OCI and surrender certificate

[riakushi]

Hi,

Naturalized in Jan 2010, we are planning to visit India shortly with an OCI card. Now, do we need to get the surrender certificate first in order to apply for OCI? we believe OCI can be applied directly without surrender certificate and the CGI in San Francisco will cancel our previously held Indian passport? or we can enclose the form for surrender along with the OCI application?

Our friend says we need to obtain the surrender certificate first before applying for OCI, is this the right way? to us, it duplicates the process and time.

Please post your thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks,
Ria

 

[vivek.gupta765]

its a good Q....I was also wondering this before I sent my SC app...the issue is that SF CGI site clearly mentions that we need SC done before submitting OCI app, so I just followed it. I sent SC app on Aug31, got the SC on Oct3 and sent OCI app 2 days back.

 

[Octob140]

I am under CGI Houston, and i think Vivek is right. But I suggest RIAKUSHI to go for VISA along with surr cert. as delays seems to be increasing for OCI process. (don't know much about SFO, but Houston sucks...)