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OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) Card

OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) Card

OCI - OVERVIEW

OCI Card is a multiple entry life-long multi- purpose visa which enables the
holder to travel and stay in India, as and when he/she desires to do so.

Benefits of applying for an OCI card:

Multiple entries, with multi-purpose life-long Visa to visit India.

OCI Card holder is exempted from having to report to Police authorities for
any length of stay in India.
Provides for equality with NRIs in all spheres of financial, economic and
educational fields barring the purchase of agricultural or plantation properties
Note: Vide circular No. 26011/06/2015-OCI dated 29th January, 2015 of
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, all immigration authorities in
India will not insist on production of the foreign passport containing the 'U'
Visa Sticker in the case of OCI Cardholders while they enter / exit India and
the immigration clearance will be granted based on production of the 'OCI
CARD ONLY', when produced alongwith valid passport.

OCI Travel Advisory – Re-issue of OCI Card (On getting a New Passport)

Re-issuance of OCI is mandatory every time passport is renewed up to the

age of 20 years, and again after attaining the age of 50 years in view of
frequent biological change in facial features in this age group.
For further details please visit the following link:
http://mha1.nic.in/pdfs/GuidelinesOCI.pdf

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Applicants are required to submit the originals along with a set of

photocopies of the originals. Both sets of documents need to be submitted at
the counter. Originals will be returned once the Embassy of India is satisfied
with the documents provided. All photocopies need to be self-attested.

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Mandatory documents for an OCI Application:

Printed Application form: All applicants need to fill the online application form
on the website https://passport.gov.in/oci/
Two photographs as per the photo specifications
Copy of Foreign Passport
Copy of Naturalisation Certificate, if applicable.
Applicants, who have obtained Foreign Nationality by Naturalisation, are
required to submit Naturalisation Certificate (Original) along with the copy.
All applicants are required to submit the originals along with the copy of the
Proof of Indian Origin documents as per the below list.

Documents required for Applicants born In India:

Applicants are required to submit Surrender Certificate of Indian Passport

(original).
The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, does not allow dual citizenship. Holding
Indian Passport / acquiring Indian Passport / travelling on Indian passport
after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian
Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties. Under the Indian law, Persons of
Indian Origin who have acquired foreign Nationality are required to
renunciate their Citizenship and get Indian passports cancelled at the
nearest Indian Mission/Post within 3 months after acquisition of foreign
citizenship and to obtain Renunciation Certificate. Delay in renunciation of
Indian citizenship may attract penalties.
Applicants who have obtained foreign nationality after May 2010 need to
submit original Surrender Certificate compulsorily, however, If applicants are
unable to provide surrender certificate due to loss of passport will be required
to submit the Renunciation of Indian Citizenship Certificate.
Applicants who have held an Indian passport, and obtained foreign
nationality before May 2010, but are unable to produce the same for
Surrender of Indian passport for any reason (lost/misplaced) are required to
furnish a notarized affidavit in original from local authorities stating the facts
about their Indian passports along with other necessary documents as
mentioned below
Applicants who were born in India and never held Indian passport, and
travelled on parents Indian Passports, are required to submit a affidavit
stating the fact and how they travelled abroad along with other necessary
documents as mentioned below
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Other necessary documents of Indian origin.

Domicile certificate (in original)

OR
Original Birth Certificate issued from Indian Municipality or Panchayat.
Recently issued birth Certificate (Post-dated birth certificates) from
Municipality/Panchayat etc. This should be duly certified by the District
Magistrate/District Collector of the area, with name, stamp, seal and contact
telephone numbers with area code for verification.
OR
School Leaving Certificate (in original). Post-dated School Certificate/School
Leaving Certificate from India should be authenticated by Director of
Education/District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp,
seal and contact telephone numbers with area code for verification
OR
Agriculture land documents.

