OCI Scheme is operational from 02.12.2005.

The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously. Based on the recommendation of the High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora, the Government of India decided to register Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of certain category as has been specified in section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholders.

Note 1:- The OCI Cardholder (including a PIO cardholder) is a, foreign national holding passport of a foreign country and is not a citizen of India.

Note 2: Passport is the primary travel document. OCI is only a life-long visa. Stay of a foreigners in India without a valid passport is illegal even if he or she is an OCI cardholder. Therefore, it is necessary that OCI cardholders staying in India should have a valid passport at all times of their stay in the country.

Application for registration as OCI Cardholder can be made Online. For this purpose, please visit https://ociservices.gov.in. Before filling the application, instructions may be perused so that there is no mistake in submission of application. Further, the details regarding Fee and Offices where supporting documents have to be submitted for prior verification may also be perused.

 Launch of e-OCI card

• Electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card has been launched on 30.06.2026 for the new applicants and existing OCI card holders (physical booklets). From now onwards, only digital OCI card (e-OCI) will be issued. 
• The holder of e-OCI card will not need to carry the physical copy of the OCI card at the time of Immigration Clearance and for availing other services.
• The e-OCI card can be downloaded by login into OCI portal (https://ociservices.gov.in ) and through the official ‘Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile app. The SOP to generate and download e-OCI may be seen in the following document: https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/images/E-OCI_technical_SOP.pdf.
• The physical booklets shall continue to remain valid and shall be accepted for immigration and other associated services.
  
  
• For detailed information, kindly visit --> https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/