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Overseas Citizenship of India

Overseas Citizenship of India

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 grant Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). The Scheme of OCI in operational since December 2005.

Eligibility:

As per section 7A of The Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), following categories of foreign nationals are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder:-

  1. Any person of full age and capacity:
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. who is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947; or
    4. who is a child or a grandchild or a great grandchild of such a citizen; or
  2. a person, who is a minor child of a person mentioned in (a) above; or
  3. a person, who is a minor child, and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or
  4. spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder registered under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application.

Note: No person, who or either of whose parents; or grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

Registration

Applications for registration as OCI Cardholder is to be submitted only on the online system. For this purpose, please log on to https://ociservices.gov.in

Instructions For Filling Application

Please fill the fields in BLOCK LETTERS

Applicants are required to upload all the requisite documents (self attested),

A person who has not attained the age of 18 years is considered as minor. In case of minor who cannot sign, his/her left thumb impression may be placed in the signature box. Parents should not sign on the behalf of the children.

Signature/Thumb impression should be confined to the prescribed box. In case of minor applicants, parents should NOT sign in the box.

Photograph to be affixed on the application should be a square shape of size not less than 51*51mm (with 80% coverage of face). It should have plain light color background (not white) without the border with front view of person's head and shoulders showing the full face in middle of the photograph. It should not be stapled and not have any signature.

Photographs and signature that do not conform to these standards will be rejected and may cause a delay in processing the applications.

The height and width of the Applicant Photo must be equal.

The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height).

The maximum dimensions are 3500 pixels (width) x 3500 pixels (height).

The height and width of the Signature Photo must have aspect ratio 1:3

The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 67 pixels (height).

The maximum dimensions are 3500 pixels (width) x 2500 pixels (height).

After successful registration, the form when completed should be submitted in original along with photograph, signature and requisite documents to the Indian Mission/Post having jurisdiction over the country of which the applicant is a citizen or if he/she is not living the country of his/her citizenship, to the Indian Mission/Post having jurisdiction over the country of which the applicant is ordinarily resident.

For more details please visit: https://ociservices.gov.in

Note: 'ordinarily resident' will mean a person staying in a particular country or in India for a continuous period of 6 months.

Enclosures to be attached with the application:

  1. In case of applications for registration as Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder in lieu of PIO card, only copies of the following documents to be attached:-
    1. Valid passport of the applicant
    2. Valid PIO card of the applicant.
  2. In case of fresh application for registration as OCI Cardholder, following documents are to be attached:-
    1. Proof of present citizenship - Copy of present valid passport (applicable in all cases), with validity of minimum 6 months at the time of submission of application.
    2. In case application is submitted in India, copy of any type of Visa (other than Missionary Visa and Mountaineering Visa)/ Residential Permit with 3 months validity as on the date of application.
    3. 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 or belonging to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947:- These could be:
      1. Copy of the Indian Passport; or
      2. Copy of the Domicile Certificate issued by the Competent Authority; or
      3. Copy of Nativity Certificate from the Competent Authority; or
      4. OCI Card/ PIO card of parents/ spouse along with the documents upon which the OCI/ PIO card was issued; or
      5. Any other proof substantiating the request. Usually applicant does submit a certificate of residence or place of birth of self/parents/grandparents from First Class Magistrate/District Magistrate (DM) of the concerned place.
    4. Evidence of relationship as parent/grandparent/ great grandparent, if their Indian origin is claimed as basis for registration as OCI Cardholder: The document of relationship could be "Birth Certificate" issued from competent authority mentioning both parents' name. In case the birth certificate is issued by a foreign authority, it is to be Apostilled or endorsed by the concerned Indian Mission abroad.
    5. In case of minor child whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India:
      1. Copy of child's birth certificate
      2. Copy of Indian passport of the parents / one of the parents or copy of the Domicile Certificate or Nativity Certificate issued by the Competent Authority in respect of the parents/ one of the parents or any other proof substantiating the status of the parents/ one of the parents as being Indian citizen(s).
      3. If the parents are divorced, court order of dissolution of marriage, which specifically mentions that the legal custody of the child is with the parent who is applying for the OCI card.
    6. Evidence as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI Cardholder:
      1. Registered marriage certificate; indicating that the marriage has taken place before 2 years on the date of application. AND
      2. In the case of spouse of an Indian citizen - Copy of the Indian Passport of the spouse or copy of the Domicile Certificate or Nativity Certificate issued by the Competent Authority in respect of the Indian spouse or any other proof substantiating the status of the spouse as being an Indian citizen
      3. In the case of spouse of an OCI Cardholder - Copy of the present valid Passport of the spouse and copy of the OCI Card of the spouse and copies of the documents upon which the OCI Card was issued to the spouse.
      4. Apostilled Birth Certificate of foreign spouse, spouse’s parents/ grandparents/ great grandparents in order to ensure that they are not of Pakistan/ Bangladesh origin or any other country as notified by the Government of India.
        Particulars Consular Fee (PHP) Bank Charges (PHP) Total (PHP)
        For normal applicant 15,940 50 15,990
        For issuance of duplicate OCI Documents 5,920 50 5,970
        For re-issuance of OCI documents in case of acquisition of new passport, change in the personal details 1,620 50 1,670

        5. Processing Time: 60 Days

        Note: Concealment of any material fact or false representation etc. will lead to cancellation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India (Please refer to section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955).

    7. LIBERALISED PROCEDURES FOR RE-ISSUANCE OF OCI CARDS

      Effective 22 April, 2021, mandatory requirement of re-issuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to a foreigner up to 20 years of age, and once after completing 50 years of age is no longer required. From now on, the OCI cardholder is required to get the OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age.

      OCI cardholder is required to upload online a copy of the new passport and a latest photo each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. The uploading of these documents may be done within three months of receipt of the new passport. The service is available under OCI miscellaneous service and will be provided on Gratis basis.

      Foreign spouse of an Indian citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder are required to upload a copy of the new passport and also a latest photo online, each time a new passport is issued along with a declaration on subsisting of marriage, copy of the Indian passport of the Indian spouse/passport & OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse.

OCI Miscellaneous Services

OCI Misc services (change of particular, lost/damage OCI card, updation of new passport etc.) can be availed by all registered OCIs at: https://ociservices.gov.in/.

Salient features of the services are:

  1. Registered OCI shall make the application online selecting the requisite service(s)
  2. Hard copy of application along with requisite enclosures to be submitted to the concerned Indian Mission/Post/Office.
  3. Application can be submitted in Indian Mission/Post/Office in whose jurisdiction the applicant is ordinarily residing irrespective of the fact whether the same Mission/Post/Office has issued the original OCI documents or not.
  4. Fee of PHP 1,560 for renunciation of Overseas Citizen of India.
  5. After receipt of application, Mission/Post/Office shall issue File (Acknowledgement) Number to the applicant by e-mail.
  6. The status of the requisite service(s) can be checked by the applicant on Online Status Enquiry.
  7. After grant of the requisite service(s), new OCI documents shall be issued after cancellation of the old documents.

CONVERSION OF PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN (PIO) CARD INTO OCI CARD

  1. Please note that the issue of new PIO card has been discontinued and all PIO card holders are required to convert their PIO cards to OCI cards.
  2. Please follow the link below to apply for conversion of PIO card to OCI card https://ociservices.gov.in/. The documents required for converting PIO card to OCI card is available in this website.
  3. Please note that the deadline for conversion of PIO card to OCI card is 31 December 2022.

    Fee:

    Conversion Fee (PHP) Bank Charges (PHP) Total (PHP)
    5,920 50 5,970

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