High Commission of India
Lilongwe (Malawi)
*****
OCI Cards: General Information
|
Receipt of applications
|
Working Days - 9.00am to 11.00am
|
|
Delivery of documents
|
Working Days - 3.00pm to 4.30pm
|
Application for OCI is online. Applicants must upload all required documents along with Recent Photo and Signature. Original colour documents should be scanned for uploading and clear photocopies should be submitted along with application.
Photo and signature uploaded must be recent and clear as per specifications (Link for photo specification). Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Applicants must come personally at the High Commission for OCI applications for bio-metrics and verification of the documents submitted.
In case of fresh OCI application or re-issue of application, it must be ensured that all the details of the applicant including Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth and other personal details MUST be same as in Indian Passport mentioned in Malawian Passport and Online Application. In case of even minor Change in Name, a duly Notarized Affidavit giving reason for change in name and apostle by Malawian Foreign Office will be required to Upload in the online application and original to be submitted at the Consular Section.
Applicants are required to submit all the documents in originals along with a set of clear photocopies with print out of online submitted application. Both sets of documents need to be submitted at the counter. Originals will be returned after verification. All photocopies to be submitted with application need to be self-attested.
Applicant must scan the original documents in colour for uploading with the online application.
Applicant having previous Indian nationality needs to first renounce his Indian nationality and surrender his original Indian passport at the Mission before applying for OCI card. Application for Renunciation Certificate and Declaration is to be made only Online on the below website:
Link for Online Application for Surrender Certificate: https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in
Link for Online Declaration of Renunciation of Indian Citizenship: https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Renounce
REVISED OCI GUIDELINES ON RE-ISSUE OF OCI CARD (On getting a New Passport)
(i) Mandatory requirement of re-issue of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner upto 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age has been dispensed with.
(ii) OCI cardholders are now required to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. Please submit online application at https://ociservices.gov.in under OCI Miscellaneous Services. After online submission, visit the High Commission of India, Lilongwe for submission and verification of documents.
(iii) OCI cardholder is required to upload a CLEAR copy of the original new passport (containing the photo of the passport holder) and a latest photo as per specification (Link for photo specification) each time a new passport is issued upto 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. The uploading of these documents may be done within three months of receipt of the new passport. This service will be provided on Gratis basis.
(iv) Those OCI Cardholders who have been registered as Spouse of foreign origin of an Indian Citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder are required to upload a copy of the new passport (containing the photo of the passport holder) and also a latest photo on the ONLINE system each time a new passport is issued. A declaration that their marriage is still subsisting, copy of the Indian passport of the Indian spouse / passport & OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse shall also be uploaded. These documents should be uploaded by the OCI cardholder foreigner spouse within three months of receipt of new passport. This service will be provided on Gratis basis.
(v) On uploading of the documents, an auto email to be sent by the system to the OCI card holder confirming that the documents have been successfully uploaded. After verification of the uploaded details by concerned Indian mission/FRRO, an acknowledgment through email to be automatically sent to the OCI card holder informing “Updated details have been taken on record”.
(vi) OCI card holders can apply for Special Permission in India through online web-portal at https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome as per instructions provided on the portal.
(vii) It is mandatory to upload Applicant's image and Applicant's signature image during OCI-Registration
-
Both the images must be in jpeg or jpg format, with max size 500kb.
-
The height and width of the Applicant Photo must be equal.
-
The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height).
-
The maximum dimensions are 1500 pixels (width) x 1500 pixels (height).
-
The height and width of the Signature Photo must have aspect ratio 1:3
-
The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 67 pixels (height).
-
The maximum dimensions are 1500 pixels (width) x 500 pixels (height).
-
Please be ready with both these images before starting the registration process.
- Requirement of carrying old and new passports along with the OCI card has been done away. Henceforth, the OCI card holders traveling on the strength of their existing OCI card bearing old passport number are not required to carry their old passport. However, carrying of new passport is mandatory.
|
Fee for OCI Card:
Fee is accepted only in Cash and Malawian Kwacha. Fee once received is non-refundable.
