OCI Renewal After Passport Renewal – What Documents Were Required?

I think another important point is that “OCI renewal” isn't really the best description for every passport change.

The official OCI site refers to these services as OCI Miscellaneous Services, which include updating details and re-issuance of OCI cards.

For a new passport, the exact action depends on your circumstances.

For an adult who has crossed 20, the Miscellaneous FAQ says the OCI card is to be re-issued once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. For subsequent passport renewals, the rules distinguish between situations where passport details and a new photograph need to be uploaded and other miscellaneous-service cases.

I would therefore check your age, OCI category and whether anything besides the passport number has changed before choosing the service.

Also, don't throw away your old passport if it has been returned to you. Even if you don't ultimately need to upload a copy, it can be useful as part of your travel and document history.

And make sure the name and other particulars in the OCI request match your current passport. The OCI registration portal specifically instructs applicants to enter details according to the current passport.

My experience was slightly different because I was under 20 when I renewed my passport.

In that situation, I didn't treat it the same way as an adult OCI re-issuance. The official OCI FAQ says that an OCI cardholder may upload a copy of the new passport containing the passport holder's photo and a latest photo each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age, and also once after completing 50 years of age. The update can be uploaded within three months of receiving the new passport and is provided on a gratis basis.

So I think age matters a lot here.

For an adult over 20, the official Miscellaneous FAQ specifically mentions re-issuance when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. It lists the OCI card, new passport and old passport as the documents to upload.

That's why I wouldn't rely only on someone's checklist from a forum. Ask whether they were under 20, over 20, or dealing with the special spouse-of-Indian/OCI situation.

The OCI portal also now has e-OCI information, and its current FAQ says that when passport particulars need updating under the prevailing guidelines, the prescribed update process should be completed before the e-OCI reflects the updated particulars.

I went through almost exactly this situation after renewing my U.S. passport.

I initially assumed I had to start from scratch, but that isn't the way I understood the OCI Miscellaneous Services process. The official OCI guidance specifically has a category for issuance of a new passport and says that, for re-issuance in that situation, the uploaded documents are copies of the OCI card, new passport and old passport. If the old passport was retained by the passport authority and wasn't returned, the OCI FAQ says the old-passport copy may not need to be enclosed.

I kept scans of all three documents ready before starting the application.

I also uploaded a recent photograph as required by the OCI portal. The portal's current instructions emphasize entering information according to the current passport.

One thing I would not do is assume that every passport renewal automatically means you need a brand-new OCI application. The OCI Miscellaneous Services rules distinguish between different age groups and circumstances.

If you're over 20 and this is simply a new passport, I'd check the current Miscellaneous Services instructions for your exact situation before submitting anything.