OCI Application for Newborn Baby – Parents Sharing Timelines

We had a slightly frustrating experience because our baby's application was put on hold for an additional document.

We thought everything was complete, but VFS contacted us because something was missing from the minor documentation. Once we submitted it, the application continued.

That's why I wouldn't necessarily compare your timeline with someone who had a completely straightforward application.

For newborn OCI applications, I would double-check:

• Baby's current U.S. passport
• Full birth certificate showing both parents
• Parents' passports/OCI cards as applicable
• Indian-origin documents
• Marriage certificate where applicable
• Parental authorization
• Address proof
• Photograph and signature/thumb-impression requirements

The current VFS checklist specifically says that all required supporting documents must be uploaded to the Government of India's OCI portal and that failure to upload the required documents can result in the application being returned unprocessed.

Also, don't assume the baby's U.S. passport photo requirements are identical to the OCI photo requirements. Follow the current OCI specifications.

Our biggest lesson was to keep checking email, including spam. If they ask for an additional document, responding quickly can prevent unnecessary delay.

Our timeline was shorter, but our circumstances may have been different.

We submitted our baby's OCI application through the New York jurisdiction. VFS received the package in early June and we received the OCI card toward the end of July. So ours was roughly several weeks from submission to receiving the card.

I wouldn't treat that as a standard timeline, though. The Government of India and the relevant Indian Mission ultimately control processing, and VFS is mainly handling the application submission side.

One thing I noticed with our newborn application was how much paperwork was involved compared with what I expected. The current VFS U.S. checklist for a minor born in the United States includes the child's current passport and birth certificate and asks for documents relating to the parents and Indian origin.

The current VFS checklist also includes parental authorization for minor applicants, and parent-related documents can vary depending on whether the parents are U.S. citizens or hold another nationality/status.

I'd keep checking the OCI status rather than repeatedly contacting VFS. Their current U.S. OCI information says that once the application is with the Embassy/Consulate, VFS may not have an additional status update until the OCI card comes back to them.

We applied for our daughter's OCI when she was about four months old, also in the United States. Our experience was that the process took longer than we initially expected because there were several steps between submitting the application and receiving the OCI card.

The first thing I'd suggest is not comparing the VFS receipt date with someone else's “OCI processing time” without checking when the application was actually acknowledged by the Indian Mission. Those dates can be different.

For our application, VFS first confirmed that the package had been received. After it was forwarded to the Consulate, most of the updates appeared through the government OCI status system. VFS's current U.S. OCI information says applicants should track the application through the Government of India's OCI status system after the application has been submitted to the Embassy/Consulate.

Our daughter's status stayed unchanged for quite a while, which made us nervous, but eventually it moved forward without us submitting anything additional.

For newborn applications, I'd also make sure the baby's passport, birth certificate and parents' names are consistent. VFS specifically notes that mismatches involving parents' names can cause OCI applications to be treated as incomplete.

So if there is no deficiency request, I wouldn't assume that “Under Process” means there is a problem.