India Dual Citizenship Mega Thread (Merged)

[mangal969]

The information about the bill not being passed is wrong.

http://rajyasabha.nic.in/legislative/bil/billpasses205.htm

It has been passed by both houses and assented to by the President on 24.8.2005

 

[akkcausa]

MHA Website updated - OCI starting Dec 12th

MHA is finally showing some progress on the OCI. At http://mha.nic.in/oci/intro.pdf the website has been updated -

Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
OCI Scheme is operational from 02.12.2005 ​

There is an Online Enquiry feature where you can enter the File # and Reference # to check status. I entered mine and it came back with 'File Number Does Not Exist'.

I submitted application almost 1 year ago in December 2004. Either the page is not working or all our old applications are gone into a black hole.

 

[akkcausa]

Correction on previous posting

Title should read OCI starting December 2nd...

 

[PIO1]

mangal969 thanks for confirming this is law - I think the Rajah Sabha web site does not have all parts updated regularly - this is probably why the page I referenced had it in a limbo.

Reading that bill, I still don't understand why they're so hung-up on other countries "that allow dual citizenship". First of all, this isn't dual citizenship, and would never be unless the person applies separately for it after the residence requirements are met. They can't assume that every OIC would automatically want to become a full citizen.

Secondly, even if this was real citizenship, what business is it of theirs if other countries allow it or not? That's the lookout of the applicant, not the Indian government. Certainly, the US, Canada, and the UK couldn't care less if one of their new citizens also holds some other nationality, or what that nationality is.

True ... and another point ...

Reading this bill alone (with the original 2003 bill, ignoring all the hype), the fact that it is using the word "citizenship" (the qualifier Overseas is just that - a qualifier), and the fact this is an amendment to the Citizenship Act, is this act not granting full citizenship (minus some rights as per 7B(2))? Therefore, also is it not in contravention of Article 9 of the constitution (No voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship)?

I think there are two issues here, this potentially contravenes Article 9, and/or it contravenes the constitution by creating a second class of citizenship (with less rights than the first). Either way this thing looks fishy and may also be seen as so if taken to the Supreme Court.

 

[PIO1]

There is an Online Enquiry feature where you can enter the File # and Reference # to check status. I entered mine and it came back with 'File Number Does Not Exist'.

I never got any ref number!!!

 

[basis]

MHA has finally updated their website officially. Unfortunately they have changed the link. The old addresses have not been updated but new have been crated. If you use the old links it still gives old information. Many embassies including London High Commission have old links still on their websites i.e. http://mha.nic.in/oci-main.htm

New links -

Main - http://mha.nic.in/oci/oci-main.htm
Intro - http://mha.nic.in/oci/intro.pdf

There are features like online registration, online status enquiry
http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIRegistrationG.jsp
http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp

 

[basis]

APPLICATION FEES

For applications to be filed in India, an amount of Rs. 12,650
has to be paid for each applicant by Demand Draft in favour of “Pay
and Accounts Officer (Secretariat), Ministry of Home Affairs”
payable at New Delhi. In case of PIO Card holders, an amount of Rs.
1,150 has to be paid.

In case of applications to be filed outside India, for the
amount of fee to be paid in local currency, please visit the web site of
the respective Indian Mission / Post.

Is there any embassy where the fees in local currency has been notified ?

 

[PIO1]

The old addresses have not been updated but new have been crated. If you use the old links it still gives old information.

Is it just me, or is the capital of world Info Tech got it's government web sites utterly confused - every ministry has a different URL some .nic, some .gov. Likewise the Consulates - .org, etc they get their web sites done by amateurs. The web sites have old information, and lots of things don't work. We Indians are good at this stuff - why can't we do our own govt sites properly? It's a shame!

 

[mangal969]

ociindia.nic.in

There is actually a dedicated website for OCI services ! ! ! ! I must say I am pretty impressed with that (If they actually ever implement its usage).
Also checked the MHA website there is a provision for online registration ! Wouldnt know how much to rely on it though....
The New York and Washington embassy websites are silent on these new developments

 

[qwert97]

Congratulations guys...

