Easing the rules for overseas citizen of India (OCI) card holders, the government has dispensed with the requirement of getting one’s OCI card re-issued each time a new passport is issued to him/her up to 20 years of age and once after attaining 50 years of age. A person registered as an OCI cardholder before turning 20 now needs to have the card re-issued only once after completing 20 years of age, so as to capture his/her changed facial features.
For those issued OCI cards after 20 years of age, they will not need to get the card reissued. However, they will be required to upload a copy of the new passport containing their photo and also a latest photo on the online OCI portal, each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age, says the new OCI card regulations approved on the directions of home minister Amit Shah.
The documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within three months of receipt of a new passport. Those registered as OCI cardholders as a foreign-origin spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder, will be required to upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo along with a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting, each time a new passport is issued.
These documents may also be uploaded by the OCI cardholder spouse within three months of receipt of his/her new passport. A home ministry release said the new details will be updated on the system and an auto acknowledgment sent through email to the OCI applicant. There will be no restriction on the OCI cardholder to travel to/from India during the period from the date of issue of new passport till the date of final acknowledgment of his/her documents in the web-based system. All the above services of uploading documents will be provided free to OCI cardholders, the ministry said.
The OCI card is very popular among foreigners of Indian origin, and foreign origin spouses of Indian citizens or OCI cardholders, as it helps them hassle-free entry and unlimited stay in India. So far, about 37,72,000 OCI cards have been issued.
