How to renew OCI card in USA?

The renewal/re-issuance of new OCI card will be applicable for the following categories:

• OCI cardholder is required to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age so as to capture his/her facial features

• In case of change of personal particulars viz. name, father's name, nationality etc.

• In case of loss/damage of OCI registration certificate. 

Mandatory requirement of re-issuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner up-to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age is dispensed with.

Documents Required for OCI Renewal

Following documents are required to renew OCI.

• Current valid passport, with validity of minimum 6 months at the time of submission of application. (Upload online- Current passport category)- Provide self attested photocopy

• OCI card or PIO Card (as the case may be) (First and Last Page) (Upload online). Provide Photocopy also

• Proof of employment with job description/Proof of own business/Student ID Card/Proof of last employment with job description. (Upload online- Employment Proof Category)- Provide Photocopy also

• Address proof (Utility Bill/ Driving Licence copy or any other proof for current address.) (Upload online in similar or any available category)- Provide Photocopy also

• Copy of appointment confirmation letter must be attached with each application.

• Affidavit for change of Name/Appearance (if any) Original. (Upload online also). Provide Photocopy also

Other documents required on Case to Case basis

• For applications of Minor children: Current passport copies of both parents (Upload online)- Provide Photocopy also.

• For married applicants: Registered Marriage Certificate or equivalent proof (Indian passport copy on which spouse name is endorsed) AND current passport copy of spouse to endorse name of spouse in OCI card if not already endorsed in OCI card. (Upload online)-Provide Photocopy also

• Foreign Spouse Category OCI Cardholders: Consent letter from spouse if PIO/OCI was obtained on the basis of Indian Origin Spouse AND his/her current passport copy to verify signatures. (Upload online)- -Provide Photocopy also

• For divorced applicants: Copy of Divorce order issued by relevant court (Upload online)- Provide Photocopy also.

• Lost OCI Card: A copy of police report/crime reference number/Home Office letter is required along with the application with a declaration from the applicant stating the circumstance in which the documents were lost. (Upload online)-Provide Photocopy also 

Note: In case the old passport bearing U-Visa sticker is lost or not available, it is not mandatory to provide its copy. The application will be charged as normal Miscellaneous application and not under Lost case category.

• If the parents are divorced (Application for Minor): Court order of dissolution of marriage and Child arrangement order which specifically mentions that the full legal custody of the child is with the parent who is applying for the OCI card and that parent can take the child out of USA for any number of days. If both the parents share joint custody of the child, duly notarized letter from both the parents giving their consent to apply for OCI for child or a specific court order giving permission for issue of OCI to the child with one of the parent. (Upload online) -Provide Photocopy also. 

How to renew OCI card in USA?

There are two TYPES of OCI Miscellaneous (Renewal) Services:-

1. Gratis Service (Free)

2. Chargeable

Depending upon reason of using Miscellaneous Service options, system will show option to under Gratis or Chargeable Service.

In case when applicants are applying for Passport Particulars updation after getting new passport after 20 years of age, system automatically reflect that service under Chargeable Category.

• For Gratis Services:-

  • No form need to be submitted at VFS Centre.

  • No Fee to be aid.

  • Completely Online process

  • New details will be updated in the OCI database and OCI Cardholders can travel easily with same OCI card and current Passport.

• For Chargeable Service: Application along with requisite documents is required to be submitted at VFS centre with prior appointment and payment of Fees. A renewed OCI card will be issued.

How to renew OCI card in USA using Gratis service?

Follow the below steps to apply for renewal of OCI services in USA.

• Visit OCI Services website

• Click on "OCI Miscellaneous Service" option and then click "Proceed" on right bottom corner.

• Read instructions on next page and click on "Accept" button

• On the next screen, read the details (INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT) and enter Captcha and click on "Enter" button.

• On the next screen, Click on "Fill new Miscellaneous Application" button.

• In the next pop-up screen, provide

  • Passport number as mentioned in OCI Card.

  • OCI Card number starting with A. (e.g. A123456)

  • Enter Date of Birth as in OCI card.and then click on "Proceed" button.

• In the next screen , Kindly update your email address by selecting "Edit Email ID" option

• There are four options and applicants are required to select one of them

  • Change of Personal Particulars

  • Loss/damage of OCI Certificate/Visa

  • Passport Particulars Updation

  • Address/ Occupation Updation

Kindly select one of these options. Please note the service selected might be Chargeable (Mentioned clearly above the service) - (In some cases Change of Passport Particulars is also chargeable as the applicant became above 20 years of age.)

