Do both parents need to attend the appointment for a minor OCI application?

I would focus on the parental declaration and consent paperwork as well as the attendance question.

For our child's US OCI application, the checklist required a parental authorisation form signed by both parents. We had to make sure the signatures matched the relevant application and passport records.

For MINOR (US NATIONAL BY BIRTH)+1

That was the US checklist, so I wouldn't automatically apply its notarisation requirements to your UK application. The current UK checklist should tell you which forms must be signed, whether notarisation is needed and whether original passports must be presented.

Before going to VFS, I would prepare:

• Your son's valid British passport and birth certificate.
• Both parents’ current passport copies and any originals required by the checklist.
• Your marriage certificate.
• Relevant previous Indian passport copies and surrender certificates.
• The completed parental declaration and consent documents.

If your husband cannot attend, contact VFS and explain that one parent will submit the application. Ask specifically whether the other parent's physical attendance is necessary and which consent documents are accepted.

That should help you avoid confusing the requirement for both parents to provide documents with the requirement for both parents to be physically present.

Our experience in Poland was different. The Embassy of India in Warsaw's published OCI instructions say that both parents must be present with the minor applicant when submitting the application.

Embassy of India Warsaw Poland

I mention this because older discussions often mix experiences from different countries. A rule that applies at one embassy or application centre does not automatically apply elsewhere.

In your case, you're applying in the UK, so I would use the UK-specific VFS instructions rather than relying on a post from someone who applied through a different embassy.

I would also check whether your application is a standard fresh OCI application or falls under a special category, such as an application involving a foreign-spouse basis, adoption or custody arrangements. Those circumstances can involve additional requirements.

If one parent cannot attend, don't assume that a notarised letter will automatically solve the issue. Confirm the accepted procedure before your appointment so you don't have to return with more documents.

We applied for our daughter’s OCI through VFS in the UK, and only one of us went to submit the application. That was our experience, but I would still check the current checklist for your specific application.

The UK VFS guidance says that minors do not need to attend the centre themselves and that a parent or legal guardian can submit the application on their behalf. It also says either parent may apply and instructs applicants to bring the original passports of both parents and the child.

VFS Global+1

That distinction is important: both parents providing documents is not necessarily the same as both parents attending in person.

We prepared both parents’ passport copies and the documents relating to our daughter’s birth and our previous Indian citizenship. We also checked the declaration and consent requirements before attending.

I would not assume that a signed letter alone replaces every required form. Read the current minor OCI checklist and make sure the signatures and supporting documents match its instructions.

If your husband cannot attend, I would contact VFS before the appointment to confirm that you can submit the application alone and ask whether any additional consent document is needed in your circumstances.