Let’s check if you are eligible for an OCI card.
You can be granted Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status if you have migrated from India or married to an Indian or if your parent / grandparent were from India.
The OCI card may be given to young children of foreign nationality if they meet one of its criteria: parents or relatives either have Indian citizenship or are cardholders of OCI.
A foreign national who satisfies any of the following criteria is eligible to apply for OCI status:
- Was a citizen of India at the time, or at any time after, the commencement of the Constitution (January 26, 1950)
- Was eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the Constitution (January 26, 1950)
- Belonged to any of the following territories that became part of India after August 15, 1947
- Sikkim from April 26, 1975
- Pondicherry from August 16, 1962
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli from August 11, 1961
- Goa, Daman and Diu from December 20, 1961
- Is the child or grandchild or great grandchild of a person that meets any of the criteria mentioned above.
- Is the minor child of a person meeting any of the criteria mentioned above.
- Is a minor child both of whose parents are citizens of India
- Is a minor child one of whose parents is a citizen of India.
- Spouse of a Indian citizen, criteria begin the marriage is registered and has completed at least 2 years before applying for OCI
- Is a spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder registered under section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for at least two years immediately before applying.
Under what circumstances will OCI not be granted ?
- A person who is/was and/or if their parents, grandparents or great grandparents are/were citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh.
- A person who has served or is serving in foreign armed forces.
- Civil servants working in the Ministry of Defence of another country as IT engineers or civil contractors.