Eligibility quiz
Were you or a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent an Indian citizen on or after 26 January 1950?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in India for life
You can enter India as often as you like and stay without a time limit.
You do not have to register with the local immigration office for your stay.
Take entrance tests
You can take NEET, JEE (Main and Advanced) and similar entrance tests on the same terms as Indian citizens living abroad.
Admission is limited to seats for Indian citizens living abroad or extra seats, not those reserved solely for Indian citizens.
Work in India
Holders can practise professions as doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, lawyers, architects or chartered accountants on the same terms as Indian citizens living abroad.
They can teach at IITs, NITs, IIMs, IISERs, IISc, Central Universities and new AIIMS under PMSSY.
Most public posts are not open to holders.
Pay Indian citizen rates
You pay the same fares and fees as Indian citizens for flights within India.
The same rates also apply to entry to national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments, historic sites and museums.
Adopt a child
You can pursue adoption across borders of an Indian child on the same terms as Indian citizens living abroad, following the adoption authority’s process.
Buy and sell property
You can buy and sell property on the same terms as Indian citizens living abroad.
This does not include agricultural land, farmhouses or plantation property.
How to apply
Applying oCI from abroadApplying oCI from abroad
Find your consulate
Find the Indian mission responsible for the country of your citizenship. If you are outside that country, find the mission responsible for the country where you normally live.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Indian mission handles Overseas Citizen of India applications for someone living in your city?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your Overseas Citizen of India application.
See required documentsFill in the form
Fill in Form XXVIII online and select your Indian mission. Upload your photograph, signature and supporting documents.
Fill in the formSubmit your application
Submit your application online. Keep and print the application and acknowledgement as directed.
Submit your applicationPay the fee
Pay the fee using the method offered by your selected mission. Depending on the mission, online payment may be available by bank account, card or UPI.
Find payment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the Overseas Citizen of India application fee at my Indian mission?”
Submit your originals
Take or send your original documents to your selected Indian mission for verification, following its appointment or mail instructions. Provide your printed application, acknowledgement and payment confirmation as directed.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit original documents for an Overseas Citizen of India application at the Indian mission serving your city?”
Wait for the decision
Track your application online and respond if the authorities ask for more information or documents.
Track your applicationReceive your card
Receive your Overseas Citizen of India card as your mission directs. It lets you travel to India as an OCI cardholder; it is not Indian citizenship.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I receive my Overseas Citizen of India card from the Indian mission serving your city?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Get your birth certificate showing both your parents’ names. A birth-register certificate can also help; include school records and inherited property records if they support it and are available.
Parent’s origin records
Provide evidence of your Indian parent’s Indian citizenship, eligibility for citizenship on 26 January 1950, or connection to territory that became part of India after 15 August 1947. This can include an Indian passport, a domicile or nativity certificate, or a residence or birthplace certificate from a First Class Magistrate or District Magistrate; a parent’s PIO or OCI card can be used with proof of Indian origin.
Parents’ marriage certificate *
Get your parents’ marriage certificate, or explain why it is unavailable. For a marriage in India, use the certificate from the marriage registrar.
* Only if you apply for OCI and the evidence of your relationship calls for it.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Special permission limits
You need special permission for research, missionary or Tabligh work, mountaineering and journalism.
It is also needed for internships or jobs in foreign diplomatic missions or government organisations in India, and for entering protected, restricted or prohibited areas.
Travel documents and records
You need a valid passport from your other country and must keep your card and passport details current.
Complete the arrival card when travelling to India.
If you normally live in India, email the local immigration office whenever your permanent address or occupation changes.
Status can be lost
Adults can give up the status; their registered minor children lose it too.
India can cancel it for fraud, false statements, hiding facts, disloyalty to its Constitution or illegal wartime dealings with an enemy.
It can also cancel it for a prison sentence of at least two years within five years of registration, or to protect its sovereignty, integrity, security, foreign relations or the public interest.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
OCI (Overseas Citizen Of India) Europe / Indian Origin Foreign Nationals
English Facebook group for people interested in Indian visas
Request to joinIndian Passport, OCI, PCC & Visa Services.
English Facebook group for people interested in Indian visas and citizenship
Request to joinOverseas Citizen of India (OCI) - Common & Legal Problems
English Facebook group for people interested in Indian visas
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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