The ministry of home affairs on Thursday announced the decision to simplify the process for re-issue of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards. The Central government has so far issued at least 37.72 lakh OCI cards to foreigners of Indian origin, foreign spouses of Indian nationals, or foreign spouses of OCI cardholders. OCI card is popular among them as it helps in hassle-free entry and unlimited stay in India with a number of other major benefits attached to it that are not available to other foreigners.
Currently, OCI cardholders are required to get it re-issued every time a new passport is issued for individuals up to the completion of 20 years of age and once on completing 50 years of age. Reissuance of OCI card is not required between 21-50 years of age. The requirement was in view of biological changes in the face of the applicant.
What are the changes?
In order to ease the process, the government has decided to dispense with these requirements. OCI cardholders will now have to get the card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after reaching 20 years of age. “If a person has obtained registration as OCI cardholder after attaining the age of 20 years, there will be no requirement of re-issue of OCI card,” the ministry said in a statement.
The OCI cardholders have to upload a copy of the new passport containing their photograph and the latest photo on the online OCI portal each time a new passport is issued prior to attaining the age of 20 years and once after completing 50 years of age. They may upload the documents within three months of receipt of the new passport.
However, those registered as OCI cardholder as foreign spouses of Indian nationals, or foreign spouses of OCI cardholders have to upload a copy of the new passport, the latest photograph along with a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting each time a new passport is issued. The details will be updated on the system and an auto acknowledgement through e-mail will be sent to the OCI cardholder informing that the updated details have been taken on record.
“There will be no restriction on the OCI cardholder to travel to/ from India during the period from the date of issue of new passport till the date of final acknowledgement of his/ her documents in the web-based system,” the ministry added.
