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OCI stands for Overseas Citizens of India, which is given to people of Indian origin and their family members who fulfil the eligibility requirements. It provides the cardholder with several rights similar to an NRI and offers a lifelong visa to travel to India.
The term OCI is the short form for Overseas Citizens of India, which people end up mistaking as dual citizenship, but understand that India does not allow dual citizenship. An OCI card is just like a visa, which is valid for a lifetime, but it is not a visa.
While an OCI is called a lifelong visa, it is not exactly a visa. Although both of these permit you entry into India, the OCI card provides you with more benefits and has a more extended validity period as compared to the standard Indian visa.
I was born abroad, and my mother is of Indian origin. I haven't applied for an OCI card yet, and I was planning to do the same soon, but as far as I know, it is very beneficial. It allows you to travel to India anytime and stay there for as long as you want. It is a great way to stay connected with your roots, and you get to enjoy the same privileges as an NRI.
Can someone tell me if I should apply for an OCI card or not? Is there any extra benefit, or is it just a regular card? Also, if yes, then please guide me on how I can apply for an OCI card.
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To anyone thinking why an OCI card was introduced, here is your answer. The complete form of OCI is Overseas Citizenship of India. This Scheme was introduced by amending the Citizenship Act of 1955 in August 2005. It was launched by the government of India to fulfil the demands of Indians who were staying Overseas and wanted dual citizenship.