Deadline extended for re-issuance of Overseas Citizen of India cards

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholders who need to apply for re-issue of their cards can now do so up until 31 December, 2020, the Indian High Commission said yesterday.   

As per the existing rules, the OCI Cardholder registrations is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is obtained by Cardholders who are below the age of 20 years, and once by the Cardholders who are above 50 years of age, in view of biological changes in the face.

Government of India has also decided to permit the following categories of OCI Cardholders, who are stranded abroad, travel to India:

• Minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI card
• OCI Cardholders who wish to come to India on account of family emergencies like death in family
• Couples where one spouse is an OCI Cardholder and the other is an Indian national and they have a permanent residence in India
• University students who are OCI cardholders (not legally minors) but whose parents are Indian citizens living in India

For other categories of OCI Cardholders, as and when restrictions on international air travel are lifted by the Government of India and the status of OCI Card as a lifelong visa for travel to/from India is restored, OCI Cardholders who have obtained new passports and need to re-issue their OCI Cards as mentioned in para 1, will be allowed to travel on the strength of their existing OCI Cards. However, this will be subject to the condition that the OCI Cardholder will have to travel along with the OCI Card, current passport and the old passport whose details are endorsed on the OCI card.