General Information:

1. Please read the instruction carefully before filling up the form and all required documents should be uploaded at the OCI portal. Please note that  incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant and no handwritten corrections will be accepted.

2. The supporting documents should be uploaded on the portal before submitting the application at the Embassy (Please Choose any of the available options from the dropdown if the uploading document category is not available),

3. If any of the supporting documents are not uploaded, the application will be rejected.

4. After online submission of application form, no changes can be made manually or by scribbling over the form. In case of any error / changes, please fill a fresh new online application form.

5. The photographk should be  [not less than 51x51 mm with 80% coverage of face, light colour background (not white), without border, front view, minimum dimensions are 200 x 200 pixels and maximum dimensions are 900 pixels x 900 pixels] and signature [in case of minors who cannot sign, left hand thumb impression is required]. Photograph and signature must be in JPEG/JPG format with max size 200 KB. See the specifications and guidance here.

6. Indian Embassy reserves the right to ask for any additional documents, if considered necessary.

7. You are requested to submit a copy of the signed application form along with the supporting documents at the  counter, Embassy of India

OR

send it by post to Embassy of India, Berlin , Consular Wing - OCI Section, Tiergartenstr.17, 10785.

5. Please include a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postal stamps (currently Euro 4.25) (not digital postal stamps) with the application so that the OCI card can be sent back to the applicant.

6. Marriage certificates and Birth certificates:

(i) if issued in Germany should be attested by the district court (Landgericht/Landesverwaltung) within the jurisdiction of the Emabssy of India, Berlin. This document must be further attested by the Embassy of India in Berlin.

(ii) if issued in India should be attested/apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs (https://mea.gov.in/apostille.htm)  and

(iii) if issued in a third country, it should be apostilled by the concerned country.

Processing time:

• Persons of Indian Origin:8-10 weeks from the date of the submission of the completed application at the Embassy.

• Foreign Spouse Category: There is no fixed timeline for processing OCI applications under Foreign Spouse category as processing time depends on receipt of clearances from various authorities in India.

For all queries relating to OCI application, kindly send an email to oci.berlin@mea.gov.in. In all correspondences, kindly mention the Reference No and Name of the Applicant.

Benefits of OCI :

• Multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose.

(Please note that OCI Cardholders are not entitled to undertake any Research, Missionary, Tabligi, Mountaineering or Journalistic activities or undertake internship in any foreign diplomatic mission or foreign government organisations in India or take up employment in any diplomatic missions in India without special permission or permit from the Government of India. OCI cardholder shall also require Protected Area Permit (PAP)/Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to visit any place which falls within the Protected/Restricted Area notified by the Government.)

• Exemption from registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) for any length of stay in India.

(Provided that the OCI cardholders who are normally resident in India shall intimate the jurisdictional FRRO or FRO by email whenever there is a change in permanent residential address and in their occupation.)

• Parity with Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in airfares in domestic sectors in India and entry fees for visiting national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments, historical sites and museums in India.

• Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children, subject to the compliance of the procedure as laid down by the competent authority for such adoption; appearing for all Indian entrance tests such as National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Joint Entrance Examination (Mains), Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) or such other tests to make them eligible for admission only against any NRI seat or any supernumerary seat, but not against seats reserved exclusively for Indian citizens; purchase or sale of immovable properties other than agricultural land or farm house or plantation property; and pursuing the following professions in India, in pursuance of the provisions contained in the applicable relevant Statutes or Acts, namely :-

(a) Doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists ;

(b) Advocates ;

(c) Architects ;

(d) Chartered Accountants

Eligibility :

• Citizen of another country but was citizen/eligible to become citizen of India on or after 26.1.1950;

• OR Minor child of above person.

• Citizen of another country but belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947 ; OR
  who is a child/grandchild/great grandchild of above person ; OR

• Minor child whose both/one of the parents are/is a citizen of India ; OR

• Spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India/OCI cardholder and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than 2 years immediately preceding the presentation of the application.

NO PERSON WHO OR EITHER OF WHOSE PARENTS/GRANDPARENTS/GREAT GRAND PARENTS IS OR HAD BEEN A CITIZEN OF PAKISTAN OR BANGLADESH SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR REGISTRATION AS AN OCI CARDHOLDER.

FOREIGN MILITARY OR POLICE PERSONNEL EITHER SERVING/RETIRED WILL NOT BE REGISTERED AS OCI CARDHOLDER.

Biometrics:

Capturing of biometrics of fingerprints & face in case of OCI card applicants is mandatory. In case of applications submitted to the Embassy, the applicants are required to give biometrics at the Embassy at the application stage itself, i.e. document verification stage, and if for any reason the applicant is not able to give the biometrics at the application stage, this may be given in writing to the Embassy.

In all cases where biometrics are captured at the application stage, the applications for registration as OCI cardholders would be acknowledged on the online module only after the biometrics are captured and uploaded on the system.

Biometrics captured would be valid for next 5 years from the date of enrolment. Applicants with no fingerprints or poor fingerprints will be exempted and only facial traits would be captured for them. Applicants with less number of fingers shall give fingerprints of existing fingers only. Applicants above 70 years of age or below 12 years of age would be exempted from biometric capturing.

OCI Fees and Bank Details: click here

Revised Guidelines for Re-issuance of OCI Cards

• An OCI cardholder is required to get OCI card re issued ONLY once when new passport is issued after completion of 20 years of age. For this purpose, the OCI cardholder should submit an application under OCI miscellaneous services (https://ociservices.gov.in) with the required Fee. Click here to see the screenshot for assitance

• In other cases, an OCI cardholder may upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and the latest photo on the online portal each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within 3 months of receipt of the new passport. This service is provided gratis.

• In the case of those who have been registered as OCI cardholder as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or an OCI card holder, the OCI card holder is required to upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo on the online system under OCI miscellaneous services each time a new passport is issued. In such cases, the OCI cardholder and his/her Indian spouse or OCI cardholder spouse are required to give a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting. Copy of the Indian passport of the Indian spouse / passport and OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse are required to be also uploaded in such cases. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder foreigner spouse within 3 months of receipt of his/her new passport. This service is provided gratis.

• Immediately on uploading the required documents, an email will be automatically sent to the OCI cardholder confirming that the documents have been successfully acknowledged. Subsequently, upon clearance from the concerned Indian authority, an acknowledgement through email will be sent automatically to the OCI cardholder informing that the updated details have been taken on record.

• There will be no restriction on the OCI cardholder to travel to/from India during the period from the date of issue of new passport till the date of final acknowledgement of his/her documents in the online system.

OCI Misc services can also be availed by OCI cardholders for the following reasons:

• Change of personal particulars. (In case of change of nationality, he/she can be permitted to enter/exit on the strength of the OCI Card and valid passport of the new nationality provided the new nationality is not of that of Pakistan or Bangladesh)

• Loss/damage of OCI card

• Filling of wrong personal particulars while submitting online application

• Change of address/occupation of the OCI cardholder

Verification of supporting documents :

Originals of the supporting documents are required to be submitted for verification at the time of interview.

After verification of the documents and after the application is found to be in order, the application will be automatically acknowledged on the online system.

Simultaneously, an auto email will be sent to the applicant informing “Application received and is under process”.

Tracking the Progress of the application: