A foreign national, who was eligible to become citizen of India on 26.01.1950 or was a citizen of India on or at anytime after 26.01.1950 or belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947 and his/her children and grand children, is eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). Minor children of such person are also eligible for OCI. However, if the applicant had ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, he/she will not be eligible for OCI.

Benefits:
        The persons getting registered as the Overseas Citizens of India will enjoy a number of benefits. They will be entitled to a new type of Visa called U Visa, which will be a multipurpose, multiple entry life long visa. This means that an OCI cardholder will be entitled to visit India at any time, for any length of time and for any purpose. The OCI cardholders have been exempted from police reporting for any length of stay in the country. Such persons have also been granted all rights in the economic, financial and education fields in parity with NRIs except, however, the right to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

Processing of Applications:
         The applicant has to submit the Part ‘A’ of the application form online at http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553 Once the Part ‘A’ is submitted online, Part ‘A’ as well as Part ‘B’ are to be submitted with 4 latest photographs (Size 35mm x 35mm, light colour background but not white) personally to the Indian High Commission. The documents required are, proof of eligibility like previous Indian passport and Birth Certificate, valid foreign and presently held passport and local residence proof. If the applicant is applying on the basis of parent’s Indian citizenship then proof of relationship should be submitted. In case the applicant does not have old Indian Passport, he/she may provide other document copy issued from India like birth certificate, nativity certificate etc., which will be sent to India for confirmation before accepting the application form. All the above documents are to be produced in original for verification and photocopies of the same are to be attached in duplicate with the application. (For fee Click here)

i)  In case of issuance of new passport. ii)  In case of change of personal particulars viz. nationality etc.,
iii)  In case of loss/damage of OCI registration certificate/ Visa.
iv)  In case of filing of wrong personal particulars while submitting online applications viz. name, father’s name, date of birth.etc
v)  In case of manually filled in applications (discontinued now) mistakes have been committed by the Indian Mission/Post/Office while entering the personal particulars.
vi)  In case of change of address/occupation.

Please visit http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553for further information, guidelines and instructions on applying online for these services.

Upon submission of Registration form, hard copy of application with Reference number is to be printed. Applicant has to sign the application, paste photograph and append his signature in the box provided and submit one copy of application form along with relevant enclosures and fee.

For any further query on OCI please visit http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553