Indian Embassy in US to accept online applications for visa, passport, OCI services from today Nov 04, 2020.

Indian Embassy in US to accept online applications for visa, passport, OCI services from today The Indian Embassy at Washington DC, US will accept online applications for visa, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), renunciation, passport and Global Entry Programme (GEP) services through a new service provider, VFS Global, with effect from today (November 4). The Embassy release stated, "With effect from 4 November 2020 (12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time), Embassy of India, Washington DC will accept online applications for OCI, Renunciation, Passport and GEP services through new service provider, VFS Global." https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/industry/article/indian-embassy-in-us-to-accept-online-applications-for-visa-passport-oci-services-from-today/677083

Last date of application for free conversion
of PIO Cards to OCI Card is
on or before 31st December 2017

GRATIS FEE (zero consular fees) will be applicable for
applications submitted on government website and CKGS website
as a part of OCI application process ON or PRIOR to
December 31, 2017(up to 2400 hours IST of December 31, 2017). Hence, do not worry about submitting your paper application. You can go ahead apply online before the cut off date and then submit paper application later.

Also, for OCI photos, they require digital image. To order your digital image, you can visit onlinepassportphotos.com OCI page.

Last date of application for free conversion of PIO Cards to OCI Card is on or before 31st December 2017. 
Thereafter a fee of US $275.00 will be charged as for issuance of a fresh OCI Card; and

All PIO Card holders are, therefore, requested to apply for converting their PIO Cards into OCI Cards,
free of any Consular Fee, on or before 31st December 2017;

The last date will not be extended beyond 31st December 2017.

Check details on San Francisco Consulate of India website:

http://www.cgisf.org/notice/display/202

The Government of India will charge a revised consular fee of US $275.00
for issuance of OCI in lieu of PIO Card from January 1, 2018 on wards
ICWF Fees CKGS Service
Fees will be charged over and above the Consular Fee. Therefore,
any application received ON or AFTER January 1, 2018 will be
charged with the revised fee of US $275.00.

GRATIS FEE (zero consular fees) will be applicable for
applications submitted on government website and CKGS website
as a part of OCI application process ON or PRIOR to
December 31, 2017(up to 2400 hours IST of December 31, 2017). 

REVISED FEES WILL BE APPLICABLE for all applications applied
ON or AFTER January 1, 2018. Click Here for more information.

With effect from October 2018, International Civil Aviation Organization
will accept only machine readable travel documents and hence
the existing PIO cards will become invalid All PIO Card holders are,
therefore, requested to apply for converting their existing hand written
PIO Cards into machine readable OCI Cards.

OCI Photos (Overseas Citizenship of India)- Digital images for photo and for signature

OCI Photos (Overseas Citizenship of India)- Digital image

OCI Vs PIO comparison

We provide digital as well as printed OCI photos for "Overseas Citizenship of India" applicants. Recently, Indian consulates have started asking for digital photo in jpg or jpeg format that is (1) less than 30KB in file size, (2) aspect ratio of 1:1, and (3) are between 300x300 to 900x900 pixels. We can help you with digital image which you can upload with your OCI application online. At the time of ordering, please select OCI and country as India OCI Digital. If you want to order printed photos too, you can for 1 person/12 photos and provide store address for pick up.
To order digital image for OCI (with or without printed photos), please click on this link.

If you are paying for 1 person/12 photos, we will help you format your signature or thumb print free of charge.

---

Digital Image submission details for applicants applying for OCI-Card

1. It is mandatory to upload Applicant's image and Applicant's signature image during OCI-Registration

2. Both the images must be in jpeg or jpg format, with max size 200kb.

3. The height and width specifications of Applicant Photo are as follows:
       The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height). 
       The maximum dimensions are 900 pixels (width) x 900 pixels (height).
4. The height and width specifications of Signature Photo are as follows:
       The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 67 pixels (height). 
       The maximum dimensions are 900 pixels (width) x 300 pixels (height).

5. Kindly be ready with both these images before starting the registration process.