What is an OCI card?
The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card is essentially a lifetime visa to India. It gives you multiple-entry, multi-purpose, lifelong access to India with no restrictions on the duration of stay. If you've become a British citizen but want to maintain your connection to India — for family visits, property ownership, or business — the OCI card is what you need.
Unlike a tourist visa which expires and needs renewing, the OCI card is a one-time application that lasts forever. It's the closest thing to dual citizenship that India offers, since India does not permit dual nationality.
Who can apply for OCI from the UK?
You're eligible for OCI if you fall into any of these categories:
- Former Indian citizens who have become British citizens (the most common scenario)
- Children of Indian citizens or former Indian citizens, including British-born children where at least one parent is of Indian origin
- Spouses of Indian citizens or OCI holders, regardless of nationality
- PIO card holders who need to convert their old PIO to OCI (mandatory since 2015)
- Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Indian citizens (with some conditions)
Sorted handles all of these application types.
What Sorted does for your OCI application
Our complete OCI service covers every step of the online process:
Document collection via WhatsApp
Send us photos of your passport, old Indian passport/surrender certificate, and other documents. We provide a personalised checklist based on your specific situation.
Form completion on ociservices.gov.in
We fill in every field of the OCI application form correctly, avoiding the common mistakes that cause rejections and delays.
Photo resizing to exact specifications
OCI photos must be exactly 51mm × 51mm with a white background. The portal rejects most standard passport photos. We resize and format your photos to meet the exact requirements.
Document upload and submission
We upload all documents in the correct format and file sizes accepted by the portal, then submit the complete application.
VFS appointment preparation guide
We send you a detailed guide for your VFS centre visit — what to bring, which documents in which order, what to expect, and tips for a smooth appointment.
OCI application types we handle
- New OCI application — First-time OCI after becoming a British citizen or for eligible family members
- OCI re-issue — When you've renewed your British passport and need to link the new passport to your OCI (mandatory, especially for children under 20)
- PIO to OCI conversion — Converting your old Person of Indian Origin card to the new OCI format (PIO cards were discontinued in 2015)
- Child OCI — For British-born children of Indian parents; usually done after Form I birth registration
- Spouse OCI — For non-Indian spouses of Indian citizens or OCI holders
- Miscellaneous services — OCI for grandchildren, lost OCI replacement, name correction on OCI
Documents needed for OCI application
How long does OCI take from the UK?
After your VFS appointment, OCI processing typically takes 6–8 weeks. This is the Indian government processing time over which neither you nor Sorted has control. However, the single biggest cause of delays is queries — when the processing centre finds errors or missing information in your application and sends it back for correction. This can add 4–8 weeks to the timeline.
Sorted's 98% first-time approval rate means your application goes through cleanly without queries, keeping you on the standard 6–8 week timeline.
How much does OCI cost in the UK?
| Cost component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sorted service fee | £175 |
| VFS / Government processing fee | ~£215 |
| Total | ~£390 |
The Sorted fee covers the complete online application service. The VFS fee is paid separately at your VFS appointment. Payment to Sorted is via secure Stripe link — no cash or bank transfer needed.
Sorted vs doing it yourself
| Aspect | DIY | Sorted (£175) |
|---|---|---|
| Time to complete form | 3–5 hours | We do it in 24–48hrs |
| Photo resizing | Trial and error | Done to exact spec |
| Risk of rejection | Common (30%+) | 2% (98% approval) |
| VFS prep guide | No | Detailed guide included |
| Support if queries | Figure it out alone | We handle resubmission free |
