Overseas Citizen of India

The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and Citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously. Based on the recommendation of the High-Level committee on Indian Diaspora, the Government of India decided to register Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of certain category as has been specified in the Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Cardholder.

Registered OCI Cardholders shall be entitled to the following benefits:

• Multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose.
• Exemption from registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) for any length of stay in India.
• Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial, and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.
• Registered Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder shall be treated at par with Non-Resident-Indians in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children.
• Registered Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder shall be treated at par with resident Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in air fares in domestic sectors in India.
• Registered Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder shall be charged the same entry fee as domestic Indian visitors to visit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India.

Introduction of e-OCI Card 

a)    Electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card has been launched on 30.06.2026 for the new applicants and existing OCI card holders (physical booklets).

b)    The holder of e-OCI card will need not carry the physical copy of the OCI card at the time of Immigration Clearance and for availing other services.

c) The e-OCI card can be downloaded by login into OCI portal (https://ociservices.gov.in) and through the official ‘Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile app.

d)    The physical booklets shall continue to remain valid and shall be accepted for immigration and other associated services.

Before filling the application, Instructions may be perused so that there is no mistake in submission of application. For detailed guidelines on OCI services, please visit https://ociservices.gov.in/.

General Guidelines for e-OCI Card registration:

Under the e-OCI card registration system, a unique OCI registration number will be allotted to the OCI cardholder with lifetime validity, irrespective of subsequent changes in the passport particulars. However, in the case of registration of a spouse of foreign origin of an Indian citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder under section 7A(1)(d) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, the validity of the e-OCI card registration shall be initially for a period of five years and extension of the validity beyond five years shall be subject to the renewal of the registration beyond five years.

         Further, the requirement of re-issuance of the OCI booklet upon issuance of a new passport after attaining the age of 20 years has been dispensed with under the e-OCI card registration system. However, all OCI cardholders irrespective of age shall be required to update the passport particulars on the online system under OCI Miscellaneous Services whenever a new passport is issued and upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder along with alatest photograph on the online system. An OCI cardholder obtaining a new passport after attaining the age of 20 years shall be required to give his/ her biometric information to the Indian Mission/ Post or FRRO concerned at the time of updation of details on the online system or at the Immigration Post at the time of first entry or departure, as the case may be, after such updation of the details.

        Upon updation of the new passport details on the OCI Services Portal, the revised passport particulars shall automatically stand reflected on the e-OCI record, thereby eliminating the requirement for the OCI Cardholder to carry the old passport for verification purposes. Similarly, all other relevant particulars of the OCI Cardholder shall remain digitally updated in the e-OCI system on a real-time basis, unlike the existing physical booklet system where details remain staticunless a fresh booklet is issued.

Procedure to be followed by the applicants and e-OCI registration:

New OCI Card Application

1.  The applicant shall access the OCI Services Portal (www.ociservices.gov.in) and log in using valid credentials or complete “New User” registration to establish a secure session. 
2. Upon successful login, the applicant shall select the option “Apply for New OCI Application”, which shall open the prescribed online application form.
3. The applicant shall complete all mandatory fields in the application form, upload the prescribed documents and review the entered information before final submission.
4. Upon submission, an email would be sent to the applicant allotting date and time for bringing the originals of the supporting documents for prior verification.
5. After verification of the documents and confirming that the application along with all the documents submitted are in order, the system performs basic validation checks and the application is acknowledged on the system. The system displays a confirmation message indicating that the OCI application has been submitted online successfully and an auto email will be sent to the applicant informing about the acknowledgment of his/her application.
6. Upon grant of OCI card, the system shall generate the electronic OCI Card Registration (e-OCI card registration.
7. An automated notification shall be sent to the applicant via registered email and/ or SMS, informing that the e-OCI card registration has been generated and is available for download and shall be downloaded through the OCI Services Portal.

Existing OCI Cardholders

1. Existing OCI Cardholders shall be informed through automated communication regarding the availability of the e-OCI card registration facility.
2. The cardholder shall log in to the OCI Services Portal using existing credentials.
3. On demand, the system shall enable download of the e-OCI card registration through the portal interface.
4. The e-OCI card registration shall bear the same unique OU number as in the physical booklet earlier issued.
5. The applicant shall download the e-OCI card registration, thereby completing the service delivery process.

 Renunciation of e-OCI card registration

1. Renunciation of e-OCI card registration under relevant provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 shall be carried out through the online OCI system.
2. The Declaration of renunciation of e-OCI card registration shall be made electronically on the online OCI Portal. On receipt of the declaration of renunciation of the card registering as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder, the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned shall issue an acknowledgment electronically on the online OCI portal.
3. Upon receiving a request for renunciation of the e-OCI card registration, the e-OCI card registration shall be rendered invalid in the central database.
4. A certificate for renunciation shall be sent to the concerned individual.

Miscellaneous Services

1. The applicant shall access the OCI Services Portal and log in using valid credentials.
2. Upon login, the applicant shall select “Apply for Miscellaneous Services”, which shall open the relevant application module.
3. Applicant shall submit application for the following services:
4. Updation of Profile:
5. Change of personal particulars viz. nationality etc.
6. Filling of wrong personal particulars while submitting online application viz. name, father's name, date of birth, change of gender, etc.
7. Change of address/ occupation of the OCI cardholder.
8. Updation of Passport details.

The e-OCI card registration shall be treated as a valid proof of OCI status equivalent to the physical OCI booklet. 

Checklist for Registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder

• All the relevant/uploaded copies are to be attached along with application.
• Photograph (3nos) to be affixed on the application should be of square shape of size not less than 51x51mm (with 80% coverage of face) with light background (not white) with front of persons head and shoulders showing full face in middle of the photograph.
• The applicant should be ordinarily resident for more than 6 months.
• Other Nationals (for category II given below) has to produce a copy of date and method of acquisition of present Nationality.
• If the parents are divorced, court order of dissolution of marriage, which specifically mentions that the legal custody of the child is with the parent, who is applying for OCI Card. If the court order is in any foreign language, translation in English or Hindi by an authorized translator is to be enclosed.
• In case of Canadian National :

Landing paper / Work permit of applicant/ sponsor

In case of Family class. 

Letter from Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board and notarized affidavit pleading that neither the applicant nor the sponsor has sought Refugee status in Canada.

Last Canadian Address and Visa Copy.

• Interview is mandatory for Spouse based application.

For Omani / Other Nationals of Indian Origin.

On basis of Indian Parents / grandparents / great grandparents.

On the basis of Spouse of foreign origin of citizen of India or Spouse of foreign origin of OCI cardholder)

In addition to Government of India fee, applicants are required to pay OSP service fee of OMR 6.00 and ICWF Charges, OMR 1.200.

Following services will be provided to the applicants at ICAC without any additional charges:

Form filling

Photocopying of documents

Photographs

Courier Service

Submission/Enquiry Time: Between 0800 hrs to 1530 hrs at the ICAC, SGIVS Global.

*********