How to Apostille a Birth Certificate for OCI Card in India?
An OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card allows foreign citizens of Indian origin to live, work, and study in India without a visa. It’s often needed for long-term stays, property ownership, or employment in India. To apply for an OCI card, your birth certificate must be apostilled. This stamp confirms the document is genuine and accepted by Indian authorities for OCI processing. Below you’ll find all the details about this process.
Birth Certificate Apostille Procedure for OCI Purpose
A) If the Birth Certificate was Issued in the United States of America (USA)
Step 1: Notarization: First, get your birth certificate notarised by a notary public in the USA. They will verify the birth certificate and your identity.
Step 2: Verification from the Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State. Depending on who issued your birth certificate, you’ll need to visit that department for the apostille. You’ll have to submit the original birth certificate along with an application form to get it verified by the right government office.
If your birth certificate was issued by the state, get it apostilled by the Secretary of State’s office.
If the birth certificate is a federal document, then get it apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
B) If the Birth Certificate was Issued in the United Kingdom (UK)
Step 1. Notarization: First, get your birth certificate notarised by a notary public in the UK.
Step 2. Apostilling by FCDO: Now, submit your application to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). They will verify your birth certificate and issue an apostille stamp or certificate.
Now, you can use your USA-issued or UK-issued birth certificate in India to get an OCI card.
Fees & Time for Birth Certificate Apostille for OCI Purpose
For USA: It takes 7 to 10 days to get your birth certificate apostilled for OCI purposes in India. It will cost 200 USD (around Rs 18000).
For UK: The UK process to get your birth certificate apostilled takes 15 days. The fees are 190 GBP (around Rs 22000).
How to Apostille a Birth Certificate from the USA or UK in India?
You have 2 options.
Option 1: Do Apostille Yourself
Here, you will do the whole process yourself. First, you’ll have to notarise your birth certificate in the UK or the USA. Then get it apostilled by the FCDO in the UK or by the Secretary of State or the U.S. Department of State in the USA. Then, initiate the OCI process in India.
Option 2: Get Apostille Services in India for OCI
Here, we will undertake the whole process on your behalf. Just gather your original birth certificate, and we will pick it up from your address and carry out the apostille process in the UK or the US for your birth certificate. Once it’s done, we will send the apostilled birth certificate back to your home in India. Now you can start the OCI process.
FAQs
1. Is an apostille required for minor OCI applicants?
Yes. If you are applying for an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card for a minor (child), the birth certificate must be apostilled. Without an apostille, the application will get rejected.
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