• • You were submitting your OCI Application, Passport Renewal or Passport re-issue application, or Indian Visa application to VFS Global in The Hague. 
  • VFS was checking & validating your documents, take your biometrics (if required), and forward everything to the Indian Embassy. 
  • Photograph, printing, & photocopy facility was available at VFS.

  • You did not need to deal with the Indian Embassy directly.

• • VFS stopped accepting applications for all Indian consular services in the Netherlands.
  • All OCI applications must now be submitted directly to the Indian Embassy in The Hague.
  • No more walk-ins – appointments are mandatory. 
  • Appointments slots are limited and often booked weeks or months in advance. 
  • No Photograph, printing, & photocopy service available at Indian Embassy.
  • The Embassy is handling hundreds of applications daily, meaning processing times may be longer than before. 

For many people, this shift means extra paperwork, more confusion, and a higher risk of rejection if even one document is missing or formatted incorrectly.

The Updated OCI Application Process in the Netherlands (August 2025)

If you’re applying for an OCI card now, here’s the latest process: 

1. Fill the OCI Application Form Online. Please ensure all the details, date format, and spellings are correct. Be extra careful about the photo specifications & signature specifications during upload. Then upload your required documents in correct format & size. 
2. Prepare your documents to carry along with you such as:
   • Your Passport (valid for atleast 6 months). 
   • Proof of Indian Origin (such as previous Indian passport, birth certificate, or parent’s documents or grandparent’s documents, or Spouse’s Indian origin details) 
   • 4 passport-sized photographs (must meet specific size and background rules of Indian Embassy) 
   • Employment Letter/Business Registration in Netherlands
   • Uitrekksel from Gementee of your locality specifying your name, your parents name & your address in Netherlands. Please ensure this Uitrekksel (Extract) is not more than 6 months old and must be Apostilled from Court. Choose our Apostille Services to get your Uitrekksel Apostilled within 1-3 working days.
   • Additional documents if applying for a renewal, spouse-based OCI, or after a name change. Please look into the checklist for required additional documents as per your situation.
3. Book Your Appointment with the Indian Embassy in The Hague. Please note that Appointment slots are limited — they can be gone within hours. 
4. Attend Your Appointment at the booked day and time at Indian Embassy, The Hague. Be there before 15 minutes along with all the required documents, originals & photocopy as well. Take Cash & Bank Card both to avoid problems in payment of OCI Application fees of EUR 235.
5. Track Your Application. Keep your OCI submission acknowledgement receipt (that you will receive after submitting OCI Application) safe & always make a picture of it in your phone. Use your OCI reference number to track progress online.
6. Receive Your OCI Card within 2-3 months. Depending on your chosen delivery option, either collect it from the Embassy or receive it by post. As per recent update of Indian Embassy, you must provide a self-address envelope to receive your OCI Card at your home.

Why Acting Fast Is Critical Right Now

The Embassy is working with limited resources and more applicants than ever before. This creates two urgent problems for you:

1. Appointment Availability
   
   • If you miss the current booking cycle, and you could be waiting several weeks just to submit your application.
2. Processing Delays 
   
   • If there is a single mistake in your form or documents, you need to start over — adding more delays in your OCI Application. 
   • Even after submission, processing can take 8–10 weeks or longer during peak periods.

If your passport is expiring soon, or you have travel plans to India, this delay could mean rescheduling flights or missing important events. 

How OCIhelp.nl can save you time, stress, and Money?

OCI Application seems complex to many people as it involves detailed form filling online, uploading photograph & signature at specified size & format. Another important point is uploading mandatory documents as per latest checklist of Indian Embassy. A single mistake may reject your application & you need to start again. We at OCIhelp.nl are here to make the application process simple, fast, and stress-free for the Indian community in the Netherlands. Here’s exactly how we help:

2. Personalised Document Checklist

Based on your application type, we send you a custom checklist so you don’t waste time collecting unnecessary papers or risk missing an essential document to carry.

3. Appointment Booking

We handle your appointment scheduling with the Embassy — securing a slot as early as possible so you’re not stuck in the long queue.

4. Remote Support — 100% Online

You don’t need to meet us in person. We manage everything through Email & WhatsApp for your convenience.

5. Rejection Prevention, else we re-do it for FREE

We triple-check every document to make sure your application will not be returned for corrections. If still, your application is rejected, we will re-do your application for free of charge.

6. Ongoing Guidance

From submission to delivery, we help you track your application and keep you updated at each stage.

Extra tips to avoid delays

Here are three quick tips you can follow immediately:

• Check your passport expiry: If it’s within 6 months of expiry, renew it before applying for OCI.

• Follow photo specifications exactly: Incorrect photos are the #1 reason for rejections.

• Save every confirmation: Take screenshots of your appointment booking and application submission.