Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card

The Indian Government offers certain facilities and benefits to the people of Indian origin living across the world. In 2002, the Government had launched the PIO scheme to offer certain citizenship benefits to the people of Indian origin possessing foreign nationalities. In 2006, the government introduced another scheme called Overseas Citizen of India or OCI that offered more benefits to the foreign citizens of Indian-origin. Finally, the Indian Government united both the PIO and OCI schemes in 2015 to form a single streamlined option. This facility serves as the Government's outreach to all the people of Indian with foreign citizenship.

PIO Card

A PIO or Person of Indian Origin card was an identity document. It identified the card-holder as a foreign-based citizen of Indian origin. Through this card, the Indian Government bestowed upon the said individuals a few benefits that are exclusive for people with Indian citizenship. This scheme had come into effect in 2002.

PIO cardholders were allowed to stay in India for 15 years without requiring a Visa; they weren't required to register with the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) during the first 180 days stay; they were entitled to all educational, financial as well as economic benefits that are generally bestowed upon NRIs.

However, the PIO scheme was discontinued. Technically, it hasn't been entirely terminated; it has been merged with the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) scheme, which is a similar scheme that came into existence in 2006. As compared to the PIO scheme, the OCI scheme offered much more attractive benefits to foreign nationals of Indian origin. After the merger, all existing PIO card holders were automatically transferred to the OCI system.

OCI Card

As already mentioned, the Overseas Citizen of India or OCI card is offered to people of Indian origin who own foreign citizenship. To apply for the OCI cards, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• All foreign nationals who were citizens of India earlier, at any point, since the Indian constitution came into effect on 26th January 1950.

• All foreign nationals who were eligible for Indian citizenship during the time of inception of the constitution.

• All foreign nationals who were citizens of territories that later integrated into the Indian Union after the Indian Independence on 15th August 1947.

• Children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of erstwhile Indian citizens at any point since the constitution of India came into effect on 26th January 1950.

• Children who have at least one parent as an Indian citizen.

• Spouse of an OCI or PIO cardholder or an Indian citizen, are eligible to apply if their marriage was registered and lived for at least two continuous years before the application.

• Exceptions: citizens of Bangladesh and Pakistan cannot apply for the OCI cards. This restriction also extends to the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents of such citizens.

OCI Card Application Process

A simple, quick and timely process can help in getting an OCI card. The OCI application form can be divided into two parts:

Part A- The form which the applicant must fill and submit online.

Part B- The application form which the applicant must submit in-person, along with the following:

• 4 recent photographs (dimensions of 35mm x 35mm; in a light non-white background),

• Previous Indian passport if available or a surrender certificate or nativity certificate or birth certificate to prove Indian origin,

• Valid foreign passport,

• Proof of relationship (in case the applicant applies through parents’ Indian citizenship),

• A fee of US $275 (in cash).

The applicant must submit photocopies of the above documents but also present the originals for verification.

Form XIX mandates that Part A and Part B of the OCI application form can be filled as well as submitted online. However, the printed sections of these forms have to be manually submitted along with all the other required documents.

The application is processed within a maximum of 30 days. However, if the application contains discrepancies, the approval might take up to 120 days.

Convert PIO Cards into OCI Cards

In September 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that PIOs and OCIs are to be considered as the same and eventually the PIO scheme will cease to exist. All cardholders of the PIO scheme must convert their cards to the OCI scheme to be able to travel to India as well as enjoy the benefits of being an overseas citizen of India.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act was passed in March 2015 as both the houses of parliament agreed upon it. The amendment has been effective since 6th January 2016. As this act essentially merged both PIO and OCI schemes into a single category known by the name of Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder (OCC), all the prior cardholders of OCI scheme continue to enjoy the benefits as before; on the other hand, PIO cardholders now receive several additional benefits.

• People with PIO cards have been automatically considered as OCI cardholders; they may apply for a separate OCI card if they wish to.

• People who were about to get their PIO cards were automatically considered as OCI cardholders when the application was in process. People whose PIO card applications were still unapproved would need to reapply for the OCI card.

• An existing PIO cardholder has to pay Rs.1400 or its equivalent in the local currency along with the completed OCI application form in order to apply for OCI card

As can be assessed, maximum efforts were made to ensure that all existing PIO cardholders weren't sidelined or subjected to difficult procedures to seek the OCI facility. To sum up, the PIO card has now been completely discontinued; the OCI card has taken its place for all intents and purposes.

OCI cardholders vs. Indian citizens

The OCI cardholders are denied certain rights that are available to Indian citizens, such as:

• They cannot work with public enterprises.

• They cannot contest in the election for the Vice President or President of India.

• They cannot seek the posts of judges in High Courts or Supreme Court.

• They do not have voting rights for elections.

• They cannot be members of the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha.

• They cannot be members of the State Legislative Councils or Assemblies.

• They cannot be appointed as members of public posts or services in lieu of Central or State government affairs.

Fees for OCI Application

• US$ 275 or the equivalent amount in the applicant's local currency is charged for OCI card applications submitted outside India. The amount should be paid via Demand Draft.

• For applications submitted in India, an amount of Rs.15,000 via Demand Draft payable at New Delhi has to be drawn in favor of “Pay and Accounts Officer (Secretariat), Ministry of Home Affairs.”