OCI Card Information

OCI CARD INFORMATION

An OCI(Overseas Citizens of India) card is issued to foreign nationals under the following criteria:

  1. An applicant who was at one point of time, a Citizen of India on or after 26 Jan 1950(the day India became a Republic); OR
  2. An applicant who belonged to an area that became part of India after 15th Aug 1947; OR
  3. An applicant who is a child or a Grandchild of a Citizen of India; OR
  4. An applicant who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above; OR
  5. An applicant who is a minor child; and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; OR
  6. An applicant who is a spouse of foreign origin, of a citizen of India, or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder registered under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and,  whose  marriage  has been registered  and subsisted  for a continuous  period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the OCI application.

Note : No person, who or either of whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

OCI Cardholders are entitled to the following benefits:

  1. Multiple entry, lifelong visa to visit India(Not allowed to engage in any research related activities)
  2. Exemption from registration with FRRO(Foreigners Regional Registration Office) for any length of stay in India.
  3. Not allowed to engage in matters related to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

YOU CANNOT APPLY FOR AN OCI CARD if you have still not surrendered your Indian Citizenship, also called RENUNCIATION of Indian Citizenship. It’s a MUST that you first apply for RENUNCIATION; and only after RENUNCIATION CERTIFICATE is received; we can then apply for your OCI Card. Please see instruction on Renunciation under the following page www.traversalvisa.com/indian-origin-applicants.