Documents required for Applicants born in India/Abroad and applying on

the basis of Parents/Grand Parents/Spouse:

Applicant who are born in India/abroad and wish to apply on the basis of their
parents/grand parents’/spouse Indian origin) must furnish the below
documents
A photocopy and the original of their full version birth certificate and marriage
certificate along with the Indian origin proof of their
parents/grandparents/spouse must be furnished by the applicants to prove
their link with them. For any other foreign-born applicant Birth Certificate
must be in full version and it has to be translated in English by a reputed and
registered translation authority.
Applicants applying on the basis of parents needs to submit his/her full
version Birth certificate with both the parent’s details on it, along with parent’s
proof of Indian Origin.

Applicants applying on the basis of Grandparents are required to furnish:

Applicant’s full version Birth Certificate

Applicant’s Parent’s full version Birth Certificate

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And Grandparent’s proof of Indian Origin

Applicants applying on the bases of Spouse needs to submit their registered
marriage and Birth certificate with along with spouse’s proof of Indian Origin.
Copy of Indian Passport or copy of Indian Empire passport (stating the status
of holder “Indian by birth” or “British protected person native of Indian
state”...). Please note that the Indian empire passport stating the status
‘British Subject’ is not accepted for OCI.
OR
Indian Birth Certificate/Education Certificate (If post-dated, the signature of
the issuing authority should be verified by District Magistrate/Deputy
Collector of the same district - (in original).
OR
Domicile Certificate of the applicant or of his/her parents/grandparents issued
from concerned Competent Authority in India i.e. District
Magistrate/Collectors/Sub Divisional Magistrate may also be accepted as a
proof of Indian Origin (in original).
Applicants applying on the basis of spouse need to submit registered
marriage certificate. Marriage should have been registered and subsisted for
a continuous period of not less than 2 years immediately preceding the
presentation of the application.

Applications for minor children

In addition to the above documents - For minors both the parents needs to
self-attest all the photocopies along with parent’s passport photocopies. In
case if the parents are holding Indian passport then photocopies of the Bio
Page (photo page), last page with the address should also be provided.
Minor children holding foreign nationality and whose both parents are citizens
of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India or both or one parents are
OCI card holder, are eligible for OCI Card.
If one of the parents of the minor children is/has been a
Pakistani/Bangladeshi citizen, these children will not be eligible for OCI.

Important Information for all OCI Applicants

Signatures should be in the box provided. In case of minor applicant, his/her

thumb impression (left hand thumb) or signature (if minor can sign, signature
is mandatory) of the minor applicant should be provided in BOX.

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In case of minor children, both the parents need to be signed in part ‘B’ or
parent’s consent letter is mandatory (if divorced) or court order having
custody of children.
Applicant whose birth certificate mentions about only one parent and
nationality and other parent is not known, is not eligible for OCI Card.
Asylees or Stateless applicants are not eligible for OCI.
Foreign Defence/Military/Civil Servants/Police/ex-Defence personnel/
persons working with security agencies and their family members are not
eligible to apply for OCI. The above implies that the personnel of Home
Office as well as of MoD. In addition, foreign diplomats are also not eligible.
For applicants applying on the basis of spouse, now deceased, are required
to furnish the death certificate, marriage certificate and self-declaration to
confirm the same or if re-married again. If re-married, then provide the new
marriage certificate along with the above.
If one of the parent/grandparent is of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin,
applicant will not be eligible for OCI.

OCI APPLICATION FORM

How to fill the application form?

Applicants are required to fill the online application form on the website
https://passport.gov.in/oci/ and submit the printed application form with
Supporting Documents.
Applicants are required to Submit TWO sets of Application Form.
The applicants need to fill Part-A and Part-B of the application online. Once
you fill up the application, the registration number will be generated by the
system and a print out of the application should be taken by the applicants
for submission to Embassy of India, Kinshasa. For each family application
Part-B is common to all applicants of the family of up to a maximum of four.
Separate applications are required for any other additional members.

