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I'm a British citizen of Indian origin and recently downloaded my e-OCI card after successfully generating it through the OCI Services Portal. Before my trip to India last week, I saved the PDF on my phone and also printed a copy as a backup.
While checking in at London Heathrow, one of the airline staff tried scanning the QR code on my e-OCI PDF but couldn't get it to work. They tried a couple of different scanners, but nothing happened. Eventually, another staff member manually verified my passport and OCI details, and I was allowed to board.
When I arrived at Mumbai Airport, immigration didn't even attempt to scan the QR code. The officer checked my passport, viewed the e-OCI on my phone, entered a few details into the system, and cleared me within a few minutes.
Now I'm wondering whether the QR code is supposed to work for travelers or if it's mainly intended for use by immigration authorities with their own systems. Has anyone else had airline staff mention that the QR code wouldn't scan?
If you've traveled recently with an e-OCI, did anyone actually scan the QR code successfully? Or was your document verified manually like mine?
I understand airport procedures can vary depending on the airline, airport, and immigration officers, so I'm just trying to find out whether this is a common experience or if I should report it before my next trip.
I traveled from Sydney a few weeks ago, and the QR code on my e-OCI wasn't scanned either. The airline staff manually reviewed the document because they said they were still becoming familiar with the newer digital OCI format.
Everything went smoothly after they confirmed my passport number and personal details. Immigration in Chennai was also straightforward.
I'd continue carrying both a digital copy and a printed copy of the e-OCI, just in case someone prefers one format over the other.
I had almost the same experience flying from Toronto to Delhi. The airline agent looked at my e-OCI but didn't scan the QR code. They mainly wanted to confirm that my passport details matched the OCI information.
At immigration in Delhi, the officer briefly checked my passport and digital OCI before completing the entry process. The QR code wasn't mentioned at all.
Based on my trip, I don't think every airline or airport uses the QR code during document verification. Different carriers may have different procedures.
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From what I've observed, a QR code not being scanned doesn't necessarily mean it's defective. Some airport staff may not have compatible scanning tools or may rely on manual verification instead.
If the PDF downloaded correctly from the official OCI portal and your personal details are accurate, that's usually the important part. I would avoid modifying or compressing the PDF after downloading it because that could affect readability.
If you consistently experience issues over multiple trips or receive an error message specifically related to the QR code, it may be worth contacting the relevant Indian mission or checking for updated guidance through the official OCI Services Portal. Requirements and technical processes can change over time.