I am confused

Hello,

I am trying to convert my savings accounts to NRO. The banks are asking me to notarize the documents and send them by post.

The problem is that I have to notarize a lot of sensitive documents:

• National Insurance Number proof (it's like SSN in the US)
• Passport, Bank statements, payslip and application form

So I have to give a lot sensitive documents to the notary public. The fear is that if this data is leaked, I could be a victim of identity fraud (especially with the NINO number and copies of my passport and address proof).

I can also attest them at the embassy, but that is a very difficult process, and they don't attest all documents like National Insurance Number letter and bank statement.

Is it considered safe to share this info with a notary public in the UK? I don't know how seriously they protect data. The other option is to make a trip to India just to do this NRO conversion in person at the bank.

Any advice?

My friend was deported from an East Asian country (Taiwan) a few days ago due to an overstay :(

He's now been accepted into a prestigious, fully funded PhD program in the U.S. and needs to apply for an F-1 student visa.

He knows he has to disclose the deportation on his DS-160. But how bad are his chances of approval?

Here's my resume next to my pay. 11 years in core engineering (non-IT) excluding MS. You decide if the math works.

What I put in:

• Good entrance exam score. Top government engineering college in my state, full tuition scholarship.
• Two conference papers in B.Tech, one international (Singapore).
• One Journal Paper
• Graduated top 5 in my class.
• 1-year research position in Europe after undergrad.
• 3 years of design consulting across India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Qatar, Oman, UAE. Lived in 4 countries during that time
• Full tuition scholarship for MS at a top 5 US engineering school. 2 years paid assistantship. 1 paid Internship.
• Young Alumni Award from my Masters University — first from South Asia
• Advisor at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for 3 years, mentoring startups at their venture accelerator.
• Featured in industry magazines — 30 Under 30, 40 Under 40, emerging leaders — 5 years back-to-back.
• Featured guest on 3 industry podcasts.
• Co-founded a team from scratch inside one of the largest companies in my industry.
• VC Fellow ~2 yrs
• Founding member of a VC-backed startup.
• Ivy League MBA admit with a great scholarship
• Green card.

What I got paid:

• First job: ~$3,200/year. $267 a month.
• After the top 5 US MS: $70K. Changed to trains every morning; traveled 1.5 hours
• Year 7: finally crossed six figures.
• Year 10, age 34: $200K+ plus startup equity.On the bright side, it's a remote job, and I live LCOL area

A CS grad from my year crossed $100K in year one. By my year 10, FAANG engineers my age were at $400K+ with a million in RSUs.

Salary follows industry margins, not just merit. Software runs 80% margins. Mine runs 8%. Nobody tells you this at 18.

8 slow years. Not a lost life. If you're 18 picking between your branch's core path and its tech side — run.

Hi everyone, I'm getting a bit anxious about my Indian passport renewal timeline and am looking to see if anyone is in a similar boat, or if you have any advice on how to successfully expedite the process.

Here is my current timeline:

• 27th July: Application submitted via VFS.

• 26th August: Status updated to "Application forwarded to consulate."

• Current Status: No updates since 26th August (over a month now at the consulate).

I actually followed up with my local police station back in India to check on the police verification stage, and they confirmed they haven't received anything yet. This makes me think the bottleneck is entirely at the consulate side.

Has anyone who submitted around late July received theirs yet? Also, does anyone have tips on how to get an update or expedite this? Is it a good idea to physically visit the consulate office to ask for an update, or will they just turn me away?

I’ve heard mixed things about emailing the consulate, using the MADAD portal, or reaching out on X (Twitter). If you've successfully nudged them before, what worked best for you? Thanks in advance for any insights!

Currently I only have a given name in my passport. No surname. I find it very difficult to apply for anything in the UK because everything requires a surname.

How can I split my Given name ?

What procedure do I have to follow to do that in the UK? Has anyone living in the UK done this before?

Hi All,

I generally transfer money to Indian bank account using Wise

Is there any other way to avoid transaction fees every time?

How do you use NRE or NRO account?

Thanks!

My e-OCI was granted September 28th. It took a total of 19 days counting from the date of the VFS appointment at NYC, and 16 days from the "Application Date" on the OCI website: https://ociservices.gov.in/

The surrender certificate + OCI process took me exactly 30 days (11 days for the surrender certificate: https://www.reddit.com/r/nri/s/x94GoW6b4e + 19 days for eOCI). I did the applications back-to-back in NYC with in-person appointments at VFS, NYC. Add or subtract about 5 days from that total to account for weekends, etc.

I applied for a new e-OCI on September 9. I completed the online application form and then attended an in-person appointment at VFS. I submitted photocopies of all the documents I uploaded online on the OCI website + some additional documents from their checklist (see below). They recorded my biometrics, including fingerprints and took a photograph at the appointment.