-
|
1.
|
Fees for new OCI card
|
473,000
|
|
2.
|
OCI card in lieu of PIO card
|
175,500
|
|
3.
|
Duplicate OCI Card (In case of loss or damage)
|
175,500
|
|
4.
|
Reissue of OCI Card (change of Passport, etc)
|
48,000
|
OCI Card is a multiple entry life-long multi-purpose visa which enables the holder to travel and stay in India, as and when he/she desires to do so.
Benefits of applying for an OCI card:
-
Multiple entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa to visit India;
-
Exemption from reporting to Police authorities for any length of stay in India; and
For further details please visit the following link:
Mandatory documents for an New OCI Application to be uploaded online:
- Copy of First and Last page of Indian Passport
- Copy of Surrender / Renunciation Certificate received by Mission.
- In case of Indian roots from parents, grand parents, great grand parents, spouse etc. Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate of the applicant, parents, Indian origin proof of parents, grandparents, spouse etc. as applicable to confirm relation with the applicant. In case these certificates are issued by Foreign govt., they must be notarized / apostille by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Govt. of Malawi. Applicants need to produce all these certificates in original with apostile by Malawian Foreign Office and also to be uploaded with the online application. Additional documents may be sought from the applicants for verification of Indian root or relation.
-
Copy of Naturalisation Certificate, if applicable. Applicants, who have obtained Foreign Nationality by Naturalisation, are required to submit Naturalisation Certificate (Original) along with the copy.
In case of Re-Issue of OCI applications, following documents must be uploaded:
- Copy of Existing OCI Card both pages
- Recent Photograph as per specifications
- Any other supporting documents in case of change in OCI or Passport particulars.
All applicants are required to take print out of online submitted application, sign it and submit with all required documents in original along with Clear photocopies and two Photos as per specifications at the Mission's counter
Documents required for Applicants born In India:
Applicants are required to submit Surrender Certificate of Indian Passport (original).
The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, does not allow dual citizenship. Holding Indian Passport / acquiring Indian Passport / travelling on Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties. Under the Indian law, Persons of Indian Origin who have acquired foreign Nationality are required to renunciate their Citizenship and get Indian passports cancelled at the nearest Indian Mission/Post within 3 months after acquisition of foreign citizenship and to obtain Renunciation Certificate. Delay in renunciation of Indian citizenship may attract penalties.
Applicants who have obtained foreign nationality after May 2010 need to submit original Surrender Certificate compulsorily, however, if applicants are unable to provide surrender certificate due to loss of passport will be required to submit the Renunciation of Indian Citizenship Certificate.
Applicants who have held an Indian passport, and obtained foreign nationality before May 2010, but are unable to produce the same for Surrender of Indian passport for any reason (lost/misplaced/submitted to UK Home Office long time back) are required to furnish a notarized affidavit in original from Malawi stating the facts about their Indian passports along with other necessary documents.
Applicants who were born in India and never held Indian passport, and traveled on parents Indian Passports, are required to submit a notary affidavit in original from Malawi stating the fact and how they traveled to Malawi along with other necessary documents as mentioned below:
Other necessary documents of Indian origin
Domicile certificate (in original)
OR
School Leaving Certificate (in original), Post-dated School Certificate/School Leaving Certificate from India should be authenticated by Director of Education/District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp, seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification
OR
Agriculture land documents,
Documents required for Applicants born in India/Abroad and applying on the basis of Parents/Grand Parents/Spouse:
Applicant who are born in India/abroad and wish to apply on the basis of their parents/grand parents’/spouse Indian origin) must furnish the below documents:-
A photocopy and the original of their full version birth certificate and marriage certificate along with the Indian origin proof of their parents/grandparents/spouse must be furnished by the applicants to prove their link with them. For any other foreign-born applicant Birth Certificate must be in full version and it has to be translated in Hindi/English by a reputed and registered translation authority.
Applicants applying on the basis of parents needs to submit his/her full version Birth certificate with both the parent’s details on it, along with parent’s proof of Indian Origin.
