MHA Says Foreign Origin Spouse Can Now Have Overseas Citizen of India Card

Foreigners married to Indian origin people or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders can now opt for privileged Overseas Indian Origin Card which will give them multiple entries and life-long visa to India, according to an official notification.

The ministry has also simplified the process of giving up Indian citizenship for citizens who are opting for foreign passports.

According to Ministry of Home Affairs, foreign origin spouses of an Indian citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder registered under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years, are eligible for registering as Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

The ministry said that OCI card holders can retain the benefits of multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose as well as exempted from registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) for as long as they stay.

Moreover, registered OCI card holders are in parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial, and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties. Registered Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder shall be treated at par with Non-Resident-Indians in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children, the notification said.

Notably, registered OCI Cardholders will be charged the same entry fee as domestic Indian visitors to visit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India.

Last month, the Delhi High Court had asked the Indian government to inform in advance all Overseas Citizens of India card holders and foreigners if they are blacklisted or barred from entering India. The court called the practice of informing people about them being denied entry at the last minute as “disturbing and unreasonable.”

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said that several cases were being filed in the high court because of foreigners or OCI card holders not being permitted entry into India when they arrive here, PTI reported. The “disturbing feature” in each case was that, despite having a valid visa, none of them had any prior intimation that they were blacklisted, he added, according to the report.