Frequently Asked Questions on OCI Services

Q. I have recently obtained a new passport. What action am I required to take regarding my OCI?

A: Whenever an OCI cardholder obtains a new passport, the particulars of the new passport must be updated online through the OCI Services Portal within three months from the date of issue of the passport.

If the personal particulars in the new passport, such as name, date of birth, place of birth or nationality, differ from those recorded in the OCI, the applicant must apply for OCI Miscellaneous Services (Personal Particulars Updation) through VFS Global.

With effect from 8 July 2026, printing of physical OCI cards/booklets has been discontinued. Therefore, applicants are not required to apply for re-issue of a physical OCI card.

Q. I am a person of Indian origin. My parents were born in undivided India but, after Partition, briefly held Pakistani citizenship before moving to the United States. Am I eligible for an OCI Card?

A: No. A person is not eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder if the applicant, or either of the applicant’s parents, grandparents or great-grandparents, is or had at any time been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh.

The duration for which Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizenship was held does not affect this ineligibility.

Q. I hold a valid PIO Card. Am I required to convert it into an OCI Card?

A: The Government of India has discontinued the facility for conversion of Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Cards into Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cards after 31 December 2025. Consequently, the PIO-to-OCI conversion facility is no longer available.

PIO cardholders who wish to obtain OCI registration must apply afresh for registration as OCI cardholders in accordance with the extant guidelines.

Q. Is a Renunciation/Surrender Certificate required before applying for an OCI Card? How can I apply for it?

A: An applicant who previously held Indian citizenship must provide a Renunciation Certificate or Surrender Certificate, as applicable, before applying for an OCI Card.

Applications for renunciation of Indian citizenship or surrender of an Indian passport must be submitted through VFS Global. Information regarding the application procedure, document checklist, fees and submission options is available on the VFS Global website: https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/

Processing time depends on the completeness of the application and whether any additional verification or clearance is required. Applicants should also allow sufficient time for transmission of the application and return of documents by VFS Global.

Q. Can I travel to India using only my OCI Card, or must I also carry the passport containing the old “U” Visa sticker?

A: An OCI cardholder must carry:

• A valid foreign passport; and

• A valid OCI Card or e-OCI Card, as applicable.

It is not necessary to carry the old passport containing the “U” Visa sticker. The requirement for a “U” Visa sticker was discontinued with effect from 29 January 2015.

Q. My spouse is a foreign national of non-Indian origin. I hold an OCI Card. Is my spouse eligible for an OCI Card? What about my children?

A: A foreign-origin spouse of an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder may apply for an OCI Card if the marriage:

• Has been legally registered; and

• Has subsisted continuously for at least two years immediately preceding the date of application.

The application will be subject to the prescribed eligibility requirements and prior security clearance by the competent authority in India.

A minor foreign-national child is eligible to apply for an OCI Card if both parents are Indian citizens or if either parent is an Indian citizen. Children may also qualify independently based on their Indian origin, subject to the eligibility conditions prescribed under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

A person will not be eligible if the applicant, or either parent, grandparent or great-grandparent, is or had been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Q. I want to add my spouse’s name to my OCI record. How can I do so?

A: The applicant should apply for OCI Personal Particulars Updation through VFS Global and provide the prescribed supporting documents, including the registered marriage certificate and other documents specified in the applicable checklist.

The Consulate does not accept OCI Personal Particulars Updation applications directly. Applications must be submitted through VFS Global: https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/apply-oci-services

Q. Are foreign military or police personnel of Indian origin eligible for registration as OCI cardholders?

A: No. Foreign military or police personnel, whether serving or retired, are not eligible for registration as OCI cardholders.

An OCI cardholder who subsequently joins a foreign military or police service must immediately surrender the OCI Card to the concerned Indian Mission/Post or the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), as applicable.

Q. What benefits are available to an OCI cardholder?

A: Subject to the applicable laws and regulations, an OCI cardholder is entitled to the following principal benefits:

• Multiple-entry, lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose, subject to obtaining prior permission for specified activities;

• Exemption from registration with the FRRO/FRO for any length of stay in India, subject to applicable reporting requirements;

• Parity with Indian nationals regarding domestic airfares and entry fees for national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments, historical sites and museums;

• Parity with Non-Resident Indians in specified matters, including inter-country adoption, admission against NRI or supernumerary seats, purchase or sale of immovable property other than agricultural land, farmhouse or plantation property, and pursuit of certain recognised professions; and

• Such other benefits as may be notified by the Government of India.

