Overseas Citizen of India Card

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the persons of Indian origin (PIOs) to convert their PIO cards into Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, reiterating the government’s decision to extend the deadline for these card conversions from 31 December last year to 30 June, without any penalty.

Three terms that categorise Indians who live abroad: NRI, PIO, and OCI. NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) are Indian Citizens who live in another country. PIO (Person of Indian Origin) used to be a 15 year visa for non-Indian citizens, but it has since been removed. OCIs (Overseas Citizen of India) are non-Indian citizens who have a lifetime visa to live and work in India with fewer restrictions.

OCI is the closest thing to dual citizenship that India offers. Who can apply for OCI: A person who used to be an Indian citizen; A person with at least one parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who is/was an Indian citizen; A person married to an Indian citizen or an existing OCI for at least two continuous years.

The following groups of people cannot have OCI status: Anyone who was ever a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh; Anyone whose parents or grandparents were citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, or Sri Lanka; Anyone who served in a foreign military or worked in a foreign defense department What are the benefits of being an OCI? Lifelong multiple entry visa to India. You never have to report to the FRRO regardless of the length of your stay.

You can eventually become a citizen of India if you remain an OCI for 5 years and live in India for at least 1 year (short breaks are now allowed). You don’t need a student visa to study in India. You don’t need an employment visa to get a job. You can open a special bank account in India, just like an NRI. You can make investments in India. You can buy non-farm property and exercise property ownership rights.

You can use your OCI card to apply for a driver’s license, open a bank account, or get a PAN card. You get the same economic, financial, and education benefits as NRIs (e.g. reserved admission quotas), and you can adopt children like an NRI. (Courtesy: http://learningindia.in/)