Is US passport required for OCI?

[Marylander99]

I am new to to OCI section.
This is the first time I am visiting OCI section, so please bear with me.

Tomorrow I will be taking my oath for US citizenship.

Now I want to get US passport and OCI.

As probably you know it takes about 10 weeks to get US passport these days and then you apply for OCI that takes another 2-3 months.

Can you apply OCI while your US passport request is being processed?.
When I was looking at the documents needed to be sent with OCI application it says passport or Naturalization certificate.

Can the OCI Gurus help me with this ???

 

[MasterUSA]

You will need your US passport number when applying for OCI. The online application REQUIRES that you enter your US passport number, date of issue and place of issue and all these details are not available until you get your passport.

So the answer to your question is YES, you will need your US passport to apply for OCI. I am not aware of anyone doing the process otherwise.

 

[kagemusha]

A follow-up question. I have another month to go (and that is if I get lucky) before I finish my oath. I don't know how long the US Passport will take after that (I do plan to go for expedited processing). If I apply for OCI right after that, how long will I be left without a passport (unable to travel) ? I am assuming they don't keep your passport for the entire duration of the processing period.

Also I guess I come under the jurisdiction of the Indian Embassy at NY where the processing seems to go reasonably fast. Any link to where I can confirm this (where I can enter my zip code in the US) ?

-KM

 

[MasterUSA]

A follow-up question. I have another month to go (and that is if I get lucky) before I finish my oath. I don't know how long the US Passport will take after that (I do plan to go for expedited processing). If I apply for OCI right after that, how long will I be left without a passport (unable to travel) ? I am assuming they don't keep your passport for the entire duration of the processing period.

Also I guess I come under the jurisdiction of the Indian Embassy at NY where the processing seems to go reasonably fast. Any link to where I can confirm this (where I can enter my zip code in the US) ?

-KM

Once you are in possession of your US passport following citizenship oath and applying for the passport you will always be in possession of the US passport except for about a week(if your in the CGI,NY jurisdiction) when you send your passport by mail to CGI,NY for OCI sticker stamping. On the other hand if you go to CGI,NY in person for OCI sticker you will never lose possession of the US passport once you are issued the passport. You will not be submitting your original US passport with your OCI application. Only a copy is required.

CGI,NY serves New York,New Jersey,Connecticut among other states. Go the the Indian embassy main website at http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/consultates.asp which has a list all the consulates and their jurisdiction.

Hope this helps.

 

[kagemusha]

Thanks MasterUSA ! I am in Pennsylvania and so I definitely come under the jurisdiction of the NYC consulate. Also NYC is just an hour and half away and so I should be able to go there in person and get my passport stamped.

-KM