OCI MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES

Transfer of OCI from expired Passport to new Passport or change in

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Nationality

Applicants are required to fill miscellaneous application form online for

transfer of OCI ‘U’ Visa from old passport to new passport and have to
submit the printed application along with copy of old and new passport and
copy of OCI booklet.
New Passport Number is to be given in the application form for transfer of
OCI Visa to new Passport.
Applicants who wish to change their OCI booklet on change of nationality
should get the previous OCI ‘U’ visa and OCI booklet cancelled at the time
of submission of their new application for Miscellaneous OCI Services
Applicants should enclose two colour photographs of 2X2 inch size along
with the application.
Signature/thumb impression should be confined in the prescribed box. In
case of minor applicants, parents should NOT sign the box.

Transfer of OCI Visa and issuance of OCI booklet in case of lost or damage
of passport/OCI booklet

Applicants are required to fill miscellaneous application form online for lost or
damage passport or OCI booklet and have to submit the printed application
along with copy of old and new passport and copy of OCI booklet.
New Passport Number is to be given in the application form (if applicable).
Copy of police report/crime reference number is required along with the
application.
Applicants should enclose two colour photographs (2 by 2 inch size) along
with the application.
Please visit https://passport.gov.in/oci/ for the application form for
Miscellaneous Services.

Issue of new OCI ‘U’ Visa and OCI booklet due to change of personal
particulars (change of name, address, wrong date of birth in OCI booklet
etc.)

Applicants are required to fill miscellaneous application form online for new
OCI booklet due to change in personal particular and have to submit the
printed application form along with copy of OCI booklet and copy of old and
new passport (if applicable).

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New Passport Number is to be given in the application form in case of new

passport.
Applicants should enclose two colour photographs (2 X 2 inch size) along
with the application.
Signature/thumb impression should be confined in the prescribed box. In
case of minor applicants, parents should NOT sign the box.
Name change deed from solicitor/oath commissioner/notary should be
submitted in case of name change. Marriage certificate is required to be
submitted for name change after marriage.

PIO TO OCI

All applicants need to fill the online application form on the website and also
upload copy of Foreign Passport and PIO Card. The following documents
are required to be produced at the time of submission of application at the
Embassy’s counter:
2 photographs as per the photo specifications
Foreign Passport
Photocopy of the foreign passport
PIO card(in original)
Copy of PIO card.
The Government of India has announced vide Gazette Notification
No.26011/01/2014IC.I dated 09 January 2015 that all PIO cards issued till 09
January 2015 are deemed to be OCI card. As such the PIO Card scheme
has been withdrawn, henceforth, applicants may apply for OCI card ONLY,
as PIO card scheme is no longer in existence. The date for application for
conversion of valid PIO card to OCI card has been extended till 31st
December 2017. The valid PIO card holders are advised to submit the
applications by 31st December 2017. One can apply for OCI card in lieu of
valid PIO card free of any charges till 31.12.2017.

PHOTO SPECIFICATION

Photographs should be in colour and strictly as per the specifications below.

Two photographs of 2 inch x 2 inch size .
Face should cover about 70 to 80% of the photo area.
Frame Subject with Full Face, Front view, Eyes open
Latest photo to reflect your current appearance.

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The photographs must be clear, well defined and taken against a light
background.
Appropriate brightness and contrast showing your skin tones naturally
Face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression, neither
frowning nor smiling and with your mouth closed.
If you must wear a head covering for religious reasons, make sure your full
facial features are not obscured.
Non-tinted prescription glasses are allowed as long as your eyes are clearly
visible. Make sure that the frame does not cover any part of your eyes.
Sunglasses are not acceptable.
Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not
acceptable in your photo.
Photograph for Child/babies - The photograph should show the baby or child
awake, looking straight at the camera with mouth closed and nothing
covering the mouth. It should also show both edges of the face clearly (no
toys, blankets, chair backs or other people visible) and no hair across the
eyes.

Embassy of India Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon Central African Republic

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