Renunciation of Indian Citizenship: A Step-by-Step Guide

Please check this link for the Step-by-Step guide of the Indian Passport Surrender application. The process and the necessary documents for both these applications are very similar.

Click here for the High Commission of India London page which has all the information related to both the "Renunciation of Indian citizenship" and "Surrender of Indian Passport".

Renouncing your Indian citizenship once you have received your UK passport is a necessary precursor for the OCI application . To help you navigate through this process, I have put together the below step-by-step guide followed by my personal experience!

Step 1: Fill the online application form

The link for the application form can be found here.

Check out the helpful guide by clicking the "How to Apply" button before starting the application. Also check out the "Requied Documents" before preparing to start the application. ( * spelling needs correction on the official website ! )

Click the "Initiate Application" option and proceed to fill the details. Make sure to provide accurate and up-to-date information in the form. Once all the steps are completed and the application submitted, you will be able to Print the form either at the end or via the "Print Application" option in the Home page. As instructed do not fill the details in the Declaration Form XXII prior to the appointment as these need to be done in front of the officer during the appointment.

Payment - Instead of doing the payment at the last step of the online application via an Indian bank account, I did it over the counter during the appointment with my UK bank debit card. This was easy and avoids any issues which one might face during the online payment.

Step 2: Book an appointment

Schedule an appointment via this link and select the "Renunciation of Indian citizenship( and witnessing the signing of declaration)" service. Select your convenient location and fill the necessary details to schedule a time slot. There are only 3 locations for this service and the availability in London and Edinburgh is far better compared to Birmingham ( * as per the availability checked during Jan - Mar 2024).

Note - You would need the Application reference number from Step 1 in order to book the appointment. You can apply for other family members through the same appointment if the applications are being made at the same time.

Step 3: Attend the appointment and submit documents

Now that you have successfully booked your appointment, it's time to attend the appointment and submit the necessary documents. Here's what you need to do:

1. Arrive at the chosen location on the scheduled date and time of your appointment.

2. Carry all the required documents as mentioned in the checklist.

3. Follow the instructions provided by the staff.

4. Submit all the required documents and pay the renunciation fee plus the postage and SMS charges.

5. Collect the acknowledgment receipt for your application.

   It is important to note that the processing time for renunciation applications may vary. It is advisable to check the official website of the Indian High Commission for any updates or additional requirements.

My Personal experience

• Application form - straight forward with the usual details apart from the photograph which need to be uploaded as an image in the application (Dimension of the jpg Photograph should be 100(Width) * 120(Hight) Pixel and under 50kb as mentioned in the Requied Documents). I have used Microsoft Paint for this. We would also need to upload our signature as a jpg file.

• Appointment - We booked the appointment at VFS Goswell @3PM and reached there by @2 30PM. There was a queue outside and it took us around 30 mins to go inside the centre. The whole appointment lasted around an hour and we were out by 4 15PM. This was expected as there would be some delays built up due to slow running appointments during the course of the day. In comparison, our morning appointment for the Surrender application was a quick one!. Also only the applicants were allowed inside the centre and other family members are told to wait outside.

  Ensure all the originals and the self-attested copies are included in an order as per the checklist. Some applicants did not had the proper documents and were told to book another appointment.

• Timelines - will update @every stage. They have mentioned that the current timeline to receive the Renunciation certificate is 2 months! as its a relatively new process.

  • Surrender and Renunciation appointments - 4th Mar 2024 - VFS Goswell London

  • Received Surrender certificate and the cancelled Indian passport in the post - 21st Mar 2024

  • 15/04 - Renunciation application status check (URL) - still showing as Application received !

  • 29/04 - No change in status !

  • Received Renunciation certificate in the post - 29th Mar 2024 - well it took almost 3 months to receive it !!!

* Please note that the process of renunciation may vary slightly depending on your location and the specific requirements of the Indian High Commission or Embassy. It is always recommended to visit their official website or contact them directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

* Above is my personal experience only and should not be taken as an official guide! Please take due diligence in your application process.

Please feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below and I will try to answer them based on my experience. Also do share your experience or any tips as it would be helpful for others!

Thanks for reading and all the very best for your application!