Documents Required for Gratis Services

Applicants are required to upload CLEAR photo/signature in JPEG Format only

Signature: Above 5 years old need to sign or write their name & then upload. 

Thumb Impression: Child 5 years or below need to upload Left hand thumb impression in blue/black ink

For Passport particulars updation: upload current passport copy (alongwith signature page)

For Address/Occupation Updation: No document is required to be uploaded.

In case OCI is obtained on the basis of Spouse: Current Passport copy of spouse (alongwith signature page) and Consent letter from Spouse/Declaration Form.4

Following are the dimensions required for OCI documents.

• The height and width of the Applicant Photo must be equal.

• The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height).

• The maximum dimensions are 1500 pixels (width) x 1500 pixels (height).

• The height and width of the Signature Photo must have aspect ratio 1:3.

• The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 67 pixels (height).

• The maximum dimensions are 1500 pixels (width) x 500 pixels (height).

• Supporting documents in PDF format (Max size 1000kb).  

How to renew OCI card in USA using the Chargeable Services?

When to use this service for renewal of OCI:

1. Change of name/date of birth/nationality/marital status or any other change in personal particulars with or without change of passport.

2. Lost/damage of oci booklet with/without change of personal particulars.

Note: Select change of personal particulars option in case oci is lost as well as there are changes in personal particulars as well or change of passport as well 

Follow the below steps to renew OCI card using the Chargeable Services.

• The applicant shall submit the application form online and upload all the requisite documents, photograph and signature (in the case of minors who cannot sign, left hand thumb impression) along with the application.

• Applicants are required to upload all the documents with the online application. An application without all the supporting documents uploaded online will not be accepted.

• One copy of supporting documents needs to be submitted with the application. 

• An application submitted online for more than 180 days cannot be accepted at VFS.In such case, applicants are required to refill the online application again.

• Once you have completed the form on the Online OCI services website and uploaded your photographs/ signature and document, note the ”File Reference number”, print it and return to the VFS Website to proceed with the subsequent steps to complete the application onward submission process. 

• Create a profile and register on the VFS portal system and click on Apply Now to complete the subsequent steps.

• Choose the correct state of Residence as per the Consular Jurisdiction and correct passport category as per your purpose of visit.

• After completing the online form, prepare your physical application pack along with all the required documents and send them by post (by mandatorily completing the online registration process) to the VFS Indian Consular Application Centre. The application submitted online sh

• Choose Mode of Submission as Postal. Note: VFS Indian Consular Application Centres are not accepting applications in person due to COVID -19.

• If you opt to send your own courier labels or paying my money order or banker’s check then ensure you keep all the information ready before completing the online registration. Entering incorrect details or dummy information will lead to delay or rejection of your applications.

Photo should be square shape of size not less than 51 X 51 mm (with 70-80% coverage of face). It should have plain light colour background (not white) without the border with front view of person's head and shoulders showing full face in middle of the photograph. it should not be stapled and not have any signatures.

Signature - Height and width of the Signature Photo must have aspect ratio 1:3. If child below 5 years is unable to sign, then thumb impressions (left hand) with

Blue/Black Ink only will have to be uploaded. Minor children who are able to sign/write their names should do so and it should be uploaded. Parents need to sign in the relevant space in the application form.

(Note: Photo submitted must be same as uploaded online with the application. Please also check if the signature printed on the OCI application are clear and of adequate size as per Sample Photo/Signatures below.)

OCI Renewal Fees in USA

The fee is US $25 or equivalent in local currency for re-issuance of OCI documents. In case of issuance of duplicate OCI documents (for loss/damage of old documents), the fee is US $ 100 or equivalent in local currency. In case of application filled in India, fee Rs.1,400/- for re-issuance of OCI & in case of issuance of duplicate OCI (for loss/damage of OCI) fee Rs.5,500/- to be paid.

Apart from the applicable Government of India OCI fees, the applicants will also be required to pay US$ 15.90 as service charge to VFS Global and US$ 3 as contribution to Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF).

OCI card will be couriered back to the applicant in self address envelope.

Track Status of OCI Renewal Application in USA

Follow the below steps to check the status of OCI Renewal application.

• Visit OCI Services website.

• Click on Status Enquiry.

• Click on Proceed.

• Enter Passport Number and File Reference Number

• Enter the captcha

• Click on Get Status to get OCI renewal status.