MHA has finally updated their website officially. Unfortunately they have changed the link. The old addresses have not been updated but new have been crated. If you use the old links it still gives old information. Many embassies including London High Commission have old links still on their websites i.e. http://mha.nic.in/oci-main.htm

New links -

Main - http://mha.nic.in/oci/oci-main.htm
Intro - http://mha.nic.in/oci/intro.pdf

There are features like online registration, online status enquiry
http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIRegistrationG.jsp
http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp

All the phone calls to Embassies , letters to the editor of newspapers, emails to PM seems to have finally worked. There was no mention in the media about the scheme getting operational on the 2nd December 2005. All the players on this forum must pat their backs for the joint efforts. We were able to move the wheels of Indian beauracracy.

Now we have to see when and how the local embassies start processing the applications. I had applied almost a year ago but I do not recollect getting a reference number or a file number from the local embassy. In most of the cases the receipt number is the file number. I will need to call my local emabassy.

 

[akkcausa]

File # and Ref #

The File # and Reference # were in a confirmation letter that I got from the CGI, San Francisco a few weeks after application was submitted.

Of course, MHA stating that the process has begun means nothing much as the consulates can still take their own sweet time to start and then the applications have to be processed, certificate sent, passports stamped....
the list is endless and the end is not near (yet)

 

[basis]

Quote:
Originally Posted by akkcausa
There is an Online Enquiry feature where you can enter the File # and Reference # to check status. I entered mine and it came back with 'File Number Does Not Exist'.​

I never got any ref number!!!

It is the height of naivety to expect that you can put an year old references in a website started last night by GOI and get back results........

 

[qwert97]

Oci

The File # and Reference # were in a confirmation letter that I got from the CGI, San Francisco a few weeks after application was submitted.

Of course, MHA stating that the process has begun means nothing much as the consulates can still take their own sweet time to start and then the applications have to be processed, certificate sent, passports stamped....
the list is endless and the end is not near (yet)

Interesting. The Consulate General in Toronto never sent out a letter mentioning file # or reference #

I didn't know that there were procedural difference in the way the embassies work

 

[mangal969]

They changed the form ! ! ! !

 

[negs]

Dear Board Members,

For a minor, in the signature box what do you think needs to be filled? Thumb Impression ?

Regards
Negs

 

[qwert97]

Dear Board Members,

For a minor, in the signature box what do you think needs to be filled? Thumb Impression ?

Regards
Negs

I had applied for OCI in December. The minor child was asked to sign the form in front of the consulate. Dont know the legal validity but yeah minor has to sign the form. If he/she cannot sign then the thumb impression.

 

[madabushi]

Prime Minister to issue the first certificate under OCI

PM to launch electronic remittances gateway for NRIs

Hyderabad, Dec. 2 (PTI): A hassle-free electronic remittances gateway, enabling Non-Resident Indians to send money back home, will be launched during the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas opening here on January 7.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, would launch the Universal Integrated Electronic Remittances Gateway during the inaugural ceremony to be held at international convention centre HITEX here, Union Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs, Oscar Fernandes, told reporters today.

Fernandes, who is here to review arrangements for the prestigious event that is expected to attract about 3,000 delegates from across the globe, said, the Prime Minister would also issue the first certificate under Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme.

While electronic remittances gateway would facilitate online transfer of money to India, the OCI will enable overseas Indians holding foreign passports a free access to the country by providing dual citizenship.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200512021715.htm

 

[mangal969]

For minors as far as i know the parent has to sign on his behalf.

The press note on the MHA website is pretty comprehansiveon the rights facilities etc being granted to OCI.It also mentions the symbolic initiation of the procedure by the PM on the 7th of Jan.
(It's in the 'What's new' section)

Edit:In the new form the first applicant has to sign on behalf of minor children

 

[PIO1]

I had applied for OCI in December. The minor child was asked to sign the form in front of the consulate. Dont know the legal validity but yeah minor has to sign the form. If he/she cannot sign then the thumb impression.

They got me to sign on their behalf - no thumb impressions.

 

[boggavarapu]

Oci

Nothing has been mentioned anywhere about the applications that were submitted last year!!

No Reference No was given me at all!!

Also, what about the refund to the applicants who were already PIO Card holders at the time of application last year!!

I feel very disappointed that I will be losing atleast $1000 as I have submitted four applications from my family for OCI.