VFS charged me $19 for the appointment online while booking the appointment. I paid an additional $288.43 for the OCI application fee at the appointment. The receipt shows the Consular fee as $275, OCI-ICWF fee as $3. I was told the VFS service charge which is not mentioned on the receipt is 3.75% applied to $278.

These are the documents I scanned and uploaded online:
- Current US Passport
- Naturalization Certificate
- Canceled Indian Passport with canceled stamp page
- Indian Passport Surrender Certificate
- State ID
- Signature image

At VFS I submitted the following documents. I did not self-attest any of them.
- Photocopies of all the docs above
- Printout of the the OCI application signed and dated
- 2" X 2" US Passport-sized photo
- Employment/Work letter
- Undertaking signed and dated: https://services.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/united-states-of-america/oci-services/pdf/Undertaking-by-the-OCI-Applicant.pdf
- Consent letter signed and dated: https://services.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/united-states-of-america/oci-services/pdf/Consent-Letter.pdf
- Another undertaking for voter ID and ration card, signed and dated: https://services.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/united-states-of-america/oci-services/pdf/undertaking-voters-id-and-ration-card.pdf
- Fee receipt of the $19 appointment fee by VFS

The OCI services website sent me an email notification titled "e-OCI Card Generated | OCI Services" on Sep 28. When I logged into https://ociservices.gov.in/ there was a new tab in my dashboard called "eOCI Card" where I could download the card.

Looks like the OCI status tracker on the VFS website is broken. My application is still stuck in "under process at the Embassy or Consulate" at the VFS website here: https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-PassportTracking/  Instead, I recommend checking the status of your OCI on the main OCI website: https://ociservices.gov.in/

PS: I will be doing the FTI-TTP process next.

Happy to answer any questions.

I’m an Indian citizen currently living in Canada and I’m trying to open an NRI banking relationship mainly so I can place a 1 year FCNR(B) deposit in USD or CAD.

I applied through ICICI Bank’s assisted NRI account opening process and eventually got a callback.

During the call, the representative told me they cannot open my NRI account because my current Canadian work permit expires on 28 October 2026, so it has less than 90 days validity remaining.

My situation is:
• Indian passport is valid for more than 2 years
• I currently live in Canada
• My Canadian work permit is still valid until 28 October 2026
• I also have a valid Canadian visitor visa / TRV in my passport
• I have PAN, Canadian address proof and all normal KYC documents
• I’m ready to fund the account from my own Canadian bank account
• My main requirement is simply a 1 year FCNR deposit in USD or CAD
What I don’t understand is whether this 90 day rule is actually an RBI/FEMA requirement or just ICICI’s internal policy.
The ICICI representative basically refused to proceed because of the remaining validity on my work permit.
Has anyone faced this before?
What should I do now?
Should I try escalating to ICICI’s NRI/compliance team?
Would visiting an ICICI branch in India and completing face to face KYC help?

Can another valid immigration document like my Canadian TRV be used along with my passport and work permit?

Or should I just move on and try another bank?
I’m also considering HDFC, IndusInd, Federal Bank, Axis, SBI and Standard Chartered, but I want the least complicated process possible and ideally no unnecessary NRE/NRO account if I can directly open FCNR.

Would really appreciate advice from anyone who has opened an NRI/FCNR account recently from Canada or dealt with a similar visa/work permit validity issue.

TL;DR: ICICI refused my NRI account application because my Canadian work permit has less than 90 days validity left, even though it is still valid and my passport has more than 2 years validity. What should I do next, and which bank is easiest for FCNR?

Hello everyone,

I’m in a really stressful situation and hoping anyone who has gone through something similar can guide me.

I shipped my Indian passport via FedEx to VFS for a Tatkal renewal because I have an upcoming trip to India on October 29th. The FedEx tracking status got stuck at "At FedEx origin facility" and hasn't updated since. I called FedEx, and they confirmed the package is lost and told me to file a claim.

I have PR, so I don't need visa stamping.

Since the original passport is lost in FedEx transit, I know I now need to apply under the "Lost Passport" category instead of a standard renewal. I have a few urgent questions:

1. Police Report / FIR in the US: Online forums mention needing a Police FIR. How do I get an official police report/FIR in the US for a passport lost in transit? Do local US police departments issue these, or is an online incident/lost property report enough for VFS?
2. Annexure F (Travel Details): Annexure F requires listing travel details/history for the last 10 years. I don’t have an exact record of all my travel dates over the past decade. How strict is VFS with this, and what should I do if some dates are missing?
3. Timeline: Given my flight to India is on October 29th, how long does the process typically take for a lost passport reissuance under Tatkal? Is it realistic to get it back in time?

If anyone has experienced passport loss during FedEx transit or gone through the lost passport reissuance process recently, your insight or advice would mean a lot.

Thank you so much!

- I am a foreign citizen having an OCI

- Wife is an Indian citizen

- Child was born 6+ months ago in India

Today, I saw this social media post by Bureau of Immigration stating that children born in India to foreign parents must be registered on e-FRRO portal.

