Hello my dear readers. Since the date I came to India, I have gone through many troubles regarding my visa and registration here, because of that I have became an "experienced fox " who knows most of do's and don'ts regarding all the process from beginning to visa registration to OCI receivement.
I have been registered in three cities, have done visa extension 4 times and converted my visa one time.I have been in India with status of student, employee and now as an Overseas Citizen.
I have decided to write this post since there are lot of foreigners getting married with Indian citizens and many of them are not informed about rules and regulations, and they try to get information by asking people like me. From one side I am ready to help and share the information as much as it's possible, but from other side it gets so annoying to answer same questions every time. That is why I have decided to write this post, which I hope will help people who are new in this process and also I will not be suppose to repeat same answers so many times.
So let's start everything from begging.
First of all, let me say I have register my marriage in India.
For me it has taken two weeks to find some lawyer who would have register our marriage with Special Marriage Act, because not every lawyer gives authority for Special Marriage Act.
So what is this all about?
Special Marriage Act is for couples who have different religion and Nationalities and they don't want to change it after marriage.
There are also Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage Act and may be also some others, about which I am not aware, because those are not much interested for me.
If you want keep your name and also religion after marriage, your marriage should be register under Special Marriage Act (most of the foreigners are married with Indians under this Act).
So, when I finally found someone who was ready to do the process he has ask from me few documents: Birth Certificate, Document regarding my single status from my country, Certificate regarding my registration and permanent address according to my passport, two photographs.
All of documents should have been translated to English and authorised with notary. Also those should be stamped with apostilles, which is possible to do from Foreign Ministry in your home country.
I actually have not asked my parents to go for apostille (since it was a long process) and just asked them to make simple English translation with authorised notary. Without this apostille the lawyer asked 35 000 rupees (later on, I got to know it was possible to do even with less money) and 30 days, to register our marriage.Since we were hurry and my visa was going to expire we were agree and after 30 days process was done.
Marriage was register and next step was visa conversion and registration.
As I have came India with Employment visa and was register in Gurgaon (in that time), I was need to transfer my registration to New Delhi (my husband is registered in New Delhi) and also convert my visa from Employment to Entry Visa (X Visa).
This process has taken all my energy. First of all there was a problem in my Visa. I came India with AIESEC program, and according to Indian rule I should have been granted Business Visa, but unfortunately in Indian Embassy of Armenia, they have given me Employement Visa, which is applied for totally different conditions.
Because of this mistake I had a huge problem, and was required to submit so many documents. But finally we did it, then we transferred my registration to Delhi.
To get a Entry Visa, we were required to submit following documents:
The process takes around three weeks, First you submit all the documents, and they give you one slip where is written a date after which you need to come with your husband for an Interview (this is how it's called). During that days they will send someone to your registered address to check your availability in that particular address and one more time check your documents.
Once checking is done and you go for Interview, all day you would be supposed to wait till your folder will pass from one person to another and finally the last person will ask few formal questions to your husband and sign below your documents and then your Entry Visa is ready for one year ( the cost is around 7400 rupees- changes according to nationalities).
On January 2015, rules has been changed and if before it was required to have a one year registered marriage to apply for PIO Card (Person of Indian Origin), after above mentioned date it was required two years of registered Marriage and then apply for Overseas Citizenship of India. PIO card has been changed with OCI. According this rule I was supposed to extend my Entry Visa one more time.
Finally on 31 st of October 2016 two years of my marriage was completed and after few days I have gone for OCI registration.
Here they have asked me to extend my visa one more time, for six months, since I need to have minimum three months of valid visa to apply for OCI.
Visa extension was done for 6 months (cost 4800 rupees) and just after one day I have started process for OCI.
For OCI we were required those documents:
This is all what we were required. Documents were submit and we got slip with number with which I was need to check the status of the process.
After one and half months my OCI was ready and I have gone to take it.
When first time I took it on my hand, all process through what I have gone, quickly passed in front of my eyes. And only when I have opened and read my name, I felt that yeah, now I am Overseas Citizen of India.
Hope this post will help to understand basic steps through what couples will be required to go the way to get Overseas Citizenship.
(Dear all, documents which are required for marriage, for FRRO Registration and OCI, may be varied from state to state).
I have been registered in three cities, have done visa extension 4 times and converted my visa one time.I have been in India with status of student, employee and now as an Overseas Citizen.
