The government on Thursday relaxed rules for the re-issue of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards.
The ministry of home affairs in a statement said that presently, OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age & after completing 50 years of age.
In order to facilitate the OCI cardholders, the government has now decided to dispense with this requirement.
“A person who has got registration as OCI cardholder prior to attaining the age of 20 years will now have to get OCI card re-issued only once when a new passport is issued after his/her completing 20 years of age, so as to capture his/ her facial features on attaining adulthood,” the statement said.
If a person has obtained registration as OCI cardholder after attaining the age of 20 years, there will be no requirement of re-issue of OCI card.
“To update data regarding new passports obtained by OCI cardholder, he/she shall upload a copy of the new passport containing his/her photo and also a latest photo on the online OCI portal, each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age & once after completing 50 years,” the ministry said.
However, in the case of those who have been registered as OCI cardholder as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or an OCI cardholder, the person concerned will be required to upload on the system, a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder along with a latest photo and a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting each time a new passport is issued.
These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder spouse within three months of receipt of his/ her new passport.
The details will be updated on the system and an auto acknowledgement through e-mail will be sent to the OCI cardholder informing that the updated details have been taken on record.
“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 acknowledgement of his/ her documents in the web-based system,” the statement added.
The OCI card is very popular amongst foreigners of Indian Origin and spouses of foreign origin of Indian citizens or OCI cardholders, as it helps them in hassle free entry and unlimited stay in India.
The Indian government has issued about 37.72 lakh OCI cards so far.
Source: Times of India
#360pms