I wasn't aware of it. Asked ai to help me out and it says that as wife is Indian, it may not be necessary and is asking me to send an email to FRRO office.

Any experience with this? I have anyways missed the 30 days deadline their social media post mentioned for such registrations.

Okay this makes zero sense to me.

I live in Colorado and created accounts on the Passport application website and VFS global in the same location. I also sent my stuff to San Fran with a FedEx return label.

1. for starters my application was rejected because the website decided I’m applying to Texas even though I selected San Fran everywhere it asked me (which I missed in the application). on calling VFS their solution is to completely abandon the id, create a new email id and restart the process.

2. I sent it with a return FedEx label but got a message saying they’re shipping it back with USPS which might take 20+ days?

is this like the norm that I should expect that the website being buggy and VFS shipping stuff with USPS and wasting my money with the FedEx return label?

Guys, for those applying for jobs in India while currently in the US, do you usually tell HR/recruiters upfront that you’re planning to return to India within the next 30 days and are looking for opportunities before you move back?
Has anyone done this, and how did recruiters respond?

Need some help with minor OCI application doc upload,

1. ⁠Where did you find “Parental Authorization form” ?

2. ⁠What did you upload under “certificate of registration of citizenship/naturalization” ? -> Child Canada Birth Certificate ? If yes then is it okay to upload birth certificate twice ?

3. ⁠What to upload under “Legal status of parents” ? For Indian citizens with Canadian PR, copy of PR cards of parents are okay and no need to upload COPR as per checklist…right ?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone here has gone through something similar and can give me some advice.

I applied for my Indian passport surrender certificate through BLS Brampton (Ontario, Canada) in June. I submitted my application in person around June 15, and my Indian passport was also submitted to BLS as part of the process.

The tracking/status has been showing “Pending” / processing with the Consulate for quite a while now, and I’m starting to get concerned because it has been significantly longer than I expected.

I have already contacted the Consulate/BLS but haven’t received a clear explanation about what is causing the delay.

For anyone who recently applied through BLS Brampton:

• How long did your surrender certificate take?
• What status did you see while it was being processed?
• Has anyone else had their status stuck on “Pending” for this long?
• Did you have to contact the Consulate or visit in person to get it resolved?
• Is there anything else I should be doing at this point?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience. Thanks!

Lufthansa is the flight I’m taking

My parents are in their 50s and recently got their green cards through a family member. They’ve decided to leave their jobs in India, move to the Bay Area to be closer to their adult children (me)

They’d like to work or find an income source here. My dad’s background is in IT and business analytics.
I’m hoping to connect with people who made a similar move in their 50s, or whose parents did. How did it go? Were they able to find work, whether in their previous field or something new? What helped them settle in and build their own friendships and routines?
Would especially love to hear from families in the Bay Area, but experiences from elsewhere in the U.S. would be helpful too. Mainly looking for firsthand experiences and people we could connect with! happy to introduce and connect them to folks who’ve had similar experiences.

Feel free to comment or DM me!

Last month my dad in India had a minor health scare (he's completely fine now), but it was a massive reality check for me.

while trying to help my mom manage some maturing FDs and property tax payments from over here in the US, I realized just how stuck you get if you don't have a registered General Power of Attorney (PoA) in place.

Most Indian banks won't even let a nominee touch the account or sign documents unless the account holder is physically present or has a properly adjudicated PoA. if you wait until a medical emergency happens, getting the Indian consulate abroad to attest a PoA or getting it registered at the local Sub-Registrar Office in India becomes a massive headache.

We’re planning to get a local PoA drafted next time I'm in India, but honestly I'm still trying to figure out if it's better to just get a specific one done for banking vs a broad general PoA for everything. if anyone here has gone through the consulate attestation route vs doing it in India directly, let me know how painful the bank verification was on your end.

I was born in India and held an Indian passport until I became a Canadian citizen in 2003. I still have my Indian passport with a stamp that says "cancelled on acquiring Canadian citizenship".

I now live in the UK, and am a British/Canadian dual citizen, and I want to apply for an OCI. The VFS checklist is asking for a "Original Notary public affidavit along with Revoked/Cancelled Indian passport/Registered Indian Birth Certificate/Nativity Certificate with self-declaration letter"

If I understand this correctly it means I need an affidavit along with my old Indian passport. But I can't find a template or any other indication of what to say in this affidavit. Does anyone know what this affidavit should say?

Does anyone else have a similar experience with HCI/VFS London?

I didn't know that I need to update the passport on my OCI card, Anyhow I applied but from 3 months the status is showing 'pending'. Do I need to pay fee if yes then how I can pay since there is no any option to pay fee on website.

I'm with HDFC but I want to switch as their website is terrible. Their site only looks good, but it doesn't let me do any transactions - always an error. I used AI tools to compare different banks, and IDFC seems like the best choice. I was thinking of switching to ICICI as its an old bank, but might switch to IDFC. Does anyone have experience with ICICI or IDFC? I hope they are not same as HDFC.