OCI card allows foreign nationals of Indian origin to live, stay, or work in India for an indefinite time, without reporting to any local police or higher official, and grants you many benefits like multiple visa-free entries, own residential or commercial property, and almost equal rights as Indian citizens. On the other hand, a visa allows you to stay in India for a short period. It has restrictions that you can face while in India as compared to the Overseas Citizenship of India.
If you wish to stay in India for a longer duration, then OCI is generally the better option because it grants permanent residency status and has fewer restrictions. However, if you travel occasionally or for a shorter duration, then a visa might be enough.
The choice between an OCI card (Overseas Citizen of India) and a visa depends on your needs and situation. An OCI card is a form of permanent residency in India, with which the cardholder can live and work for as long as they want. On the other hand, a visa allows you to stay in India for a specific period and may require renewal or extensions.
There are significant differences between an OCI card and a visa to India. To clear your confusion, an OCI card is essentially a lifelong visa that permits multiple entry and multi-purpose access to India. On the other hand, a visa is a temporary entry permit issued for a specific purpose and duration.
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Yes, OCI cardholders living in India must have a valid foreign passport to travel to India. An OCI card is a travel document and a lifetime visa for foreign national...
Yes, a foreign national of Indian origin can apply for an OCI card and is eligible to register for an OCI even after the death of their parents. For the...
No, foreign military and police personnel are not eligible for registration for the OCI card, whether they are serving in the army or police, or they retired. Only Israeli citizens'...
Given below are some of the points that you should remember while filing an OCI card application: Make sure you have uploaded a high-quality photo and signature for your OCI...
To convert the PIO to OCI online, follow the steps below: You need to visit the official website of the OCI services. Register in the OCI services and log in...
No, a stateless/refugee person of any country cannot apply for an OCI card or register for an OCI card on the spouse's basis. If a person has an OCI card...
Yes, OCI cardholders can change their genders, but there is one condition: for the gender change, you must have a new passport that shows the gender change before applying for...
Yes, citizens of some countries can register for the OCI card beyond the 4th generation, which are given below: Suriname - up to 6th generation Guyana - up to 6th...
No, A foreign national holding a diplomatic passport will not be registered as an OCI cardholder. However, the foreign diplomats and official passport holders not appointed in India can only...
Yes, It's mandatory to submit both parent's Passport Copies while submitting the Application for Minor.
 
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Some of the major differences between the OCI card and the Indian visa are OCI card allows you to make a connection with India long life, but with an Indian visa, you cannot stay for a long period. An OCI card has an endless validity, and a stay duration without reporting to anyone, but an Indian visa is valid for a limited time, depending on the visa type. An OCI card offers many rights and privileges to foreign nationals of Indian citizens, but Indian visa holders have limited rights and privileges according to their visa duration, and OCI cardholders have the right to live, work, or stay in India, weather. Indian visa holders depend on the visa type, such as a work visa, a business visa, or a tourist visa.