I have decided to write this post since there are lot of foreigners getting married with Indian citizens and many of them are not informed about rules and regulations, and they try to get information by asking people like me. From one side I am ready to help and share the information as much as it's possible, but from other side it gets so annoying to answer same questions every time. That is why I have decided to write this post, which I hope will help people who are new in this process and also I will not be suppose to repeat same answers so many times.
So let's start everything from begging.
First of all, let me say I have register my marriage in India.
For me it has taken two weeks to find some lawyer who would have register our marriage with Special Marriage Act, because not every lawyer gives authority for Special Marriage Act.
So what is this all about?
Special Marriage Act is for couples who have different religion and Nationalities and they don't want to change it after marriage.
There are also Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage Act and may be also some others, about which I am not aware, because those are not much interested for me.
If you want keep your name and also religion after marriage, your marriage should be register under Special Marriage Act (most of the foreigners are married with Indians under this Act).
So, when I finally found someone who was ready to do the process he has ask from me few documents: Birth Certificate, Document regarding my single status from my country, Certificate regarding my registration and permanent address according to my passport, two photographs.
All of documents should have been translated to English and authorised with notary. Also those should be stamped with apostilles, which is possible to do from Foreign Ministry in your home country.
I actually have not asked my parents to go for apostille (since it was a long process) and just asked them to make simple English translation with authorised notary. Without this apostille the lawyer asked 35 000 rupees (later on, I got to know it was possible to do even with less money) and 30 days, to register our marriage.Since we were hurry and my visa was going to expire we were agree and after 30 days process was done.
Marriage was register and next step was visa conversion and registration.
As I have came India with Employment visa and was register in Gurgaon (in that time), I was need to transfer my registration to New Delhi (my husband is registered in New Delhi) and also convert my visa from Employment to Entry Visa (X Visa).
This process has taken all my energy. First of all there was a problem in my Visa. I came India with AIESEC program, and according to Indian rule I should have been granted Business Visa, but unfortunately in Indian Embassy of Armenia, they have given me Employement Visa, which is applied for totally different conditions.
Because of this mistake I had a huge problem, and was required to submit so many documents. But finally we did it, then we transferred my registration to Delhi.
To get a Entry Visa, we were required to submit following documents:
- Marriage Certificate
- My and my husband's Passport copies
- Bank Statement of my husband
- Address proof
- Affidavit
- Application form
- Request letter from house owner
- House owner's ID proof
- 2 photos
- Letter written by my husband, about how we met and got married
- Copy of my First Visa
- Copy of first FRRO registration Documents
The process takes around three weeks, First you submit all the documents, and they give you one slip where is written a date after which you need to come with your husband for an Interview (this is how it's called). During that days they will send someone to your registered address to check your availability in that particular address and one more time check your documents.
Once checking is done and you go for Interview, all day you would be supposed to wait till your folder will pass from one person to another and finally the last person will ask few formal questions to your husband and sign below your documents and then your Entry Visa is ready for one year ( the cost is around 7400 rupees- changes according to nationalities).
On January 2015, rules has been changed and if before it was required to have a one year registered marriage to apply for PIO Card (Person of Indian Origin), after above mentioned date it was required two years of registered Marriage and then apply for Overseas Citizenship of India. PIO card has been changed with OCI. According this rule I was supposed to extend my Entry Visa one more time.
Finally on 31 st of October 2016 two years of my marriage was completed and after few days I have gone for OCI registration.
Here they have asked me to extend my visa one more time, for six months, since I need to have minimum three months of valid visa to apply for OCI.
Visa extension was done for 6 months (cost 4800 rupees) and just after one day I have started process for OCI.
For OCI we were required those documents:
- Passport copies
- Application form
- 2 Photos (have taken just in FRRO office)
- Copy of Marriage Certificate
- Address proof (for me it was my husband's passport page were was written my name as a spouse and registered address)
- demand draft of 15 000 rupees, addressed to Ministry of Home Affairs (you can make it from every bank).
This is all what we were required. Documents were submit and we got slip with number with which I was need to check the status of the process.
After one and half months my OCI was ready and I have gone to take it.
When first time I took it on my hand, all process through what I have gone, quickly passed in front of my eyes. And only when I have opened and read my name, I felt that yeah, now I am Overseas Citizen of India.
Hope this post will help to understand basic steps through what couples will be required to go the way to get Overseas Citizenship.
(Dear all, documents which are required for marriage, for FRRO Registration and OCI, may be varied from state to state).
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