Can I travel after applying for OCI ?

S

sangk76

Registered Users (C)
Hello,
Do we submit our U.S passport also for OCI application. Even if not, are we still allowed to travel to India while our OCI application is getting processed?

I have heard it takes about 3 moths for the process itself, but my travel is next month , so want to decide if I should wait till I return from india trip or ca apply and travel..

Thanks so much for your responses,
Sang
 
The only time you cannot travel after applying for OCI is the week or two it takes for you to send in your US passport and get it back with the OCI stamp. You usually do this at the end of the whole OCI process (after the OCI is granted, the documents are printed and sent, and received by the consulate that has jurisdiction over the state you live in). You can also minimize this wait by going to the consulate in person (if it is not too far away) to get the OCI stamp.

As for traveling during the rest of the process I don't see why not. Of course you would need to get a shorter-term U-visa in the meantime to be able to enter India. You can get the OCI process started before you leave and finish it after you come back. I think there may also be a way of getting the OCI stamp while you are in India (not sure if anyone has done that after starting the process in the US).

-KM
 
I had applied for OCI before I left for India (I did take a 6 mo visa) and it was approved while I was there. Got it stamped after I got back. No problems there.
 
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