Overseas Indian Citizenship (OCI)

1. The Constitution of India does not allow the holding of Indian citizenship with
that of a foreign country simultaneously. However, the Government of India has
decided to grant Overseas Citizenship of India 9OCI). The Parliament of India
approved the relevant bill in this connection in August, 2005. Persons of Indian
Origin (PIOs) of certain category who migrated from India and acquired citizenship
of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh, are eligible for grant of
OCI as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship in some form or other
under their relevant national laws.

2. Persons registered as Overseas Citizens of India will not have the right to vote
or be elected to the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha/Legislative Assembly/Council,
constitutional posts such as the President, Vice-President, Judge of Supreme
Court/High Court etc. Registered OCI shall be entitled to the following benefits:

Multiple entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa to visit India;

Exemption from reporting to police authorities for any length of stay in
India; and
Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in financial, economic and
educational fields except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation
properties.

3. A person registered as an OCI is eligible to apply for grant of Indian Citizenship

under Section 5(1)(g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, if he/she has been registered as
an OCI for five years and has been residing in India for one year , out of the five
years before making the application.

4. For getting registered under the OCI Scheme, application will be have to be
submitted in the Indian Mission/Post in the country of citizenship/residence of the
applicant, in the form prescribed for the purpose.

5. Applications for OCI service can be made to the High Commission of India,
Nicosia from 0900 hour to 1200 hours on all working days. Applicants are advised
to ensure that no column of the application is left unfilled/without the
information/sought/unanswered. Apart from affixing photographs and signatures
at the designated places in the application form, it may also be ensured that the
requisite number of spare photographs [04 (four) in all] of the prescribed size are
enclosed with the application. Photographs should be 35mm x 45 mm in size with
white background, front pose and both shoulders and ears visible. The applicant’s
signature/thumb impression should not touch the outlines of the signature box.
The existing foreign passport, together with the cancelled or expired Indian
Passport if available, and their photocopies also need to be enclosed along with
the application.

6. The approximate time-frame for issue of OCI cards is between 8 to 12 weeks

from the date of application. Enquiries, if any, may therefore kindly be made after at
least 12 weeks from the date of application.

For more details about the OCI Scheme, please visit the web
site www.ociservices.gov.in

7. Guidelines which are in force since 2005 for obtaining a new OCI when OCI
cardholder acquires a new Passport are as follows:

OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by

the cardholder up to the age of 20 years.
OCI card is required to be re-issued once on acquiring a new passport after
completing 50 years of age.
Re-issuance for OCI card is not required each time a passport is issued to a
cardholder between 21 and 50 years of age.

Note: Applicants can check the status/receipt of their OCI cards from the High
Commission, Nicosia or by visiting the website given above and click on the link
“online enquiry”. In case the enquiry shows the receipt of the card, the
applicant can collected the same from the High Commission of India, Nicosia.
The following documents would be required to be presented at the time of
collection of the OCI card:

Foreign Passport
Cancelled Indian Passport
 PIO card (if applied on the basis of PIO card)
Original Receipt of payment of fees
Print-out of the online enquiry status

The documents would be accepted in the morning on any working day between
from 0830 to 1130 hours and would be returned from 1500 hours to 1600 hours
on the date of delivery conveyed by the Consular Officer.

High Commission of India Nicosia, Cyprus