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Is OCI worth the cost/hassle?
- Thread starter nkm-oct23
- Start date
If one has no plans to return to India, invest in properties or use NRI quotas in education, is there a reason why one should get OCI? Won't a multiple entry 10 year tourist visa be good enough?
Comments/thoughts welcome!
A 10-year multiple entry visa costs $163 http://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/consular-fees?id=1
OCI, for $275, gives you a lifetime visa. So even if you think you may not need 10-year visa (the visa cost may go up in future + additional expense of photos and postage) more than twice, OCI seems like a better option.
It does take 2-3 months to get OCI, but the application process is actually quite simple.
There is no hassle, you do not even have to visit the consulate unlike visa where you stand in crowded lines, or for INS interviews where you have to visit many times. With India booming, who know after 10 years what the situation is in USA. I got because I am R2Iing, but you make the call for OCI or not.
realnewbie
Registered Users (C)
PIO vs OCI fee difference
Any idea why the Indian government has made the PIO more expensive compared to OCI?
PIO takes much less time to obtain. It seems like a ploy to force people (those in a hurry) to obtain PIO first (higher fee) and later convert to OCI with the extra fee. Either that, or some babu-style economics in play here.
Any idea why the Indian government has made the PIO more expensive compared to OCI?
PIO takes much less time to obtain. It seems like a ploy to force people (those in a hurry) to obtain PIO first (higher fee) and later convert to OCI with the extra fee. Either that, or some babu-style economics in play here.
I agree that you should NOT get the OCI if you don't have plans of using it. Getting a tourist visa is as simple too - they have an agency that does the processing now so you can do it by mail.
The agency is awesome. I think i got kind of the best service. Everythings is clear in instructions, progress can be tracked. They even called me when I did not have one document. I faxed it. Even with this a 3 day turn around.
Wish they used the agency for OCI and PIO as well.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
... and passports and EVERYTHING...
nitinkrsri
Registered Users (C)
Just FYI, PIO is also taking as less as 5 working days at CGI SFO ...
Check the notice board at http://www.cgisf.org/.
Today, June 13, it says PIO applications rcvd at the counter on or before June 9 are ready for pickup. That's fast even by American Standards.
Seems they update the notice board only on Fridays.
Only if OCI was as fast, in which case, i would have applied directly for OCI and would have saved $100 each.
I checked the OCI application in India thread, and it seems when you apply there also, it takes around 3 months, so mailing from USA to India and back is not the bottleneck, its the whole system.
To me, when i am surrendering my passport and asking for an OCI, it should be as fast as a PIO, but then, Mera Bharat Mahaan hai, so no one knows what is so time taking.
Check the notice board at http://www.cgisf.org/.
Today, June 13, it says PIO applications rcvd at the counter on or before June 9 are ready for pickup. That's fast even by American Standards.
Seems they update the notice board only on Fridays.
Only if OCI was as fast, in which case, i would have applied directly for OCI and would have saved $100 each.
I checked the OCI application in India thread, and it seems when you apply there also, it takes around 3 months, so mailing from USA to India and back is not the bottleneck, its the whole system.
To me, when i am surrendering my passport and asking for an OCI, it should be as fast as a PIO, but then, Mera Bharat Mahaan hai, so no one knows what is so time taking.