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India

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)

The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) is an immigration status authorising a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in the Republic of India indefinitely. The OCI was introduced in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora, particularly in developed countries. It was introduced by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 in August 2005. Indian government has empowered foreigners, Person of Indian Origin and non-residents’ diaspora with hurdle-free traveling through OCI card.

A passport holder Of Indian origin should have an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card to be able to travel to India. This acts a lifelong visa to enter India, among other benefits. Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is given to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) who immigrated from India and subsequently acquired citizenship of a foreign country. This is applicable only to people whose home country allows dual citizenship in some form or the other under local laws.

Who is Eligible for OCI Card?

The following person(s) are eligible for OCI. The applicant should have renounced his Indian citizenship and be a foreign national who:

Was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January 1950 provided his/her country of citizenship allowed dual citizenship in some form or other under the local laws.
was a citizen of India on or at any time after 26th January 1950.
belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th Aug 1947 such as Sikkim, Pondicherry, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Goa, Daman, and Diu.
is a child, grandchild, or great grandchild of a person who meets any of the above listed criteria.
is a child of a Pakistani or Bangledeshi citizen, married to a person eligible for OCI registration.
is the spouse of foreign origin of an Indian citizen or OCI card holder whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of at least 2 years immediately preceding the date of application for OCI card.

Benfits of OCI Card

There are many benefits associated with holding Overseas Citizenship of India:

Multiple entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa to visit India
Exemption from reporting to Police authorities for any length of stay in India
Parity with NRIs in financial, economic and educational fields except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties
Registered Overseas Citizen of India shall be treated at par with Non Resident-Indian in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children.
Registered Overseas Citizens of India shall be treated at par with resident Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in air fares in domestic sectors in India.
Registered Overseas Citizens of India shall be charged the same entry fee as domestic Indian visitors to visit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India
Parity with Non-Resident Indian in respect of entry fees to be charged for visiting the national monuments, historical sites and museums in India
OCI holders do not require employment visa to work in India and may work in a private sector. Employment opportunities except areas that require protected area permits and restricted area permits.
Parity with NRIs pursuing professions in India such as: doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, advocates, architects, and chartered accountants.

Limitations of OCI Card

Having an OCI card implies that Indian Citizenship has been renounced and therefore, does not equate to having a dual citizenship with India. OCI card holders cannot do the following:

The OCI Card does not entitle to vote
Become a member of a Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council or the Parliament.
Hold constitutional posts such as President, Vice President, Judge of Supreme Court, or High Court.
Hold employment in the Government.
Hold an Indian passport.
Purchase agricultural or plantation properties in India.

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Documents Required

Indian Visa documentation is a significant part of the application process. Below are some examples of the documents that may be required to apply for a visa. Documents below do not represent a complete list of all documents required and are subject to change. Nonetheless, they are a provisional set of documents which are predicted to be required when applying for Indian Tourist Visa.

Valid Passport
Citizenship Certificate
Marriage Certificate

Police Verification Record
Medical Certificate
Copy of Indian passport of the parents