The affidavit in lieu of originals for a minor’s OCI application is a short, notarized statement in which you swear that you hold the original of every document you have submitted as a photocopy. You fill it in by listing each document by name on the blank lines of the VFS template, then signing it in front of a notary public. Get the wording, the list, and the signatures right and the affidavit does its job quietly; get any of them wrong and the whole OCI package can come back unprocessed.
What the Affidavit Is For
The affidavit is a sworn declaration that you possess the original true copies of all documents in the application and can produce them if the Embassy or Consulate asks.1Embassy of India, Washington D.C. OCI FAQ That is the entire scope. It is not a statement of identity, and it is not a place to explain family circumstances. You are telling the consulate, under oath, that every photocopy in the package has a corresponding original in your hands.
Use the VFS Global template exactly as provided. It has labeled blank lines, (a) through (g), where you write in the specific documents you are submitting.2VFS Global. Affidavit in Lieu of Originals Do not add your own language, reword the declaration, or reformat the page. Modifications invite questions during review.
What to List on the Blank Lines
The items you write on the affidavit should mirror the OCI minor checklist for your child’s category. For a child who is a foreign national by birth and has never held an Indian passport, the standard set is:
- The child’s birth certificate, showing both parents’ names, date of birth, and nationality. A hospital-issued certificate is not accepted. If the child was born outside India, the certificate must be apostilled or attested by the appropriate foreign mission, but you submit a self-attested copy rather than the apostilled original.3VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport
- The parents’ marriage certificate from the Marriage Registrar if the marriage took place in India. Religious certificates are not accepted. Include a divorce decree instead if the parents are divorced, or a death certificate copy if one parent is deceased.3VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport
- Proof of address matching the present address on the application. Accepted documents include a state ID, a valid driver’s license, a utility bill (water, gas, electricity, or telephone) no more than three months old, a current lease, a mortgage document, or an income tax return. PO Box numbers and expired documents are not accepted.3VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport
- The minor’s current valid passport, with at least six months of remaining validity at the time of submission.
- Both parents’ passports or ID proofs, self-attested.
Whatever you write on line (a) of the affidavit should also appear as an uploaded scan on the government portal and as a photocopy in your mailed package. All three locations need to agree. Discrepancies between the affidavit, the upload, and the physical papers are a common trigger for delays or rejection.
Signing and Notarizing the Affidavit
Sign the affidavit only in front of the notary public. The Embassy is explicit that you should not sign it beforehand.1Embassy of India, Washington D.C. OCI FAQ The notary needs to witness the signing, verify your identity with government-issued ID, and apply an official seal. A missing or illegible notary seal means the consulate will reject the affidavit.
For the minor, signature handling depends on age. A child who can write their name signs the OCI application form themselves. A minor who cannot sign places a left thumb impression in the signature box using blue or black ink.4VFS Global. Instructions for Filling OCI Application Do not sign in the child’s signature box on the OCI application form on their behalf, even for an infant. That specific substitution is prohibited.
Signatures must be consistent across every document. The signature on the affidavit, the parental authorization, and the OCI application form should all match your passport signature. VFS warns that applications with signature discrepancies are “liable to be rejected.”5VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport
The Separate Parental Authorization Form
The affidavit is not the only notarized document a minor’s application needs. Every minor OCI application also requires a separate notarized parental authorization form, signed by both parents.5VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport Both documents need to be in the package. They are not interchangeable.
One parent alone can sign the parental authorization only in specific situations:
- Divorce with sole custody, where the other parent has no visitation rights and pays no child support. Include the court order granting custody, with a translation by an authorized translator if the order is not in English.5VFS Global. Minor New Foreign National by Birth and Never Held Indian Passport
- Deceased parent, evidenced by a copy of the death certificate.
- Single adoptive parent, evidenced by the adoption document.
Joint custody after divorce, or an arrangement where the non-custodial parent has visitation rights or pays child support, still requires both signatures. There is no procedural workaround for a case where both parents are living and share custody but one refuses to sign. That situation usually needs legal resolution before the OCI application can move forward.
What a False Statement Costs
The affidavit is sworn, so inaccurate entries have consequences beyond a returned package. The Government of India reserves the right to revoke the OCI card, impose penalties, and take any other action it considers appropriate under its rules.6VFS Global. Sworn Affidavit Because the document is also notarized under U.S. law, a knowingly false sworn statement can separately expose you to perjury penalties in the state where the notarization took place. Check every line against the actual documents before you sign in front of the notary.