Applicants applying on the basis of Grandparents are required to furnish:
-
Applicant’s full version Birth Certificate
-
Applicant’s Parent’s full version Birth Certificate
-
And Grandparent’s proof of Indian Origin
Note: Marriage certificates and Birth certificates:
(a) If issued in Malawi should be attested by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(b) If issued in India should be attested/apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs (https://mea.gov.in/apostille.htm) and
(c) If issued in a third country, it should be apostilled by the concerned country.
The Apostiled documents should be uploaded at the time of submission of OCI application at the portal https://passport.gov.in/oci/.
Applicants applying on the bases of Spouse needs to submit their registered Marriage and Birth Certificates along with spouse’s proof of Indian Origin.
Copy of Indian Passport or copy of Indian Empire passport (stating the status of holder “Indian by birth” or “British protected person native of Indian state”...). Please note that the Indian empire passport stating the status ‘British Subject’ is not accepted for OCI.
OR
Indian Birth Certificate/Education Certificate (If post-dated, the signature of the issuing authority should be verified by District Magistrate/Deputy Collector of the same district - (in original).
OR
Domicile Certificate of the applicant or of his/her parents/grandparents issued from concerned Competent Authority in India i.e. District Magistrate/Collectors/Sub Divisional Magistrate may also be accepted as a proof of Indian Origin (in original).
OR
Agriculture land documents or Nativity Certificate (in original): If the applicant is unable to produce any documentary proof of parents/grandparents or self. He/she must submit the Nativity Certificate in the prescribed format as per link below. The Nativity Certificate should be certified by the District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp, seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification.
Please note that if the applicant was born in India and is submitting a nativity certificate, then he/she needs to submit a notarized affidavit from Malawi to state the fact about his/her Indian passport and how he/she traveled to Malawi.
Applicants applying on the basis of spouse need to submit registered marriage certificate. Marriage should have been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than 2 years immediately preceding the presentation of the application.
Applications for minor children
In addition to the above documents - For minors both the parents needs to self-attest all the photocopies along with parent’s passport photocopies. In case if the parents are holding Indian passport then photocopies of the Bio Page (photo page), last page with the address should also be provided.
Minor children holding foreign nationality and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India or both or one parents are OCI card holder, are eligible for OCI Card.
If one of the parents of the minor children is/has been a Pakistani/Bangladeshi citizen, these children will not be eligible for OCI.
Important Information for all OCI Applicants
Signatures should be in the box provided. In case of minor applicant, his/her thumb impression (left hand thumb) or signature (if minor can sign, signature is mandatory) of the minor applicant should be provided in BOX.
An OCI card holder is not entitled to undertake any Missionary, mountaineering and research work in India. They need prior approval from Ministry of Home Affairs in India before undertaking such activities. Non-Malawian passport holder should give residential address in respective country. The processing time is longer for such cases.
Minor foreigners born out of live-in relationships, Step & adopted children are not eligible for OCI however an adopted child who has had an Indian passport in the past and can produce a surrender certificate/ Renunciation Certificate for the same, is eligible to apply for an OCI, all other documents advised above for minors will be required in addition to the Surrender Certificate/Renunciation Certificate and the Indian passport. All cases will be put under review and a final decision will be made by the competent authorities. For any unsuccessful applications the refund policy will apply.
In case of minor children, both the parents need to be signed in part ‘B’ or parent’s consent letter is mandatory (if divorced) or court order having custody of children.
Applicant whose birth certificate mentions about only one parent and nationality and other parent is not known; is not eligible for OCI Card.
Asylees or Stateless applicants are not eligible for OCI.
Foreign Defence/Military/Civil Servants/Police/ex-Defence personnel/ persons working with security agencies and their family members are not eligible to apply for OCI. The above implies that the personnel of Home Office as well as of MoD. In addition, foreign diplomats are also not eligible.
For applicants applying on the basis of spouse, now deceased, are required to furnish the death certificate, marriage certificate and self-declaration to confirm the same or if re-married again. If re-married, then provide the new marriage certificate along with the above.
If one of the parent/grandparent is of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin, applicant will not be eligible for OCI.
If the OCI card holder acquires nationality of a different country after obtaining the OCI card, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh, he/she shall also be allowed to enter/exit India on the strength of his/her new passport of the recently acquired nationality and OCI Registration Certificate (OCI card).
