India Dual Citizenship Mega Thread (Merged)

[NCTarheel]

Sorry that I am veering away from the topic.

But can someone tell me the size of the photographs that should be affixed to the Indian tourist visa form? Does it have to follow the American passport standard or the "(in)famous" Indian OCI application standard?

Thanks.

The instructions ask for passport size photographs. I guess that means 2" x 2".

 

[SDQmer]

Anybody travelled with OCI Card?

Hi,

Anybody travelled with OCI Card?.

1. Do we have to show both US passport, which has OCI stamp and the blue OCI book or we have to show at immigration only OCI book?

2. Is there seprate line (same as other country passport holders) or we have to stand in same line as Indian citizens?

 

[mangal969]

SDQmer,
As per what i know:
1.You have to show US passport with the OCI visa.Card is to be presented on request.
2.As an OCI you get to stand in the queue with Indian nationals and PIO card holders.

 

[mangal969]

Sorry that I am veering away from the topic.

But can someone tell me the size of the photographs that should be affixed to the Indian tourist visa form? Does it have to follow the American passport standard or the "(in)famous" Indian OCI application standard?

Thanks.

I dont think they will make much of a fuss for visas.Indian visas do not have a photograph embedded in them.It's just for consular records.

 

[tdesai]

Tax deducted at source in Indian bank investment

Hi

Last year (when I had greencard) and had gone to India, I had opened
up a savings account. I became a citizen this April. Last week, I received
a letter from the bank (HDFC) about the tax deducted at source from
my account.

Now, how does this stuff work ?? Are we supposed to send those banks
some information or ??

If anyone can kindly enlighten me with some related information, that would be very nice

thanks in advance..

 

[gotia]

Hi

Last year (when I had greencard) and had gone to India, I had opened
up a savings account. I became a citizen this April. Last week, I received
a letter from the bank (HDFC) about the tax deducted at source from
my account.

Now, how does this stuff work ?? Are we supposed to send those banks
some information or ??

If anyone can kindly enlighten me with some related information, that would be very nice

thanks in advance..

NRI can open NRI account
saving account are not for NRI as for as i know.
different NRI bank account classification are on web site of each bank with tax information.
IF you know saving account clasification than you can take issue with bank

 

[aashn]

Hi

Last year (when I had greencard) and had gone to India, I had opened
up a savings account. I became a citizen this April. Last week, I received
a letter from the bank (HDFC) about the tax deducted at source from
my account.

Now, how does this stuff work ?? Are we supposed to send those banks
some information or ??

If anyone can kindly enlighten me with some related information, that would be very nice

thanks in advance..

What is the type of the account? NRE/NRO/Foreign currency account?

 

[columbiaman]

OCI granted but applicant not in US

My wife has been granted an OCI out of Houston. We waited and waited but the OCI never came, we finally gave in and topok the 10 year Multiple Entry visa and came to INDIA. Now, Houston has received the approved OCI sticker. Any suggestions on how we go about getting that sticker on the passport? It seems like there are two options:

1. I am going to the US in two weeks, so I take her passport with me send it to the consulate and then fedex the passport to my wife

2. Tell the embassy to transfer my wifes application back to INDIA and then we send passport within INDIA for stamping.

What have others done?

CM

 

[mangal969]

My wife has been granted an OCI out of Houston. We waited and waited but the OCI never came, we finally gave in and topok the 10 year Multiple Entry visa and came to INDIA. Now, Houston has received the approved OCI sticker. Any suggestions on how we go about getting that sticker on the passport? It seems like there are two options:

1. I am going to the US in two weeks, so I take her passport with me send it to the consulate and then fedex the passport to my wife

2. Tell the embassy to transfer my wifes application back to INDIA and then we send passport within INDIA for stamping.

What have others done?

CM

Option 1 is NOT an option at all.No matter what anyone tells you,your wife's passport is to remain in the immediate vicinty of your wife.You cannot bring it to the US while she is there in India.
Since you are already have a 10 year visa i guess there is no real rush.Contact the MHA and the OCI cell in Houston.Maybe the Houston people can send the OCI back to India or the MHA can issue her a duplicate OCI card and visa.As a last resort get her FRRO registration done and whenever in the next 10 years she comes to the US she can have her OCI stamped.

