Lifetime Visa For India
The Indian Government has given an official statement that Non-Resident Indians(NRI) from 76 countries can now get a lifelong visa to visit India at any time. The government has also decided not to renew the e-Tourist Visa for 37 countries anymore.
People who wish to immigrate to India will be pleased to know that they can apply for a lifetime visa. This holds true whether they are applying in the country or from abroad. The Population Certificate is one of the two required documents for registration of a foreigner, in order to obtain an Indian visa.
The Indian consulate in Los Angeles has relaxed its immigration rules for people from all nations, including India and the US. This new relaxation makes it much easier for all India residents to get visas to visit India.
Due to the favorable regulations, India has been witnessing a huge rush of people looking for a Visa. The Indian government is doing everything in its capacity to make the process seamless. The main reasons why India is leading the race are as follows:
Lifetime Visa For India
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a form of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses which allows them to live and work in India indefinitely. Despite the name, OCI status is not citizenship and does not grant the right to vote in Indian elections or hold public office.[1][2] The Indian government can revoke OCI status in a wide variety of circumstances. As of 2020, there are 6 million holders of OCI cards among the Indian Overseas diaspora.[3]
The OCI scheme was introduced by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora. It provides overseas citizens many of the rights available to resident citizens.
OCI status is not available to anyone who has ever been a Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizen, or who is a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of such a person.
Contents
- 1History
- 2Eligibility
- 3Application
- 4OCI reissuance advisory upon getting a new passport
- 5Privileges and restrictions
- 6Overseas recognition
- 7PIO and OCI documents merge
- 8Physical appearance
- 9Persons of Indian Origin Card
- 10OCI related incidents
- 11List of notable people with OCI status
- 12See also
- 13References
- 14External links
History[edit]
The Constitution of India does not permit dual citizenship (under article 9). Indian authorities have interpreted the law to mean a person cannot have a second country’s passport simultaneously with an Indian one — even in the case of a child who is claimed by another country as a citizen of that country, and who may be required by the laws of the other country to use one of its passports for foreign travel (such as a child born in United States or in Canada to Indian parents), and the Indian courts have given the executive branch wide discretion over this matter.
On the recommendations of a High-Level Committee on Indian Diaspora, the Government of India decided to register Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of a certain category, as has been specified in the Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, as Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders, by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003.[4]
The OCI program was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention held in Hyderabad on 9 January 2006.[5][6]
Before 9 January 2015, travelers holding OCI card were required to carry the passport which contained the lifelong “U” visa stamp while traveling to India. This requirement was done away with that day and OCI card holders no longer require the lifetime visa stamp passport. The OCI card (the blue-grey booklet) in conjunction with a valid foreign passport is sufficient to travel to and from India.
In March 2020, visa-free travel granted to OCI holders was put on hold until 15 April due to the coronavirus pandemic.[7]
On 4 March 2021, the rights of OCI holders were slightly curtailed. In order to perform certain activities or visit certain areas in India, OCI holders now require a Protected Area Permit, a requirement for PIO holders which OCI never had since its launch in 2006. Also, OCI holders living in India need to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) via email upon every change of their permanent home address or occupation.
On 15 April 2021, the number of times OCI needs to be renewed got reduced down to only once, when the passport is renewed for the first time after age 20. However, every time the passport is renewed before age 20 and when the passport is renewed for the first time after age 50, a copy of the current passport along with the current passport-sized photo needs to be uploaded onto the OCI online portal. These relaxed OCI renewal guidelines reduce the administrative burden caused by multiple OCI renewals.
Comparison[edit]
| Category | Indian passport (Indian Citizen) | Resident in India | Expatriate | Tax status | OCI card | Acts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian (resident) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Indian nationality law Passports Act | |
| Non-resident Indian (NRI) | Yes | No | Yes (of India) | No | No | Indian nationality law Passports Act IT Act, 1961[9] | |
| Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) / inc. Person of Indian Origin (PIO) | No | Yes (in India) else, No | Yes (in India) | Yes (if resident in India) else, No | Yes | CA Act, 2005 (Section 7A-B) | lifetime visa / permanent residency |
Eligibility[edit]
Front cover of an OCI card issued on or after 15 April 2021
The Government of India, on application, may register as an Overseas Citizen of India, any person who:
- is a citizen of another country, but was a citizen of India on 26 January 1950 or at any time thereafter; or
- is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15 August 1947; or
- is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26 January 1950; or
- is a child or a grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen; or
- is a minor child of such persons mentioned above; or
- is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or
- is a 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.
