Indian Passport, OCI & Consular Services
Renewing a passport, an OCI card for your family, a police clearance certificate, document attestation, or registering a birth back home — the Indian paperwork you still have to deal with from Germany.
The Indian side of the paperwork
Life in Germany still means dealing with Indian authorities — for passports, OCI, and documents both countries need to accept. Here is how it works, and who to approach.
The four Indian missions — find yours by state
You must apply to the mission whose jurisdiction covers where you live.
Covers: Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia
Covers: Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland
Covers: Bavaria
Covers: Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein
When to apply
Apply for re-issue when your passport is near expiry (many countries want 6+ months validity), when pages run out, or after a change of name/address. Do not wait until the last minute — processing from abroad can take weeks, sometimes longer if re-verification is triggered.
How it works
Applications are made online (Passport Seva) and submitted through VFS Global for your region, with your current passport, residence permit, biometric photo and the relevant forms. VFS forwards your file to your Indian mission.
Keep your residence permit safe
Never let your Indian passport lapse while a German residence permit is stamped in or linked to it. If you get a new passport number, inform the Ausländerbehörde so your permit stays valid.
Lost or stolen passport
File a police report (Anzeige) in Germany first, then apply for a re-issue. In an emergency (e.g. urgent travel), the mission can issue an Emergency Certificate to return to India. Report loss to the mission promptly.
Children’s passports
Minor passports are shorter-validity and need both parents’ consent and the child’s documents. If the child was born in Germany, you usually register the birth with the mission first (see Births & Marriage below).
Who applies
Foreign nationals of Indian origin, the foreign spouse of an Indian/OCI, and children with at least one Indian/OCI parent. Indians who naturalise as German apply for OCI after surrendering their Indian passport.
For your German-born child
If your child is a foreign citizen (or becomes one), an OCI gives them a permanent right to visit and live in India. Many Indian parents apply for the child’s OCI early.
Re-issue rules
The OCI generally needs re-issue when a new passport is issued up to age 20, and once after age 50, and whenever personal details change. Rules have been relaxed over time — always check the current requirement before travelling to India.
How to apply
Apply online on the OCI portal, then submit through VFS Global with your foreign passport, photos, and (for ex-Indians) your Surrender Certificate. Processing can take several weeks to months.
Surrender Certificate first
If you naturalised as German, you must first surrender your Indian passport and get the Renunciation/Surrender Certificate — it is a prerequisite for the OCI.
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
A certificate confirming you have no criminal record in India, sometimes needed for German PR/naturalisation, certain jobs, or onward migration. Apply via Passport Seva / VFS to your Indian mission. Apply early — it can take time.
Apostille — Indian documents for use in Germany
India is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so Indian public documents (degrees, birth/marriage certificates) are legalised with an Apostille from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (usually done in India, often via an agency). Germany accepts the Apostille — no further legalisation needed.
Apostille — German documents for use in India
A document issued in Germany (e.g. a German marriage or birth certificate) needs an Apostille from the competent German authority before Indian authorities will accept it. Ask the issuing office which German authority apostilles it.
Attestation for the German visa/recognition
For visas and degree recognition, Indian academic documents often need verification (e.g. via APS for students). Keep certified copies and translations (by a sworn translator) ready.
A baby born in Germany
First get the German birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) from the Standesamt. Then register the birth with your Indian mission to obtain an Indian passport for the child, and consider an OCI if the child is/becomes a foreign citizen.
A marriage in Germany
A marriage at the German Standesamt is valid in India, but for Indian records (and some visa/OCI purposes) you may want it registered/attested. A German marriage certificate needs an Apostille to be used in India.
A marriage in India, living in Germany
To use your Indian marriage certificate in Germany (e.g. for a family-reunion visa or Anmeldung), get it Apostilled in India and translated by a sworn translator.
Surrender after naturalising
If you become German, surrender your Indian passport and keep the Surrender Certificate — you will need it for your OCI and it is proof you followed Indian law.