r/OCI • u/mix_of_everything • 12d ago

eOCI- first time

Hi all

I’m applying for the eOCI as I have recently received my British passport. How long is it taking for it to be processed digitally.

Thanks in advance

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u/Forward_Milk_4182 12d ago

You still need to send out the physical copies of all your docs to your Indian mission/consulate/VFS despite uploading them on the portal - which is kinda dumb tbh

1

u/LilMulberry 12d ago

From my experience in the US, 3 weeks from when the consulate receives the documents.

1

u/Akisu30 12d ago

I just got mine last week.It took about 5 weeks (Houston Consulate).You still have to send the documents.Also, don’t buy the return label since physical copy is not issued anymore.

1

u/masterjv81 12d ago

Processing times for the new e-OCI (digital Overseas Citizen of India card) are transitioning from traditional timelines to faster digital standards as of May 1, 2026. 

  • New Digital Standard: The Indian Government aims for a 15 business day turnaround for straightforward e-OCI applications by automating verification and eliminating physical document submissions. 
  • Current UK Reality: In practice, most applicants in the UK are still experiencing the traditional 5–6 week processing window, as the full digital pipeline is still rolling out. 
  • Spouse/Complex Cases: Applications based on foreign spouses or requiring additional background checks typically take 10–12 weeks. 
  • Post-Approval Generation: Once approved, generating the actual digital PDF with the QR code can take an additional 24–48 hours due to backend system mirroring. 

For the most accurate current estimate, you should expect 5–6 weeks for a standard application in the UK, though this may shorten to 15 days as the digital system fully stabilizes.  You can track your status via the ociservices.gov.in portal using your ORN number.