- Our service fee
- from £75
- Official fees
- From £35, paid by you directly
- Usual time
- Allow 10 to 16 weeks after your appointment
- Appointment
- In person at the visa centre for everyone aged 18 and over
The Indian government runs several different OCI services, and choosing the wrong one means paying the wrong fee or having the application returned. We look at your age, your passports and your OCI card, and tell you which one you need, or whether you need to do anything at all.
Then we prepare the online application with you, check your photo and signature against the official rules, and give you an exact list of what to take to your appointment.
- The right service chosen for you, with its official fee explained
- Your photo and signature checked against the government specification
- Every page of your passports and OCI card checked before submission
- Updates from start to finish, by WhatsApp or email
Who it’s for: OCI cardholders living in the UK
It depends on your circumstances
When you start, we go through these with you.
Your OCI card must be re-issued once, so that it carries your adult photo and signature. After that one re-issue, you don't need to repeat it.
Re-issue required · fee appliesUpdating your OCI with the new passport is optional. It is free if you do it within three months of receiving the passport; after that a fee applies.
Optional · free within 3 monthsIf you hold OCI as the spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder, you must update it every time you get a new passport, at any age.
Update every timeA new name, nationality or marital status, or a lost or damaged card, is a different service with its own fee. A lost or damaged card also needs a personal interview.
Separate serviceWhat’s involved
- Start the service
Tell us a few details and we open your case straight away.
- Send your documents
Photograph your passports and OCI card with your phone; our secure upload guides you page by page.
- We check and prepare
We choose the right service, check every document and prepare your online application.
- Attend your appointment
Take your originals to the visa centre. We give you the exact list beforehand.
- We keep you updated
We track the application until your new card or updated record is ready.
What to have ready
Your exact checklist is confirmed once you start, based on your answers.
Everyone
- New passport: the photo pagePlus the last page if it is an Indian passport
- Old passport: the photo pageThe passport your OCI is linked to now
- The lifelong “U” visa sticker in your old passportA separate page from the photo page
- OCI card: first and last pages
- A recent photo, 2 × 2 inchesPlain light background, not white. No glasses. Taken in the last six months
- Your signature on plain white paper
- Proof of your UK address
- Proof of work or studyEmployment letter, student ID or HMRC self-assessment
Only if it applies to you
- Surrender certificateIf you have ever held an Indian passport
- Naturalisation or registration certificateIf your nationality has changed
- Marriage, divorce or death certificate, and spouse's passportIf you are or have been married
- Notarised affidavit for a change of name
- Police report or signed letterIf your OCI card is lost or damaged
- UK immigration statusIf you don't hold a British passport
- For children: both parents' passports, full birth certificate, and parents' marriage certificate or joint consent affidavit
Clear fees
Our service fee and the official fees are shown as separate lines. The official fee depends on which OCI service you need, so we confirm it once we know.
Official fee source: VFS Global UK, checked 20 Oct 2026. Official fees can change.
OCI renewal — quick answers
Do I need to update my OCI every time I get a new passport?
Not usually. A re-issue is required once, on the first new passport after you turn 20. Under 20 or from 50, updating is optional. The exception is OCI granted through marriage, which must be updated every time.
Why can't my photo have a white background?
The Indian government's OCI photo specification asks for a plain light-coloured background that is not white, and no glasses. Photos taken for UK passports often don't meet it, so we check yours before it is uploaded.
Do I have to attend an appointment in person?
Yes, if you are 18 or over. The application is completed online, then submitted at the visa centre with your original documents.
How long does it take?
Allow 10 to 16 weeks after your appointment. The official guide is 5 to 8 weeks, but processing for India often runs slower, so plan for longer.
My old passport is lost. Can I still transfer my OCI?
Yes, but the lifelong visa sticker in it is lost too, so the application needs extra steps. Tell us when you start and we'll explain what's needed.
Ready when you are
Rules, official fees and processing times are set by the relevant government or authority and can change. We provide document preparation and application support from your instructions; we are not solicitors or regulated immigration advisers. It is your responsibility to check entry requirements before you travel.
Get help
Have a question? You can ask us. Choose how you’d like to talk and we’ll know which service you’re asking about.
WhatsAppOpens with your question already startedCall 01753 490100Talk to the teamMessage us
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