A person, who or either of whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, is ineligible for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India.[10]
A person who has served as a member of any foreign military, including that of his home country, is ineligible to receive an OCI card, except when bound by their home country to serve under their local law.[11][12] For this reason, Israeli citizens of Indian origin are exempt from this rule and are eligible for OCI even if they served in the Israel Defence Forces.[13]
Dutch nationals of Surinamese origin up to the sixth generation whose forefathers came from India in the 19th century will be eligible for applying for OCI Card.[14]
Revoking the OCI card[edit]
Previously, the government could cancel OCI status of people who obtained it by fraud, showed acts of unpatriotism, or broke a law punishable with at least two years in jail before five years of having issued OCI. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 gives the government additional power to strip people of their OCI status if they violate any local law, whether it is a petty misdemeanor or a serious felony. The new act makes the rules much more strict for OCI card holders, however it also has a proviso that gives the person whose OCI status is at stake the right to be heard by the government before they come to a verdict.[15]
Application[edit]
Applications for OCI can only be made online at ociservices.gov.in. A person making an application is required to submit a photograph and several identification documents to prove they meet the eligibility criteria, and also must pay an application fee. Applications made from outside India are charged a fee of US$275. Applications submitted in India are charged a fee of ₹15,000 (US$200).
The applicant must provide proof of their current citizenship by presenting a copy of their current passport that has a validity of at least 6 months from the time of application. If the applicant is making their application while within Indian jurisdiction, they must submit a copy of any type of Indian visa (other than missionary and mountaineering visa), or a residential permit with at least 3 months’ validity. Applicants must provide evidence that either they or their parents or grandparents or great grandparents meet the eligibility criteria described above. This can be done by presenting a copy of an Indian passport, a copy of the Domicile Certificate issued by the competent authority, a copy of Nativity Certificate from the competent authority, or an OCI/PIO card of parents or spouse along with the base papers/documents upon which the OCI/PIO card was issued. Applicants may also submit any other evidence that may substantiate their claim. Usually, applicants are able to submit a certificate of residence or place of birth of self/parents/grandparents from First Class Magistrate/District Magistrate (DM) of the concerned place.
If the applicant cites their Indian origin as basis for registration as OCI cardholder, they must provide evidence of their relationship with the person cited as parent/grandparent/great grandparent. The document of relationship could be a birth certificate issued from competent authority mentioning both parents’ names. In case the birth certificate is issued by a foreign authority, it must be apostilled or endorsed by the concerned Indian diplomatic mission abroad. In the case of a minor child whose parents are both Indian citizens or who has at least one parent holding Indian citizenship, evidence may comprise a copy of the child’s birth certificate that mentions its parents, a copy of Indian passport of at least one of the parents or copy of the Domicile Certificate or Nativity Certificate issued by a Competent Authority supporting the Indian origin of at least one parent or any other proof substantiating the status of at least one parent as being either an Indian citizen or being of Indian origin. If the parents are divorced, a 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 must be submitted.
Evidence as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder may be provided in the form of a registered marriage certificate. In the case of spouse of an Indian citizen, a 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. In the case of spouse of an OCI cardholder, a 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.[10]
OCI reissuance advisory upon getting a new passport[edit]
- For an applicant who is 19 years of age or younger, a copy of the current passport and current passport-sized photo must be re-uploaded onto the OCI online portal every time a new passport is issued. There is no need to re-issue OCI. Uploading documents will be provided on gratis basis to the OCI cardholders.
- For an applicant who is 20 to 49 years of age, OCI must be re-issued the first time a new passport is issued after age 20.
- For an applicant who is 50 years of age or older, a copy of the current passport and current passport-sized photo must be re-uploaded onto the OCI online portal the first time a new passport is issued after age 50. There is no need to re-issue OCI. Uploading documents will be provided on gratis basis to the OCI cardholders.