Travel to India after applying for OCI

[chola]

Lets say I apply for a family OCI - and it takes 3 months to get processed, can I still apply for an Entry Visa if I want to go to India for any valid reason/emergency etc?

Would it be better to get a 1 yr entry visa to be on the safe side?
chola

 

[nkm-oct23]

Please bear in mind that you will need the "surrender certificate" for any type of Indian visa which costs $175 per person over and above the cost of a visa.

 

[sam012007]

chola, it is all screwed up ... I recommend to wait for the dust to settle before you start any process if you are not in hurry ... otherwise ... try 1 of the options and see where you stand with it ...

 

[ginnu]

Lets say I apply for a family OCI - and it takes 3 months to get processed, can I still apply for an Entry Visa if I want to go to India for any valid reason/emergency etc?

Would it be better to get a 1 yr entry visa to be on the safe side?
chola

You can apply for Entry Visa(X) Visa while OCI is pending. You have get Visa through Travisa. They have online Form for Visa. Fill up the form pay the Visa Fees and also they have also Form for surrender certificate on site for Former Indians but that Form on Travisa site is slightly different that the Form Posted on NY consulate site. Get the Form from NY site and fill up the form get 3 copies of Form Notarized and also send $ 175 payable to” Consulate General of India New York”
You must send Indian passport+ US passport+ Visa fees+ 3 copies for Surrender certificate notarized + $ 175 for surrender certificate+ Copy of Your Driving License or Utility bill. Travisa can get Visa for you in 7-9 days from the date you mail your documents to them. Travisa will get Visa for you and also surrender certificate for you.
If OCI is pending then send the Copy of Surrender certificate to OCI Cell with cover letter that your OCI application is pending write your online OCI Registration number on Cover letter, your name, address, phone and email and request them to process the OCI. At this time all the application of OCI are pending and they need surrender certificate before they process the OCI. They had huge backlog of OCI and they have cleared that backlog up to April. The applications that are pending without surrender certificate they are not processing and again they will create backlog.
Those who got OCI Granted and Printed from Delhi and reached NYC they are not getting OCI. To get OCI one need to get surrender Certificate by sending Fees and Form and once you get back your surrender certificate then again you have to mail the surrender certificate, US passport, Indian passport and $20 so that they can send OCI.

 

[ethan1066]

thanks for the info...

 

[Pippi]

I currently have a valid Indian visa. I am applying for OCI.
If I want to travel to India in the meantime, I presume I could do so on my US passport with Indian visa?
If the OCI is ready while I am in India, can I just get it when I return? Or can I even get it there (or is it too risky to ask them to transfer documents to another office?)

 

[sanjoseaug20]

I currently have a valid Indian visa. I am applying for OCI.
If I want to travel to India in the meantime, I presume I could do so on my US passport with Indian visa?
If the OCI is ready while I am in India, can I just get it when I return? Or can I even get it there (or is it too risky to ask them to transfer documents to another office?)

You can travel with US passport and current visa.
OCI will be available where you submitted the documents. If you submit in Houston (for example), you are not going to get it in MHA. You will need to return and then get it stamped.

 

[solicit]

Typically for how long are these Entry Visa valid for ? If you need to go to India right after US Citizenship and stay / work there for 6- 8 months ( i.e cannot afford to wait for 3-5 months OCI processing takes ) what is the best and quickest option and what are the time lines involved?

- Apply for surrender certificate & Entry Visa ; Travel to India ; Apply for OCI there ?
- Apply for surrender certificate & PIO ; Travel to India ; Apply for OCI there?

Is the process for applying for OCI in India same as within US and what are the time lines involved ? Alternately, can we have the OCI applied in US and have it collected in India ?

Would appreciate any inputs / guidance on this..

You can apply for Entry Visa(X) Visa while OCI is pending. You have get Visa through Travisa. They have online Form for Visa. Fill up the form pay the Visa Fees and also they have also Form for surrender certificate on site for Former Indians but that Form on Travisa site is slightly different that the Form Posted on NY consulate site. Get the Form from NY site and fill up the form get 3 copies of Form Notarized and also send $ 175 payable to” Consulate General of India New York”
You must send Indian passport+ US passport+ Visa fees+ 3 copies for Surrender certificate notarized + $ 175 for surrender certificate+ Copy of Your Driving License or Utility bill. Travisa can get Visa for you in 7-9 days from the date you mail your documents to them. Travisa will get Visa for you and also surrender certificate for you.
If OCI is pending then send the Copy of Surrender certificate to OCI Cell with cover letter that your OCI application is pending write your online OCI Registration number on Cover letter, your name, address, phone and email and request them to process the OCI. At this time all the application of OCI are pending and they need surrender certificate before they process the OCI. They had huge backlog of OCI and they have cleared that backlog up to April. The applications that are pending without surrender certificate they are not processing and again they will create backlog.
Those who got OCI Granted and Printed from Delhi and reached NYC they are not getting OCI. To get OCI one need to get surrender Certificate by sending Fees and Form and once you get back your surrender certificate then again you have to mail the surrender certificate, US passport, Indian passport and $20 so that they can send OCI.