Looking for Guidance on OCI

abeohio

Registered Users (C)
Hi everyone,

Was hoping for some guidance on getting an OCI card.. I have looked at several websites with info on this subject but I am not sure I have sufficient documents to proceed.

I am a US citizen with Indian Citizen parents. My mother recently passed away and I have not been in contact with my father for ~20 years. I would like to get an OCI card now to be able to smoothly inherit items from my mother.

I lived in India for 10 years during elementary and middle school. I can access my deceased mother's passport, Green Card, Social Security Card, PAN Card, Voter ID card or Ration Card. As far as my own records, I have an Indian Drivers License which mentions my mother's name correctly and a US Birth Certificate (has only my mother's maiden name). In addition, I have a sworn, notarized affidavit (notarized in India) from my mother that she is my mother and that I lived in India for 10 years. I also have a copy of the Divorce Decree between my mother and father where my mother's married name & my name are clearly mentioned. In the next few months, I should be receiving an Heirship certificate from India which should show my mothers name and my name and that she is my mother. (However, this may be in a regional language).

When I read requirements for getting an OCI - I read you need to send a copy of your passport, a copy of your parents passports and a document proving relationship between parents and you.

My concerns are as follows:

1) Since I don't have any contact with my father I cannot provide a copy of his passport
2) I have 2 documents that clearly prove the relationship between my mother and me: 1) My Indian Drivers License & 2) Affidavit from my mother

I am worried that my above 2 concerns will mean my application for an OCI will be refused. I believe the heirship certificate should address the 2nd concern if it is in English..

Please let me know if not having fathers documents will cause any problem and whether Indian Drivers License and/or Affidavit from mother would be sufficient to prove relationship between mother and me.

Regards,
AbeOhio
 
Hi Abe, for minors claiming OCI status, I know that you need the passports of both parents. But since you are an adult applying for OCI through an eligible parent, are you sure you actually need the passports of both parents? I think you may be able to just use your mother's documentation to claim OCI eligibility. If I remember right, there was once a poster here who actually was able to claim OCI status through a paternal grandfather relationship because his father was never an Indian citizen and what he did was just produce the provenance to prove his relationship to his father and then from his father to his grandfather. At least that is what I thought that situation was. Good luck with your OCI application!
 
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