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OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA (OCI) CARD

ELIGIBILITY
         
OCI Card is a multiple entry life-long visa which enables the holder to have unlimited travel and stay in India.  The following categories of persons (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) are eligible to apply under OCI scheme:

 (a) Person who is a citizen of another country, but was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, the commencement of the constitution;
or
who is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the constitution; 
or
who is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after the 15th day of August, 1947;
or
 who is a child or a grand-child or a great grandchild of such a citizen; or

(b) A person, who is minor child of a person mentioned in clause (a); or

(c) A minor child of foreign nationality whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or (d) 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, 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 application under this section:  Provided that no person, who 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 the registration as Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

APPLICATION

Applicant needs to first fill up Application Form Online on website https://ociservices.gov.in/.  Once the application is registered, applicant has to upload photograph, signature or thumb impression (in case of minor) and copies of relevant documents such as Passport, proof of Indian origin and Marriage Certificate etc. In case the documents are in foreign language – other than English – these need to be translated into English and duly attested by the competent authorities of the country before uploading them on the OCI website.

Please note that photo requirements are strictly met by the applicants. We require two passport-size (5cmx5cm) photographs that meet basic specifications such as the face of the applicant should cover about 60-70 percent of the photo area; both ears, neck, and shoulders should be clearly visible; the head must be centred within the frame and the photo should present full face, front view and eyes open; the background should be plain white coloured without borders with contract coloured clothes (not white clothes) and photos with dark, busy, or patterned backgrounds or shadows on the face or on the background will not be accepted.

Please see the detailed instructions given at https://ociservices.gov.in for filling up OCI form and the list of supporting documents required.

SUBMISSION OF PHYSICAL APPLICATION AT THE CONSULATE

After completing of the online process, applicant has to take the print out of the online registered application and submit it with all prescribed documents (originals and photocopies) to the Consulate.

Applications are accepted on all working days from 1000 to 1230hrs with prior appointment. The online appointment can be booked at : https://www.cgihcmc.gov.in/page/appointment/ . The usual time taken for issue of OCI Card is 6-8 weeks.

CAPTURING OF BIOMETRICS OF THE APPLICANT

Capturing of biometrics of fingerprints & face (if technically feasible) in case of applicants for registration as OCI cardholders is mandatory. In case of applications for registration as OCI cardholders submitted to Indian Missions/Posts abroad, the applicants will have the option of giving biometrics at the application stage or at the Immigration Check Posts on arrival in India.

Applicants are advised to give biometrics at the Indian Mission/Post concerned at the application stage itself i.e. at the document verification stage. If for any reason the applicant is not able to give the biometrics at the application stage (which shall be informed to the Indian Mission/Post concerned in writing), his/her biometrics shall be captured at the Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) on arrival in India.

Biometrics captured would be valid for next 5 years from the date of enrolment and applicants would not be required to be enrolled again within 5 years, if they have already enrolled their biometrics. Applicants with no fingerprints or poor fingerprints will be exempted and only facial traits would be captured for them. Further, applicants with less number of fingers shall give fingerprints of existing fingers only. Applicants above 70 years of age or below 12 years of age would be exempted from biometric capturing.

 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
         
Please see detailed instructions given at https://ociservices.gov.in for detailed instructions on documents required. A brief of the mandatory documents required is given below for reference:

  1. Original and copy of Indian passport that was cancelled and returned to the applicant at the time of renunciation of Indian citizenship along with surrender certificate. Applicants who previously held an Indian Passport but are unable to produce the same for surrender for any reason (loss/misplacement/submitted to this Consulate long time back) are required to furnish a notarised affidavit in original (if Passport is already expired) and also a Police Report in cases where Indian Passport was still valid.

  2. Proof of present citizenship – Valid passport of current nationality

  3. P I O card, if applied on the basis of PIO card

  4. Marriage Certificate duly attested by the competent authorities of the country for claiming OCI to foreign spouse of Indian national or spouse of OCI card holder. Application for OCI in such case is accepted only after completion of two years of marriage.

