The 90-day OCI linking rule, explained for UK OCI holders

Got a new British (or other foreign) passport? There is an Indian-side step that is easy to overlook: your OCI record generally needs to be linked to the new passport, and a commonly referenced window is within about 90 days of receiving it. This applies to OCI holders who are eligible for online linking, and it comes up again each time a passport is renewed.

Matrix Solutions is a UK preparation service: we help with the documents and the portal upload, while the High Commission and VFS make the final decision. This guide explains what the 90-day window means, why it keeps applying for life, and what to do if you think you have already passed the window.

What the 90-day window means

When your passport number changes, the OCI record that still points to your old passport is out of date. Linking updates the OCI to your current passport so the two documents match at immigration. The widely cited guidance is to complete this within roughly 90 days of the new passport being issued.

For a simple change — a renewed passport, the same name, and a valid OCI card — a standard OCI Link (£100) is generally enough within the 90-day window: it is completed online, with no VFS visit. Where there is more going on, such as a name change, a nationality change, or a lost or damaged card, the case is handled through the OCI Passport Details Update (£125, e-OCI included) rather than a simple link, online within the 90-day window. Past 90 days, any case — including a simple passport-number change — moves to our OCI Passport Details Update service: our fee is £125 (e-OCI included) and it is completed through a VFS appointment we book, with £52.78 payable at VFS (£20 Government of India fee + £3 ICWF + £29.78 VFS service fee).

It keeps applying for life

The linking step recurs for life: each time you renew your passport, the OCI is generally linked to the new one within 90 days. The key practical point: link as soon as the passport arrives — do not wait for the deadline. The 90-day window is counted from the passport's issue date, and the OCI department's rejection emails can arrive late. If you end up past day 90, it is not a dead end — our fee is then £125 through our OCI Passport Details Update service (e-OCI included), and it is completed through a VFS appointment we book, with £52.78 payable in person at VFS (£20 Government of India fee + £3 ICWF + £29.78 VFS service fee). For the checker and route-by-route detail, see OCI renewal in the UK — the guide.

What if you have already passed 90 days?

If 90 days have passed since the new passport was issued, your OCI is not automatically cancelled. Past 90 days, even a simple passport-number change moves from OCI Link to our OCI Passport Details Update service: our fee is £125 (e-OCI included), and it is completed through a VFS appointment we book. You attend VFS in person.

Because the passport is past the 90-day window, £52.78 is payable in person at VFS (£20 Government of India fee + £3 ICWF + £29.78 VFS service fee). The practical step is to WhatsApp Matrix Solutions with your passport issue date so we can confirm the checklist and any costs before you pay.

Get the right route confirmed

If you have a new passport, the simplest next step is to confirm whether your case is a standard OCI Link or an OCI Passport Details Update before you commit. Send your passport issue date and a photo of your OCI card on WhatsApp, and we can confirm which route fits. For the full picture, read updating your OCI with a new passport — the 2026 guide.

When you are ready, and your new passport is within the 90-day window, our OCI Link service handles the document check, photo and signature formatting, and online upload — you can read more on the OCI Link page. For name changes, lost or damaged cards, or any case past 90 days, see the OCI Passport Details Update page. We confirm the route and any costs before you pay.