Do I need an Indian visa if I have an OCI card?

The terminology is what confused me initially too.

An OCI cardholder is not an Indian citizen. The official OCI FAQ specifically describes an OCI cardholder as a foreign national holding a foreign passport.

However, OCI registration provides the holder with the relevant immigration/entry facility for India. So you shouldn't think of the OCI card as an Indian passport or as citizenship.

For an ordinary visit, the practical combination is:

Foreign passport + valid OCI card

rather than:

Foreign passport + Indian tourist visa + OCI card.

There are exceptions and special-permission situations under the OCI rules, so the purpose of travel matters.

One other current requirement that people sometimes miss is the e-Arrival Card. The official OCI FAQ currently says OCI cardholders, like other foreign nationals, are required to complete the e-Arrival Card.

So I'd check that requirement before flying rather than assuming the OCI card eliminates every immigration form.

I'm an Australian citizen and have had OCI status for several years.

For ordinary visits to India, I use my Australian passport and OCI card rather than applying for an Indian tourist visa each time.

The OCI scheme provides registered cardholders with a multiple-entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa for visiting India, subject to the applicable OCI rules. The important thing is that the OCI cardholder is still a foreign national, so you need to travel on your valid foreign passport.

There are also certain activities for which an OCI holder needs special permission, so I wouldn't assume that every possible purpose of travel is automatically covered by the normal OCI facility.

For a holiday or family visit, though, the situation is much more straightforward.

If your passport has changed recently, I'd check the current OCI passport-update requirements before travelling. The OCI portal has separate miscellaneous services for changes to passport and other particulars.

I would also check the current government guidance immediately before your trip because immigration procedures can change.

I’ve travelled to India several times on a US passport with my OCI card, and I have never applied for an Indian tourist visa for those trips.

The basic understanding is that the OCI card provides the visa-related entry facility for eligible OCI cardholders, so you don't normally apply for a separate tourist visa just to visit India.

I always travel with my valid foreign passport and OCI card. I wouldn't travel with only the OCI card because the OCI card isn't a substitute for your foreign passport.

One thing I would check before travelling is whether your passport details are up to date in the OCI system, particularly if you recently received a new passport.

Also, don't confuse the OCI card with Indian citizenship. OCI cardholders remain foreign nationals and travel using their foreign passports.

The government currently states that a valid passport together with a regular visa/eVisa or OCI/e-OCI card is required for entry, subject to applicable exemptions.

So for a normal family visit, I wouldn't expect an OCI holder to apply separately for an Indian tourist visa.