Registration of Overseas
Citizenship of India (OCI)
Constitution of India does
not allow dual citizenship. Government of India (GOI) introduced OCI Scheme on
December 2, 2005. GOI decided to register Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) of
certain category as specified in Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Cardholder.
OCI card is multiple entry and multi-purpose life-long visa for visiting
India. The OCI card is primarily a visa document and not an identity document for
a foreigner.
Link for online OCI Application Form: https://ociservices.gov.in/
ELIGIBILITY
1. Any
foreign national who was citizen of India or eligible to become citizen of
India on 26th January 1950.
2. Any foreigner,
who, is a child, grandchild or great grandchild of such citizen of mentioned
the above at S. No.1.
3. Foreign
origin Spouse of a citizen of India or foreign origin spouse of an OCI
cardholder and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a
continuous period of not less than 2 years.
4. No
person, who or either of whose parent or grandparent or great grandparent is or
had been citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh.
5. Foreign
Military/Police personnel either serving or retired will not be registered as
OCI card holder
OCI card holders are not
entitled for the following:
1.
OCI cardholders are not
entitled to vote in India.
2.
OCI cardholders need
special permission to undertake Research Work, Mountaineering, Missionary Work,
Tabligh Work, and Journalism.
3.
OCI cardholders need
permission to visit Protected/Restricted Area Notified by Government of India.
4.
OCI cardholder cannot
acquire agricultural and plantation properties in India.
PIO card holders can apply
forOCI in lieu of valid PIO
The Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Card Scheme has been withdrawn since
January 9, 2015. Indian Immigration Check Post(s) will continue to consider all
PIO cards valid to travel to India till 31st December, 2021.
PIO Card holders are
advised to apply for issuance of OCI card (In Lieu of valid PIO cards) before
31st December, 2021.
Required documents for OCI
in lieu of valid PIO:
- Duly
filled online, printed and signed application:
https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome
- Valid
original PIO card and copy.
- Original
and copy of current Passport.
- 2
photographs 5x5 cms with white background
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc).
- For
Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services/
Required documents for OCI
Card for Adult (former Indian National):
- Duly
filled online, printed and signed application:
https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome
- SurrenderedIndian
Passport copy.
- Surrender
Certificate (Renunciation of Indian Citizenship Certificate)
- Original
& copy of Certificate of Citizenship (apostle by local Foreign
Office).
- Present
Passport copy and original.
- 2
photographs.
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc.).
- For
Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services/
Required documents for OCI
Card for Adult (who never held Indian Passport/ Foreign Nationals with Indian
Ancestors):
- Duly
filled online, printed and signed application:
https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome
- Indian
Passport copy, Immigration Pass or any other proof of Person of Indian
Origin of Parents/Grandparents/Great Grandparents with documentary proof
of relationship with them such as Birth Certificate (all documents must be
apostle by Foreign Office and if issued in India, must be attested by
concerned State Home Department).
- Current
Passport copy and Original.
- 2
photographs.
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc.).
- For
Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services/
Required documents for
Minor (who never held Indian Passport/
Foreign Nationals with
Indian Ancestors):
- Duly
filled online, printed and signed application:
https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome
- Indian
Passport copy, Immigration Pass or any other proof of Person of Indian
Origin of Parents/Grandparents/Great Grandparents with documentary proof
of relationship with them such as Birth Certificate (all documents must be
apostle by Foreign Office if issued out of India and if issued in India,
must be attested by concerned State Home Department).
- Parents’
Marriage Certificate (must be apostle by Foreign Office if issued out of
India and if issued in India, must be attested by concerned State Home
Department).
- Birth
Certificate apostle by Foreign Office.
- Current
Passport copy and original of Minor.
- Copy
of current Passport of both Parents.
- 2
photographs.
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc).
- For Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services/
Required documents for
Foreign Spouse of Person of Indian Origin
(Holder of Indian Passport
of OCI Card):
- Copy
of Indian Passport or OCI Card of Indian Spouse.
- Marriage
Certificate, issued outside India, must be apostle by Foreign Office and
if issued in India, must be attested by concerned State Home Department.
- Current
Passport copy and Original.
- 2
photographs.
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc).
- For
Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services/
For sending applications by
Courier please include a return DHL Air-way bill:
Consular Section
Embassy of India,
Quinta Tagore #12, Av San Carlos
La Floresta, Caracas, 1060
Venezuela.
Consular Section is open
from Monday to Friday as follows:
Monday to Friday (8.00 am
to 4.30 pm)
OCI Card to be re-issued in
the following conditions:
- Change
in personal particulars as name/nationality/appearance.
- In
case of Lost/damaged OCI card.
- When
a new Passport is issued after completing 20 years of age.
Required documents for
re-issuance of OCI for Adults:
- Duly
filled online, printed and signed application:
https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome
- Original
and copy of OCI Card.
- Original
and copy of Current Passport.
- 2
photographs.
- Copy
of Address proof of current place of stay (such as Utility Bill/ Rent
Lease/ Driving License/ Bank Statement etc).
- For
Fees click on link: http://www.eoicaracas.gov.in/page/fee-schedule-of-consular-services.
Mandatory
requirement of re-issuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to
a foreigner upto 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age is
dispensed with.
An OCI cardholder is
required to onlyupload on the OCI Portal online a copy of the new
passport and most recent photograph each time when a new passport is issued
up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age.
In the case of Foreign
Spouse, each time a new passport is issued, the following documents are
required to be uploaded on the OCI portal:
- Copyof
new Passport.
- Latestphotograph.
- Notarized
declaration that their marriage is still subsisting.
- Copy
of previous OCI card.
- Copy
of Indian Passport or OCI Card of Indian spouse.
Applicants
need to apply online on https://ociservices.gov.in and opt
for passport updation service under OCI Miscellaneous Services, uploading
photograph and required documents. An auto email is sent to the applicant subsequent
to successful upload of documents. After the information is processed by the
Embassy (after 30 days of the uploading of documents by the applicant), an
auto-email will be received by the Applicant informing that changes have been
made in his/her records.
For updating of
OCI information/ OCI Miscellaneous Acknowledgmentthrough the online OCI Portal,
the services will be provided on gratis basis.
The
uploading of these documents may be done within three months of receipt of the
new passport.
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 online system.
For more details, you may
write email at cons.caracas@mea.gov.inor cons1.caracas@mea.gov.in