My expierence with the OCI Passport Update

Me and my mother planned on going to India. However, we were not aware we had to update our OCI’s to our passports because we have in the past traveled with the un updated OCI and I believe they just started to reinforce it. I’m making this post, so people that might have similar situations have something to look at because I was struggling to find help online.

On the day of the flight, they pulled us to the side and told us we had to fill out the miscellaneous services application if we wanted to board the flight otherwise we wouldn’t be able to go to India. The internet was so bad at the airport the site kept crashing. Luckily, we came a few hours early. You need to fill out the application up until they give you an application number id. It’s best you finish the form fully. However, if the internet is shitty. Then, you’ll be able to fly just with a partially filled application. But for the love of god please make sure you’re filling out a miscellaneous one and NOT a new application.

Once I arrived in India. A few days after I began filling out the miscellaneous application fully for both me and my mother. The process is very simple if you’re updating your OCI within 90 days of getting your new passport (I believe), but in my situation it was past 90 days so you have to pay a fee. I learned it after I got a email telling me I to pay the fee through VFS which in the USA is like 46-48 dollars. Sorry I don’t remember the exact price, but basically if you mess up. They don’t even refund you. And they rejected my mother’s application for the photo. It’s so annoying because if they allow your application to allow photo edits they should allow us to contact them. I swear they’re just tryna steal your money.

Now, I’m returning back to the states and am waiting to board my flight. Let me know if your going through a similar situation and I’ll be my best to help because it was very stressful when there’s little information to guide you. 🫶 and sorry if my grammars shitty I’m not trying to make this perfect or anything.