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India Connect Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Card
OCI Card is a multiple entry life-long visa which enables the holder to have unlimited travel and stay in India. What are the Benefits for an OCI card holder? An OCI card holder gets the following benefits: A multiple entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa for visiting India. Exemption from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India. Parity with Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of economic, financial and educational fields, except in relation to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties. OCI can be used as identity proof for application of PAN Card and driving licence as well as for opening a bank account if the OCI card holder is residing in India. How to apply for OCI: OCI is an online process. Applicant needs to fill up OCI Application Form Online. After filling up the online OCI application, applicant has to take out the print of the application and submit TWO SETS of application form with prescribed documents and fees to the designated VFS Centre. The time taken for issue of OCI Card is minimum 6-8 weeks, delay beyond the specific time frame cannot be ruled out owing to certain technical reasons. All applicants are advised to book their travel plan only after obtaining the OCI. Who can apply for OCI? n who is a citizen of another country, but Was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, the commencement of the Constitution; OR n who is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the Constitution; OR n who is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after the 15th day of August, 1947; OR n who is a child or a grand-child or a great grandchild of such a citizen; OR n a person, who is a minor child of a person mentioned in the above 4 criterion; OR n a person, who is a minor child, and whose both parents are citizens of India; OR n a person, who is a minor child, and whose one of the parents is a citizen of India; OR
n
Spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder registered under section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application under this section. Exceptions: OCI is not granted to any citizen who is / was and / or if their parents, grandparents or great grandparents are / were citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder. What benefits an OCI Card holder is not entitled to: The OCI Card holder is not entitled: n to vote, n to be a member of a Legislative Assembly or of a Legislative Council or of the Parliament of India, n to hold Indian constitutional posts such as that of the President, Vice President, Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court etc. n He/she cannot normally hold employment in the Government PIO to OCI I am a PIO Card holder, what should I do to obtain the OCI Card? The date for application for conversion of valid PIO card to OCI card has been extended till 31 March 2016. The valid PIO card holders are advised to submit the applications by 31 March 2016. One can apply for OCI card in lieu of valid PIO card free of any charges. However the applicant will have to pay the service charges for the outsourcing agency as well as postal charges. Is it mandatory to have a Life Long Visa Sticker (OCI) in the foreign Passport? No, The life Long Visa Sticker – on the Foreign/British Passport process has been discontinued by Government of India. Applicants are required to carry Valid OCI Card with current foreign passport (endorsed on the OCI Booklet). Please note, the OCI Cards with Life Long Visa Stickers in the Foreign/British Passport issued in the past will remain valid for travel. For more information please click this link: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/OCI.html
For more information please contact us on our helpline numbers: +44 203 793 8629 / +44 203 695 9849 Monday – Friday 8:30 – 17:30 (except for Consular Holiday)
Alternatively applicants can also call : 09057 570 045* * Please note calls to this number will be chargeable at the rate of 95p per minutes plus a connection charge from a BT landline. Calls from mobile phones may cost considerably higher. For Email inquiry please email us: OCI: info.ociuk@vfshelpline.com Visa: info.inuk@vfshelpline.com Consular & Passports: Info.ppt-Consularuk@vfshelpline.com
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Integrationists Celebrate Accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India On Monday 26th October the British 2015, Parliament witnessed a historic seminar commemorating the 68th year of the signing of the Instrument of Accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India, by Maharaja Hari Singh. The seminar was jointly supported by the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society and Voice of Dogras, and was supported by the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus led by the Chair, Bob Blackman MP. It was the first ever attempt in the UK that saw the coming together of Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) and Dogras from Jammu in highlighting the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India in 1947 and the ratification of this decision in 1954 in the state assembly establishing the finality of the decision made by Maharaja Hari Singh. Along with Bob Blackman, Lord Popat of Harrow, Virendra Sharma MP – Vice Chair, APPG for British Hindus & Chair, APPG for India, P K Patel, First Secretary, High Commission of India and various community leaders and representatives attended this event. Bob Blackman said, “I am proud to be hosting the commemoration of the 68th Anniversary of the Signing of the Instrument of Accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India by Maharaja Hari Singh at the British Parliament as the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, set up especially to provide a voice to the British Hindu community. The seminar is the first such attempt to educate the parliamentarians and members of the community on the history of Jammu & Kashmir. It establishes the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and has been since 1947.” The evening saw the release of a White Paper on History of Jammu &
Bob Blackman addressing the guests at the seminar
Kashmir: Instrument of Accession describing what the document was and the various events surrounding the signing of the legal documentation that Jammu & acceded Kashmir to India. Congratulating the organisers, Virendra Sharma MP said, “this is an important seminar and an act of remembrance for Jammu & Kashmir’s accession to India. 68 years ago history was made, but sadly the roots
The release of a White Paper on History of Jammu & Kashmir: Instrument of Accession
of the longstanding conflict between India and Pakistan were laid too. Only by understanding why there is conflict can we hope to end it for our future generations.” Leading the commemoration Lakshmi Kaul, Founder of Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society highlighted the significance and need for conducting this seminar in the UK. “In the UK as well as other parts of Europe there is a growing antiIndia lobby that is making
Croydon celebrates Diwali Croydon Diwali Mela rocked the town centre with 1000s of people in North End Croydon on Saturday 31 October. It was packed with fun food dances music singing and the variety of cultural stalls. Mayura Patel Chairperson of Croydon Hindu Council who organised this event said "The
people believe that ‘Kashmiris’ want the right of self-determination. This lobby has targeted and attempted to eliminate the very identity of any other minority communities in the region. In fact, they do not acknowledge the state in totality but only refer to the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir area calling out for independence. This misinformed narrative needs to be rectified and the facts need to be laid out. The seminar and com-
feedback was tremendous from all and it was lovely to dance Raas - a Gujarati Folk Dance with Madam Mayor. Children and adults all joined in to dance till the end. Diwali in Croydon was celebrated with a diversed audience and also as one large Hindu family in Croydon for the first time ever ".
memoration is only a joint attempt by communities from the region of Jammu & Kashmir to state that the state is an integral part of the dominion of India and has been since 1947. Hundreds of messages of support were received by the organisers including those from the veterans, senior activists and celebrities including actor, director & teacher Anupam Kher, media guru & activist Sushil Pandit, senior journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, plus many more.