Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Scheme

Published: March 13, 2017 by: theadmin

Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India has issued new instructions relating to online submission and processing of applications for registration as OCI Cardholder and for OCI Miscellaneous services. The details are as follows:

The applicants shall henceforth submit the application form online and upload all the requisite documents (self-attested), photograph and signature (in the case of minors who cannot sign, left hand thumb impression) along with the application.
After the applicant submits the complete application online including documents, photograph and signature, the originals of the supporting documents have to be submitted to the Indian Mission for prior verification. In case of any deficiency in the application/uploaded documents/photograph, the applicant will be informed by email by the Indian Mission. The applicant should then re-submit the required documents to the Indian Mission.
If all the documents submitted are in order, an email will be sent to the applicant informing “Application received and is under process”. Thereafter, the originals of the supporting documents will be returned to the applicant.
These changes in the OCI registration process are effective from 23 November, 2015 and thereafter no application for registration as OCI cardholder or for OCI miscellaneous service will be accepted or processed in the offline mode.

OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA (OCI)
The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously. However, the Government of India decided to grant Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) w.e.f. 02.12.2005. Now Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders are also deemed to be OCI card holders w.e.f. 09.01.2015 and may apply for OCI cards in lieu of their PIO cards without payment of any registration fee.

Benefits of OCI
Multipurpose, multi-entry, lifelong visa for visit to India
Exemption from registration with FRRO for any length of stay in India
Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of all facilities in economics, financial and educational fields, except in matters relating to acquisition of agricultural properties etc.
Restrictions for OCI

Not entitled to vote
Not entitled to be a Member of Parliament, Legislative Assembly, and Legislative Council
Not entitled to hold Constitutional posts such as President, Vice President, Judge of the High Court, Supreme Court etc.
Not entitled to hold any employment in the government
Eligibility Criteria

Eligible:
A foreign national, who
Was a citizen of India on 26.1.1950, or
Was citizen of India any time after 26.1.1950, or
Belonged to a territory which became part of India after 15.08.1947
His/her children/grandchildren are eligible to be registered as OCI
Minor children of such persons are eligible to be registered as OCI
Not eligible
Persons who have been citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh
Minor PIO children, whose both parents are either Indian nationals or one Indian national and the other of foreign origin (not eligible for OCI)
Indian nationals who has been granted asylum in a foreign country
Documentation required

Self-attested photocopies of the following documents, as applicable,should be submitted along with the application. Original documents should be produced for verification. Apostilled documents can be accepted only if the applicants are unable to produce original documents.

Adult applicants
OCI Registration Form (part A&B duly filled online and signed by the applicant)
Two recent photographs of the size of 51×51 mm without border and showing full frontal view of applicant’s head/shoulder, white/light background. No glare if wearing glasses
Copy of the passport surrender/renunciation of the Indian citizenship which establishes the previous Indian citizenship of the applicant
Copy of the Registration
Copy of the Naturalisation certificate
Name change deed from solicitor/oath commissioner/local administration should be submitted in case of name/surname change, change of appearance
Marriage certificate needs to be submitted in case of change of name after marriage
Copy of the Austrian passport
Foreign spouse of Indian national/Overseas Citizen of India

OCI Registration Form (part A& B duly filled online and signed by the applicant)
Two recent photographs of the size of 51×51 mm without border and showing full frontal view of applicant’s head/shoulder, white/light background. No glare if wearing glasses.
Marriage certificate, marriage should have subsisted at least two years at the time of submission of the application for OCI registration in respect of the foreign spouse
An affidavit to the effect that the Indian/OCI spouse is still alive and that the couple are not separated/divorced
Proof of OCI status/Indian nationality of spouse
Copy of the Registration)
Copy of the Naturalisation certificate)
Name change deed from solicitor/oath commissioner/local administration should be submitted in case of name/surname change, change of appearance
Marriage certificate needs to be submitted in case of change of name after marriage
Copy of the Austrian passport
Note: In case of foreign spouse, the application along with documents should be submitted in duplicate.

Minor children
OCI Registration Form (part A&B duly filled online and signed by the applicant). If minors are not capable of writing then it should have LTI in respect of girl child and RTI in respect of boy child. The From B in respect of minors is to be countersigned by both parents.
Two recent photographs of the size of 51×51 mm without border and showing full frontal view of applicant’s head/shoulder, white/light background. No glare if wearing glasses.
Passport surrender certificate /renunciation of Indian citizenship certificate
Copy of the OCI card, Passport surrender certificate /renunciation of Indian citizenship certificate of the parents
Copy of the minor’s birth certificate containing names of both parents
Marriage certificate of the parents
Copy of the Registration
Copy of the Naturalisation certificate
Name change deed from solicitor/oath commissioner/local administration should be submitted in case of name/surname change, change of appearance
Copy of the Austrian passport
OCI Card in lieu of PIO

Application from for OCI registration needs to be filled online on the website of the Embassy of India, Vienna, Austria at https://passport.gov.in/oci

There are three distinct options namely, (i)OCI Registration Form for fresh applicants/ first timers, (ii) OCI Registration Form for OCI in lieu of PIO and (iii) OCI Miscellaneous Registration Form for exiting OCI card holders in case of change of Passport particulars, personal particulars, loss/ damage of OCI etc.
After filling the form, the applicant nee to save and print the form. A reference number is generated on the printed from

Dispensation of the OCI services
OCI card is issued normally after 5-6 weeks from the date of submission of application subject to its receipt from the Ministry. OCI Miscellaneous services take about 2-3 weeks. Applicants are advised to check the status of their applications online and submit their passports only after the receipt of OCI cards in the Embassy of India, Vienna as reflected on the OCI website.The passport may be submitted at the Consular Wing of the Embassy on working days between 0930-1130 hrs. The passport with the necessary OCI services and the booklet will be delivered to the applicant on the next working day between 1600-1700 Hrs.

Note:-For more details about OCI, applicants may refer to the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (http://mha1.nic.in/foreigDiv/OCI.html).