  5. Evidence of self or parents or grandparents to establish the fact of:
    i. being eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of commencement of the Constitution; or
    ii. belonging to a territory that became a part of India after 15 August,1947; or
    iii. being a citizen of India on or after 26 January,1950

          These documents could be:

    i. Copy of the passport: or
    ii.Copy of the domicile certificate issued by the competent authority; or
    iii. Any other proof substantiating the request. Usually applicants are able to submit a certificate of residence or place of birth of self/parents/grandparents from First Class Magistrate/District Magistrate (DM) of the concerned place.
    iv. Evidence of relationship with parents/grandparents if their Indian origin is claimed as basis for grant of OCI such as birth certificate or educational certificate etc.

Applicant must bring all original documents for verification at the time of application. Please take into consideration that all original documents originating from India have to be attested by the Home Department of the concerned state followed by attestation by Ministry of External Affairs.

FEE

Fee for OCI application is 6,417,000 VND. The fee of OCI Miscellaneous Services is 646,500 VND. The fee is received only in cash in Vietnamese Dong (VND) at the counter. Payment by any other means will not be accepted.

OCI IN LIEU OF PIO CARD

The Government of India has withdrawn the PIO Card scheme and replaced it with OCI scheme. As part of the exercise of bringing about uniformity in the scheme, all PIO card holders are required to get their PIO cards converted into OCI cards at the earliest as per instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The charges for conversion of PIO to OCI is 2,377,500 VND.

Bureau of Immigration (BoI) will accept PIO cards as valid travel document till 31st December 2021 along with valid foreign passport and the Indian Immigration Check Post(s) will continue to consider all PIO cards valid for exit/entry into India till 31st December 2021. This extension of timeline is subject to the condition that if in the meantime any deadline is notified by the ICAO thereby making hand written PIO cards invalid, then PIO cardholders may have to obtain appropriate visa from Indian Missions/Posts abroad.

In view of the above, all PIO cardholders with valid PIO cards as on 09.01.2015 are advised to apply for conversion of PIO card to OCI card.

REVISED GUIDELINES ON RE-ISSUANCE OF OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA (OCI) CARDS DUE TO ISSUANCE OF NEW FOREIGN PASSPORTS TO OCI CARDHOLDERS

  1. The existing requirement to re-issue an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age is dispensed with.

  2. OCI cardholder is required to get the OCI card re-issued once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. For this purpose, the OCI cardholder shall submit an online application under OCI Miscellaneous Services with a fee of VND 646,500 (to be submitted in cash at the Consualte). After submission of application online, the applicant is required to visit the Consulate and submit the physical application form along with original and copy of supporting documents. The original documents shall be returned to the applicant after verification. The web-link for online application is : https://ociservices.gov.in

  3. An OCI cardholder may upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo on the online system under OCI Miscellaneous Services each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within three months of receipt of the new passport. This service will be provided on gratis basis.

  4. In the case of those who have been registered as OCI cardholder as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder under section 7A(1)(d) of The Citizenship Act, 1955, the OCI cardholder shall upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo on the online system under OCI Miscellaneous Services each time a new passport is issued. In such cases, the OCI cardholder and his/her Indian spouse or OCI cardholder spouse will have to give a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting. Copy of the Indian passport of the Indian spouse/passport and OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse shall also be uploaded in such cases. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder foreigner spouse within three months of receipt of his/her new passport. This service will be provided on gratis basis.

  5. Immediately on uploading of the documents mentioned in (iii) and (iv) above, the OCI cardholder will receive an auto generated email confirming that the documents have been successfully uploaded. After successful scrutiny of the documents and the credentials of the OCI cardholder, he/she will receive an acknowledgment e-mail from the concerned authorities informing that the updated details have been taken on record.

  6. 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 acknowledgment of his/her documents in the online system.

  7. Timeline for re-issuance of OCI card in respect of OCI cardholders who may be required to get their OCI card re-issued has been extended till 31 December 2021.

ADVISORY FOR OCI CARDHOLDERS TRAVELLING TO/FROM INDIA

It is mandatory to carry both old and new passports in case the OCI cardholder is travelling to/from India on the strength of OCI card bearing old passport number in it.

RENUNCIATION OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP / SURRENDER OF INDIAN PASSPORT.

The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, does not allow dual citizenship. Holding / acquiring Indian Passport / travelling on Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Citizenship Act 1955 and Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties. Persons of Indian Origin who have acquired foreign Nationality are therefore required to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian Mission/Post immediately after acquisition of foreign citizenship.

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