 

[mangal969]

Hi

Last year (when I had greencard) and had gone to India, I had opened
up a savings account. I became a citizen this April. Last week, I received
a letter from the bank (HDFC) about the tax deducted at source from
my account.

Now, how does this stuff work ?? Are we supposed to send those banks
some information or ??

If anyone can kindly enlighten me with some related information, that would be very nice

thanks in advance..

Technically when you became a US citizen you should have informed the bank and they would have converted the savings account into one of the non-resident accounts.

About the letter well at financial year closing (31 March) you were still an Indian.So i guess you would have to file the return accordingly.Your CA would best handle the issue.You would get the money back if eligible.

 

[Fellow_immig]

Timelines

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how long for the OCI status, will take from the time GRANTED to PRINTED to DISPATCHED. There could be an answer in this huge thread, but if some one can point me to that message or reply to this, it will be very helpful. Thanks for all the useful information.

D

 

[go_cp]

Granted --> Printed - One week. I have also seen some report to be on the same day

Printed --> Dispatched - One week.

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how long for the OCI status, will take from the time GRANTED to PRINTED to DISPATCHED. There could be an answer in this huge thread, but if some one can point me to that message or reply to this, it will be very helpful. Thanks for all the useful information.

D

 

[madabushi]

OCI Registration Granted

OCI Registration Granted

For details, look in "Washington DC Tracker" thread! I have updated my previous posting.

 

[basis]

Technically when you became a US citizen you should have informed the bank and they would have converted the savings account into one of the non-resident accounts.

About the letter well at financial year closing (31 March) you were still an Indian.So i guess you would have to file the return accordingly.Your CA would best handle the issue.You would get the money back if eligible.

No the above is not correct.

NRI is related to residence and not to citizenship.

So you should have opened NRI account or converted to NRI account the moment you became NRI. There are definitions of NRI under FEMA act that have been discussed at lenght in this forum. Even if you are Citizen of India you need to open an NRI account if you are an NRI i.e. not resident in India as per FEMA. I think from OPs post that OP was on a vacation or temporary visit to India. So he / she should have opened NRI account in the first place.

Again about Return of Income Tax - Citizenship is irrelevant. If you were resident in India for Financial Year ended 31st March 2006 then you should file return as resident. If you were NRI then accordingly. Remember if only income you had as an NRI was from investments then you need not file IT return in India.

I suspect that looking at your greencard and other facts (if you had disclosed them to HDFC), HDFC would have opened an NRI account (which are basically NRE / NRO accounts) for you and you may have to do nothing.

 

[basis]

Do any of the old OCI thread veterans log in now a days? PIO1, mangal where are you guys?

 

[Superho]

Regarding photos, I just got them in my local Walgreens photo dept. They have a built in size which automatically prints a pack of 4. This size happens to match what GoI wanted (35*35mm => 1.37 * 1.37 inch) . But this is not very obvious and you need to explain to them. Most of them may just say they cant do it. This is using a digital camera, not using regular polaroid.

How many photos are needed for OCI application? They say send in the forms in duplicate with a photo on each, and then 3 more??? Can someone confirm please?

 

[desi99]

is oci required ?

I live in UK. I have recently got british passport. Do i have to surrender my indian passport ? Can i travel to india on my indian passport.
One of my friends who has british passport still uses indian passport to travel to india and he never had any problems.
Why waste about £200 just to get an oci card while i can keep indian passport. How would the custom at indian airport will know that i have also british passport if i dont carry that with me .
Since even after getting oci you return to india and after 1 year can get the indian citizenship again and will have two passport , so why surrender it in the first place ?

 

[donlogan]

^ Well I certainly would not reccomend using a passport that is no longer valid. What's the point of taking such a risk? I woudn't call avoiding a major hassle w/customs or even worse a waste of money. W/the amount of emphasis placed on airport security it makes absolutely no sense to risk using a invalid passport.

 

[n400_j]

is it possible to give up OCI card? I had applied this for my son which has been approved, but I would like to give up and just keep his PIO card.

 

[aashn]

is it possible to give up OCI card? I had applied this for my son which has been approved, but I would like to give up and just keep his PIO card.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I am curious about why you want to give up the OCI? Is there any benefits to sticking with the PIO alone?