Want to apply for an OCI card? Indian govt launches new OCI Portal- All you need to know
- trushali Kotecha
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by Ira Alok Puranik ET Online|
May 20, 2025, 01:37:25 PM IST
Applying for OCI card made easier
On May 19, 2025, the government of India launched a revamped portal with an updated user interface to simplify the registration process for Overseas Citizens. At present, there are over 5 million OCI cardholders, with the portal now catering to over 180 Indian missions abroad as well as 12 Foreigners Regional Registration Offices. Read on to know all about this new portal.
Who is an OCI?
An OCI is an individual who has Indian heritage, origin, or roots or has been an Indian citizen before going on to become a foreign national, who now holds a foreign passport. Such individuals are registered under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
What is the difference between an NRI and OCI?
Any Indian citizen who has been living abroad for purposes of employment, business, education or other in an NRI. Unlike OCIs, NRIs hold Indian passports, are Indian nationals and have voting rights as well. However, OCIs can stay in India for an indefinite period without needing visa.
What are the features of the new OCI portal?
According to a PIB release, the new portal offers new features like user sign-up and segregation of the registration menu, along with auto-fill of user profile details in registration forms. There will be a dashboard displaying completed and partially filled applications. Along with this, there will be an integrated online payment gateway for those who filed in FRROs, FAQs and seamless navigation across application steps,There will be categorisation of requisite documents to upload based on application type, along with an editing option for the applicant at any stage before submission. Users will also get a reminder to the applicant to verify information before final submission, and will find a display of eligibility criteria and requisite documents based on the selected application type.Importantly, there will be an in-built image cropping tool for uploading applicant photos and signatures.
Who can apply for an OCI card?
According to the OCI portal:Any person of full age and capacity: -(i) who is a citizen of another country, but was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitution, i.e. 26.01.1950; or(ii) who is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the Constitution, i.e. on 26.01.1950; or(iii) who is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947; or(iv) who is a child or a grandchild, or a great-grandchild of such a citizen; can register for an OCI card.
What documents are needed to apply for an OCI card?
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of documents that need to be submitted for the OCI card:
Proof of present citizenship, like a copy of a present valid passport, certificate of registration of citizenship/naturalisation, cancelled/surrendered Indian passport with Surrender Certificate
Evidence of address of the place of application, like a copy of the Electricity Bill/Telephone Bill in own/ parents/ grandparents/ spouse.
Evidence of self or parents or grandparents or great grandparents being a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitution, i.e. 26.01.1950; or being eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of commencement of the Constitution, i.e. 26.01.1950
Evidence of relationship as parent/ grandparent/great-grandparent, if their Indian origin is claimed.
Evidence as the spouse of a foreign origin of a citizen of India or sthe pouse of a foreign origin of an OCI Cardholder.
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