Q. What rights and benefits are not available to an OCI cardholder?

A: An OCI cardholder is not entitled:

• To vote in India;

• To be a member of a Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council or Parliament;

• To hold constitutional posts such as President, Vice-President, Judge of the Supreme Court or Judge of a High Court;

• To appointment to public services or posts connected with the affairs of the Union or a State, except where specifically permitted by the Central Government; or

• To acquire agricultural land, farmhouse or plantation property in India.

An OCI cardholder requires prior permission or a special permit, as applicable, to:

• Undertake research;

• Undertake missionary, mountaineering or journalistic activities;

• Undertake an internship in a foreign diplomatic mission or foreign government organisation in India;

• Take up employment in a foreign diplomatic mission in India; or

• Visit a Protected, Restricted or Prohibited Area.

Q. Can a foreign national who is not independently eligible for OCI apply on the basis of marriage to an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder?

A: Yes. A foreign-origin spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder may apply for registration as an OCI cardholder if:

• The marriage has been legally registered;

• The marriage has subsisted continuously for at least two years immediately preceding the date of application;

• The applicant satisfies the prescribed eligibility conditions; and

• The applicant receives the required prior security clearance from the competent authority in India.

Registration as an OCI cardholder is not automatic merely because the applicant is married to an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder.

Q. Are minor children eligible for registration as OCI cardholders?

A: A minor foreign-national child is eligible to apply for registration as an OCI cardholder if both parents are Indian citizens or if either parent is an Indian citizen.

A minor may also qualify based on Indian ancestry under another prescribed eligibility category. All applications are subject to the eligibility conditions prescribed under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Q. Is a civilian government servant working in a Ministry of Defence as an IT engineer or civil contractor eligible for an OCI Card?

A: No.

Q. Who can use OCI Miscellaneous Services?

A: OCI Miscellaneous Services are available only to existing OCI cardholders for services permitted under the prevailing OCI guidelines.

The applicable submission procedure depends on the service required. Certain updation services are completed entirely online, while OCI Personal Particulars Updation applications must be submitted through VFS Global.

Q. For what purposes can OCI updation or miscellaneous services be used?

A: Depending on the nature of the request, an existing OCI cardholder may use the applicable OCI service for:

• Updation of particulars following issuance of a new passport;

• Change of name, date of birth, place of birth or nationality;

• Correction of errors in the existing OCI record;

• Change of address or occupation;

• Updation of the registered email address; or

• Other services permitted under the prevailing OCI guidelines.

OCI Passport Updation is an online-only service and does not require submission of documents through VFS Global or directly to the Embassy/Consulate.

Applications involving a change or correction of personal particulars must be submitted under OCI Personal Particulars Updation through VFS Global.

Q. I have recently obtained a new passport. What action am I required to take regarding my OCI?

A: Whenever an OCI cardholder obtains a new passport, the particulars of the new passport must be updated online through the OCI Services Portal within three months from the date of issue of the passport.

If the personal particulars in the new passport, such as name, date of birth, place of birth or nationality, differ from those recorded in the OCI, the applicant must apply for OCI Personal Particulars Updation through VFS Global.

Q. I am a person of Indian origin. My parents were born in undivided India but, after Partition, briefly held Pakistani citizenship before moving to the United States. Am I eligible for an OCI Card?

A: No. A person is not eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder if the applicant, or either of the applicant’s parents, grandparents or great-grandparents, is or had at any time been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh.

The duration for which Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizenship was held does not affect this ineligibility.

Q. What should I do if my physical OCI Card has been lost or damaged?

A: An existing OCI cardholder may generate and download an e-OCI Card through the OCI Services Portal: https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/

If the applicant is unable to access the OCI record, the applicant should use the Email ID Updation facility available under OCI Miscellaneous Services or contact the Indian Mission/Post responsible for processing the OCI record.

Q. Will I receive a new physical OCI Card after my updation application is approved?

A: No. A new physical OCI Card will not be issued. After approval, the updated particulars will be reflected in the applicant’s OCI record. The applicant may access and download the e-OCI Card through the OCI Services Portal.

Q. Whom should I contact if the required information is not available on the website?

A: For applications pertaining to the Consulate General of India, Atlanta, queries may also be sent to:

oci.atlanta@mea.gov.in

Applicants should provide their full name, passport number and OCI application registration number/ARN, as applicable, to facilitate examination of the query.