An optical coupling apparatus for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic chip is described. The apparatus includes a collimating microlens for collimating light from the optical fiber; a polarization splitting beam displacer for separating the light collimated by the collimating microlens into orthogonally polarized X and Y component beams; at least one focusing microlens for directing the X and Y component beams separately onto the photonic chip; and first and second surface grating couplers (SGCs) orthogonally disposed on the photonic chip and configured for operation in a same polarization state, for coupling the X and Y component beams, respectively, to the photonic chip.