he/she needs to submit a notarised affidavit from Kenya stating the fact about his/her Indian passport and how he/she travelled to Kenya.
Applications for minor children (below 18 years of age)
Marriage Certificate (original and copy) of the parents is mandatory for all minors, along with the full version birth certificate of the child (original and copy).
Photocopies of the Parent’s passports
In addition to the above documents - For minors both the parents needs to self-attest all the photocopies along with parent’s passport photocopies. In case if the parents are holding Indian passport then photocopies of the Bio Page (photo page), last page with the address & Kenya visa page should also be provided.
Minor children holding foreign nationality and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India or both or one parents are OCI card holder, are eligible for OCI Card.
Signatures should be in the box provided. Children below 5 years of age should place the thumb impression (left hand) and children above 5 years of age should write their name or sign. Signature/thumb impression of the child applicant is also required on the declaration on Part B of the application form (2 page).
Minor foreigners born out of live-in relationships, Step & adopted children are not eligible for OCI. However an adopted child who has had an Indian passport in the past and can produce a surrender certificate for the same, is eligible to apply for an OCI, all other documents advised above for minors will be required in addition to the Surrender Certificate and the Indian passport. All cases will be put under review and a final decision will be made by the competent authorities. For any unsuccessful applications the refund policy will apply.
In case of minor children, both the parents need to be signed in part ‘B’ or parent’s consent letter is mandatory (if divorced) or court order having custody of children.
Important Information for all OCI Applicants:
An OCI card holder is not entitled to undertake any Missionary, mountaineering and research work in India. They need prior approval from Ministry of Home Affairs in India before undertaking such activities.
Non-Kenya passport holder should give residential address in respective country. The processing time is longer for such cases.
Minor foreigners born out of live-in relationships, Step & adopted children are not eligible for OCI. However an adopted child who has had an Indian passport in the past and can produce a surrender certificate for the same, is eligible to apply for an OCI, all other documents advised above for minors will be required in addition to the Surrender Certificate and the Indian passport. All cases will be put under review and a final decision will be made by the competent authorities. For any unsuccessful applications the refund policy will apply.
In case of minor children, both the parents need to be signed in part ‘B’ or parent’s consent letter is mandatory (if divorced) or court order having custody of children.
Signature/thumb impression of the child applicant is also required on the declaration on Part B of the application form (2nd page). (Children 5 years & above are required to write their name in the signature fields provided on the first and last page of the form. Children below 5 years of age are required to provide the thumb impressions instead of signatures)
Applicant whose birth certificate mentions about only one parent and nationality and other parent is not known, is not eligible for OCI Card.
British Overseas Citizens, Asylees or Stateless applicants are not eligible for OCI.
If the OCI card holder acquires nationality of a different country after obtaining the OCI card, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh, he/she shall also be allowed to enter/exit India on the strength of his/her new passport of the recently acquired nationality and OCI Registration Certificate (OCI card).
Refund Process for applicant not eligible for OCI
Applicants who are not found eligible for OCI will be refunded the admissible amount after deducting necessary administration costs.
Please Note: The above list is not exhaustive and does not guarantee an OCI. The High Commission of India reserves the right to ask for additional documents, if required.