You can track the status of application only if your application gets acknowledged at Indian Mission/FRRO.Once acknowledged, applicant’s action is completed. Application will be approved by Ministry after 40-50 days of acknowledgement.

For gratis services, a file number ending with U21 will be issued. Applicants will also receive email notification for the same.

• No print of this application is required.

• No new OCI will be issued. Same OCI card can be used with new Passport

• No form submission at Indian High Commission/Indian Consulate or VFS Centre.

This is a completely online process. Records will be updated in 40-50 days and applicants will receive a System Generated Email about successful updation of their OCI Records. OCI cardholder are then use their current Passport and same OCI card for their future travel to/from India.

If application is REJECTED, applicants are required to apply again using the procedure detailed above and removing the reason of rejection of their earlier application. A new File number ending with U21 will be issued.

NOTE: Please do not fill multiple applications, as system will automatically delete multiple applications. 

How do I renew my OCI card after 50?

Renewal is required only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age

Old rules to renew the OCI card each time a new passport is issued and after completing 50 years of age is cancelled.

Can OCI be renewed online?

OCI can be renewed online through OCI Services website as mentioned at the beginning of the article.

OCI Renewal New Rules 2023

Following are the new OCI renewal rules for 2023.

1. Mandatory requirement of re-issuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner up-to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age is dispensed with.

2. OCI cardholder is required to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age so as to capture his/her facial features, and for those who have changed their personal particulars viz. name, father’s name, nationality and for lost/damage of OCI card.

3. OCI cardholder is required to upload ONLINE a copy of the new passport and a latest photo each time a new passport is issued upto 20 years of age once after completing 50 years of age. The uploading of these documents on the OCI portal may be done within three months of receipt of the new passport. The service will be [provided pm Gratis [no cost/fee] basis.

4. Foreign Spouse of an Indian Citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder are required to upload a copy of the new passport and also a latest photo ONLINE each time a new passport is issued along with a declaration on subsisting of marriage, copy of the Indian passport of the Indian Spouse/passport & OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse.

OCI Card Renewal for Minor in USA

Minor children whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India are eligible for OCI Card. There is no need to renew OCI card upto age of 20 years. He has to upload his Photo and Passport (upto the age of 20 years) online under OCI Miscellaneous services each time a new Passport is issued.

OCI Renewal Fees in USA

Following are the fees for OCI Miscellaneous fees in USA.

Note: Online payment/ Payment by card (s) convenience charges @3.5% will be charged over and over the total payment

Common mistakes in OCI applications resulting in rejection

Following are the common mistakes in OCI applications resulting in rejection.

• Poor quality of uploaded photo / signature. Please ensure to upload good quality photo and signature as per prescribed specifications.

• All supporting documents not uploaded online.

• Incorrect passport number / date of issue of passport.

• Incorrect name / place of birth / date of birth.

• Full names of parents / spouse not mentioned or not matching with their current legal names.

• Marital status / spouse name not mentioned.

• Incorrect contact numbers and email address.

• Part-B of OCI application not signed / Part-B (Minor Child) not signed by any of the parents.

• Previous name not mentioned (if there is change of name, kindly mention the same in relevant column of the application and provide supporting documents).

• Incomplete postal address (please provide complete address ZIP code in the application).

• Proof of native address not provided (proof of native address must be provided if application is being submitted in a country of residence other than home country).

Useful tips for filing OCI online

• Please ensure that you have all the supporting documents in pdf and photo/signature in JPEG format as per specifications before starting online application.

• Fill all the details in the application very carefully and exactly as per documents. Please ensure that all the details like full names, date of birth, place of birth are exactly as per current passport. Please note that the date of birth, if different from the one mentioned in the last held Indian passport, is not acceptable.

• Upload all the supporting documents under their correct category / equivalent category (e.g. Birth Certificate can be uploaded under Relationship category). If you are unable to find suitable category to upload the document, please upload all the remaining documents (including any legal document) under current passport category along with current passport.

• MOST IMPORTANT IS TO UPLOAD ALL THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

• Kindly check all the details of the OCI application once printed. In case photo/signature and documents are not uploaded properly, these can be uploaded easily by selecting appropriate option (Re-upload image/upload/reupload documents) available on the website. Please note that the file reference number required to re-upload photo/signature/documents is written vertically on left side and also below the bar code at the bottom of first page of application form submitted online.

• In case any information is wrong, please fill the form again.