India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that no recent changes have been made to the rules for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders, following complaints from several OCI cardholders in the United States about rule modifications.
Some cardholders had expressed concerns about being reclassified as foreigners and new requirements for visiting restricted areas like Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
The Consulate General of India in New York addressed the issue through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We have come across news reports spreading false information that restrictions have been placed on OCI cardholders in the recent past. Friends in the Indian American community are hereby informed that no new change has been introduced in the recent past for OCI cardholders.”
The consulate reiterated that the OCI rules outlined in a March 2021 gazette notification remain in effect.
We have come across news reports spreading false information that restrictions have been placed on OCI card holders in the recent past.
Friends in the Indian American community are hereby informed that no new change has been introduced in the recent past for OCI card… pic.twitter.com/iD9qGcIQBY
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) September 28, 2024
According to the 2021 notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, OCI cardholders are required to seek permission or permits before visiting certain protected or restricted areas in India, including Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. This rule also applies to foreign nationals visiting these areas. The ministry clarified that no additional restrictions have been implemented beyond those stipulated in the 2021 amendments.
OCI cardholders enjoy several privileges, including a multi-entry, multi-purpose life-long visa to visit India and exemption from registration with local police authorities for any length of stay in the country.
As of 2023, over 4.5 million individuals were registered as OCI cardholders globally, with more than 1.6 million residing in the United States.
Introduced in August 2005, the OCI scheme provides registration for Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were Indian citizens on or after January 26, 1950, or were eligible to become Indian citizens on that date. OCI cardholders are entitled to the same economic, financial, and educational benefits as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), except for the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.
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