- Our service fee
- £135
- Official fees
- From £30, paid by you directly
- Usual time
- Set by the High Commission of India
- Appointment
- In person at the VFS centre, by appointment
Once you take another citizenship, your Indian passport is surrendered and a surrender certificate is issued. It is a common first step before an OCI application.
We prepare the application to match your last Indian passport exactly, put together your naturalisation and travel evidence, and give you an exact list for the visa centre.
- Application prepared to match your last Indian passport
- Naturalisation and travel evidence put in order
- Sequenced with your OCI application if you need one
- Clear checklist for your appointment
Who it’s for: Former Indian citizens in the UK who have acquired British or another citizenship
It depends on your circumstances
When you start, we go through these with you.
Surrender of the Indian passport applies once you have acquired another citizenship. Renunciation under section 8 is for citizens who choose to give up Indian citizenship. We confirm which applies to you.
Two processesThe documents asked for depend on whether you acquired your new citizenship before 1 June 2010, or on or after it.
1 June 2010If you held an Indian passport and acquired foreign nationality after 2010, a surrender or renunciation certificate is needed for an OCI application.
OCI first stepHolding or travelling on an Indian passport after acquiring another citizenship is an offence under the Passports Act 1967, and the mission may assess a penalty. It decides this from your first Indian visa and travel history.
Assessed by the missionThe original Indian passport is surrendered and cancelled. Take copies of anything in it you need first.
Original retainedWhat’s involved
- Start the service
Tell us when and how you became a citizen of your new country.
- Send your documents
Photograph your Indian passport, your current passport and your naturalisation certificate with your phone.
- We prepare everything
We prepare the application to match your last Indian passport and put your evidence in order.
- Attend your appointment
Take your originals, including your Indian passport, to the VFS centre and sign the declaration there.
- Receive your certificate
We follow the application until your surrender certificate is issued.
What to have ready
Your exact checklist is confirmed once you start, based on your answers.
Everyone
- Your original Indian passportWith copies of the front, last and all non-blank pages.
- Your current British or foreign passportThe photo page.
- Your naturalisation or registration certificateWith a certified English translation if it is in another language.
- Recent photographsWhite background. We print these for you.
- VFS declaration formWe prepare it for you to sign.
Only if it applies to you
- Your first British or foreign passportIf you acquired your new citizenship before 1 June 2010.
- Full birth certificateIf you acquired your new nationality by birth.
- Home Office evidenceSuch as a right of abode stamp, indefinite leave to remain or Home Office letters, if your certificate is missing.
- UK visa or EU Settlement Scheme evidenceIf your current passport is not British.
- Your first Indian visaWith the passport page it is stamped in.
- Police report and notarised affidavitIf your Indian passport is lost or stolen.
- Declaration that your new passport is being processedIf it has not been issued yet.
Clear fees
Surrender and VFS fees are set by the High Commission of India and VFS Global, are paid at the centre and are not refundable.
Official fee source: VFS Global UK, checked 20 Oct 2026. Official fees can change.
Surrender and renunciation — quick answers
Can I apply before my British passport arrives?
Yes. A declaration that your UK passport is under process is included with the application.
My naturalisation certificate is missing. Can I still apply?
Yes, with proof from the UK Home Office such as a right of abode stamp, indefinite leave to remain or Home Office letters.
Do I need to attend in person?
Yes. The application is submitted at a VFS centre by appointment, and the declaration is signed there.
I need a duplicate certificate. Where do I apply?
In the same jurisdiction where you first applied for the surrender.
Ready when you are
Surrender and renunciation
One person. Add family members in the basket.
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.
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