Documents to take care after a new born baby - Person of Indian Origin


The information provided on this blog post may not be accurate or is out of date. Please refer to the official website for up to date and accurate information.
  1. Follow doctors advice and take care of your baby
  2. Before leaving the hospital, fill the application for Birth Certificate and SSN and submit to representative (VitalStatistics in Kaiser) at the hospital. How long does it take to get SSN card that I applied in hospital?
  3. Identify and chose your pediatrician
  4. Add the new born child to your insurance (usually through your employer)
  5. Request Cop(y/ies) of Birth Certificate online (may be few days later) / in person (4 weeks later)
  6. Prepare documents needed for US passport (Birth Certificate, SSN, Photos, Parents ID). In most cases, Birth Certificate can be used as proof of nationality and parent relationship to the child)
  7. US Passport application
    • Fill the US Passport application
    • US Passport can be applied at USPS locations (regular or expedite processing) or at Passport agencies (for emergencies or faster than expedite processing)
    • Photos may be taken at some USPS locations, but it might be easier to take the photos in advance by yourself or at a studio
    • Passport Application helpline: 1-877-487-2778
    • Some USPS locations accept Passport applications by appointment only. It might be better to go to locations that takes appointments as you don't have to wait in lines for hours. But on the downside, appointments may not be available immediately. So you might have to take an appointment even before the baby is born, if you have urgent travel needs. Check the appointment availability with your USPS location (if they take appointments). In places which do not take appointments, you will be able to apply on a specific day, if you are among the first few people in the line. I have heard, some places require you to stand in line for few hours before the location opens.
  8. If traveling to a country, you will need to apply visa. Some countries allow on arrival visa. Check with corresponding country visa consulate website for more details. If you are Indian origin, you have 2 options. Visa or OCI. For a new born, both Visa and OCI are valid only for 5 years. With a Visa, the baby can stay for up to 180 days. Visa is preferred, unless the baby will stay longer than 6 months in India. Another reason for OCI would be if you want to invest in the name of the baby. Getting a Visa is much easier and faster than OCI, so Visa is preferred until the age of 15. In order to get a Visa, you will need to submit the US passport and should get back the passport with the Visa stamp in 2-3 weeks. For OCI for new born, you do not need to submit the US Passport. But it will take 8-10 weeks for you to get the OCI card. You may apply for OCI card and travel outside US on a Visa while the OCI application is pending.
  9. OCI vs Visa (India Visa for minor):
OCI
Advantages
- Can stay longer than 180 days during a visit
- Can own property in minor's name
- Only initial cost is higher than that of Visa. Renewal charges are much less than that of Visa.
Disadvantages:
- Takes longer to get OCI

Visa
Advantages
- Quicker to get compared to OCI
- If you get lucky, your visa could be approved for 10 years, which means you need not renew after 5 years.
Disadvantages
- Can stay up to 180 days during any visit
- Cannot own property in minor's name
- Pay the similar amount every time you apply. Total cost over the longer term is higher than that of OCI.
The above details is may not be accurate. Please refer to official site for up-to-date and accurate information.

Useful Links:
US Passport FAQ
How to Apply US Passport?
SSN for children
SSN processing times

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