Entry on the Diplomatic/Official passport shall not be granted on the basis of OCI/PIO cards as OCI/PIO cards are not issued to the foreign diplomats and their family members. However, if he/she holds valid ordinary passport with valid OCI/PIO cards, entry can be allowed.
Refund Process for applicant not eligible for OCI
Please Note: The above list is not exhaustive and does not guarantee an OCI. The High Commission of India in Malawi reserves the right to ask for additional documents, if required.
OCI APPLICATION FORM
How to fill the application form?
Applicants are required to fill the online application form on the website http://passport.gov.in/oci/ and submit the printed application form with Supporting Documents at High Commission.
The applicants need to fill Part-A and Part-B of the application online. Once you fill up the application, the registration number (MWILxxxxxxxx) will be generated by the system and a print out of the application should be taken by the applicants for submission to High Commission of India, Lilongwe as per the applicable jurisdiction.
OCI MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES
Check your eligibility for new OCI Card before you start your registration:
-
To avail Miscellaneous Service, you must be an existing OCI Card Holder
-
This service can be availed for re-issuance / issuance of duplicate OCI documents in the following category of cases:
-
In case of issuance of new passport.
-
In case of change of personal particulars viz. name, father’s name, nationality etc.
-
In case of loss/damage of OCI registration certificate/visa.
-
In case of change of address/occupation
-
Applicants should enclose two colour photographs of 2x2 inch size along with the application.
-
Signature/thumb impression should be confined in the prescribed box. In case of minor applicants, parents should NOT sign the box.
-
The processing time is 6-8 weeks, from the date of submission of the application and payment of fees.
-
After submission of online application, a copy of the application form will be printed with an Online Registration Number.
-
Application form, complete in all respects, along with all relevant enclosures and requisite fee may be submitted to the High Commission.
Please visit https://passport.gov.in/oci for the more details regarding OCI Miscellaneous Services.
NEW OCI IN LIEU OF LOST OCI CARD
-
Check your eligibility before you start your registration.
-
If you are already an OCI Card Holder, kindly use OCI Miscellaneous Services.
-
If you are an PIO Card Holder, kindly register through OCI Registration (In Lieu Of Valid PIO-Card).
-
If you are an PIO Card Holder and card is in lost state, kindly register through OCI Registration (In Lieu Of Lost PIO-Card).
-
To reprint your already registered application, kindly use 'Re-Print Submitted Application' service.
-
Applicants are required to fill miscellaneous application form online for lost or damage passport or OCI booklet and have to submit the printed application along with copy of old and new passport and copy of OCI booklet.
-
New Passport Number is to be given in the application form (if applicable).
-
Copy of police report/crime reference number is required along with the application.
-
Applicants should enclose two colour photographs (2 by 2 inch size) along with the application.
-
The processing time is 6-8 weeks, from the date of submission of the application and payment of fees.
-
Signature/thumb impression should be confined in the prescribed box. In case of minor applicants, parents should NOT sign the box.
PIO TO OCI
All applicants need to fill the online application form on the website and also upload copy of Foreign Passport and OCI Card. The following documents are required to be produced at the time of submission of application at the High Commission’s counter:
Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card scheme was withdrawn by the Government of India and merged with Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card scheme in 2015. The existing PIO Cards which are handwritten is to be converted into OCI cards before October 2018.
The date for application for conversion of valid PIO card to OCI card was extended till 30th June 2017 & thereafter till 31 December 2024. However, the conversion of PIO cards into OCI cards is mandatory.
OCI card is a smart card which will facilitate quicker immigration clearance at the Immigration Check Points and also for obtaining various Consular services from the Indian Missions. Further, for those residing in India, it will facilitate in availing various services in India.
STATUS CHECKING AND COLLECTION OF OCI
Applicant can check the status of their application online through the OCI Portal link: https://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury .
- Phone Number for enquiry:
+265 (0) 1755337 (Time: 12:00am - 1:00pm and 3:00pm - 4:00pm)
**********
Updated on 31.12.2023
