OCI is no longer a citizen of India but has Indian origin and is eligible to apply for an OCI card. He/she is also not an NRI. An OCI card is nothing more than a permanent visa for work, study, travel, and stay in India for an unlimited time without taking permission from anyone.
OCI was introduced as a way for overseas citizens of India to live their lives after retirement in their home country without any fear. Although it does not allow ownership of agricultural land, as it allows exemption from tax, it is a good gesture for us.
An OCI card allows the cardholder to live freely in India without FRRO and police registration. Also, the card validity is for a lifetime and without any stay duration limitation in the country. Additionally, with this by your side, you can work or study in the country without any permission.
OCI is like a visa to travel to India by individuals holding the passport of other nations but who belong to Indian origin or were born to Indian parents living in foreign countries. In simple words, it is a status provided to overseas citizens of India to maintain their ties with their home country.
OCI is meant for individuals of Indian origin who acquired citizenship of another country but still want to connect with their home country. They are provided the card to apply for an Indian visa, and they have almost the same rights as an Indian citizen, except for holding statutory positions in the Indian government, voting rights, and contesting for Indian elections.
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Yes, you will need to update your new Indian passport details in your OCI card if you are under the age of 20 and have issued a new passport. If...
Yes, you can travel to India with an OCI card if you have a valid passport. Foreign citizens holding an OCI card must possess a valid passport with at least...
To apply for an OCI card, according to Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Here are some of the eligibility criteria given below. If a person is an Indian...
Yes, as an OCI cardholder, you can buy commercial and residential properties in India. These are the official guidelines, which are issued by the Reserve Bank of India. However, if...
I have submitted some of the essential documents for my OCI card application, which include a fully printed OCI application form, two passport-sized photographs, a copy of my foreign passport,...
I have recently obtained an OCI card, which I applied for through the online OCI services from the official website by filling out an online application and entering all the...
Yes, I have applied for an Indian Citizenship as an OCI cardholder. According to the indian citizenship under section 5(1) (g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, I am allowed to...
Here is the simple application process to convert a PIO to an OCI card. First, you need to visit the OCI services website, then choose the registration option of an...
To check your OCI application status, first, you need to go to the official OCI Services website, select the option for OCI inquiry, and then select OCI card application status....
The some of the recent changes for the OCI cardholders in 2025 which is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has tightened OCI card cancellation rules, which include that if...
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In India, OCI is clearly not an Indian citizen but has residency rights in the country because of their Indian origin. Outside the country, if he/she can be denoted as an Indian citizen, as in Singapore, they are Indian Singaporeans. However, as a nation, this has nothing to do with India.