Consulate General of India Vancouver,BC,CanadaOfficial Website of Consulate General of India,Vancouver

Q: How to apply for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card?

A: Any eligible person can submit an application for registration as OCI Cardholder on the online system by log in on https://ociservices.gov.in/. 

Detailed procedure to submit OCI application may be seen at our website at link https://www.cgivancouver.gov.in/pages/NjEz.   

Q: I have recently acquired a new passport; do I need to re-issue my OCI card?

A: 

i.    Infant to completion of 20 years: Re-issuance of OCI is NOT required; only new passport details and new photo has to be updated/uploaded on OCI portal each time a new passport is issued.

ii.     After completion of 20 years: Re-issuance of OCI is required once on acquiring a new passport after completing 20 years.

iii.   50 Years and above: Re-issuance of OCI is NOT required; only new passport details and new photo has to be updated/uploaded on OCI portal  once after acquiring a new passport after turning 50.

iv.    OCI obtained on spouse basis: In case of those who has obtained OCI card as spouse of citizen of India or an Indian origin OCI cardholer, in such cases foreign spouse shall upload a copy of the new passport; a latest photograph; declaration of subsisting of marriage by both applicant and his/her Indian origin spouse; copy of Indian passport of Indian spouse/Passport and OCI card of the Indian origin OCI cardholder. 

For updation/re-issue please apply online OCI Miscellaneous services at https://ociservices.gov.in/.  

Updation should be done within 3 months of receipt of new passport by OCI cardholder. This service will be provided on gratis basis.

Q: I am a person of Indian origin as my parents were born in undivided India before partition. After partition, they briefly held Pakistani citizenship before moving to the Canada or any foreign country. Am I eligible for an OCI card?

A: No. If the applicant, or his/her parents or grand-parents have ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, he/she will not be eligible for an OCI card.

Q: Is a Renunciation Certificate compulsory before I apply for an OCI Card? 

A: Yes, a Renunciation Certificate is compulsory before applying for an OCI card. For more information lease visit link https://www.cgivancouver.gov.in/pages/NjI0.   

Q: Is a surrender of Indian Voter ID and Ration Card is compulsory before I apply for an OCI Card? 

A: Yes. It is mandatory to surrender Indian Voter ID and Ration Card to the concerned authorities in India on acquiring any foreign nationality by an Indian citizen. The Consulate would not be able to assist in the process of surredering of Indian Voter ID and Ration Card. You may check with concerned authorities in India for surrendering of Indian Voter ID (https://voters.eci.gov.in) and Ration Card (Food and Civil Supplies Department of your concerned state in India). 

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

A: Yes, the spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder registered under section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application, can apply for an OCI card. Minor children whose both parents are citizens of India or one of whose parents is/was a citizen of India are eligible to apply for an OCI Card.

Q: Are foreign Military/Police personnel of Indian origin eligible for OCI cards?

A: No person who has earlier served in a foreign Military/Police organization is eligible for an OCI card. However, spouse and children are eligible for an OCI card. 

Q. I had joined foreign Military/Police service after obtaining OCI card. Can I retain my OCI card?

A: No.OCI cardholder shall immediately surrender his/her OCI card to the nearest Indian Mission/Post/FRRO office on joining Military/Police service.

Q. Whether civil Govt. servant working in Ministry of Defence as IT engineers/civil contractors entitled for OCI?

A. No

Q. Are Minor children eligible for OCI Card?

A. Yes, minor children whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India are eligible for OCI Card. However, if any of the parent had ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, he/she will not be eligible for an OCI card.

Q) How to apply for OCI if I do not have a surrender/renunciation certificate and my old Indian passport is lost and I do not have a copy of the lost Indian passport?

A. If the applicant does not possess a copy of the lost passport and do not possess a Surrender/Renunciation certificate, then they will be required to apply for Nativity/Domicile Certificate from India. For this they will need to approach the local Government authorities in India and then get this certificate apostilled from Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. On the basis of apostilled nativity/domilicile certificate, you may apply for an OCI card. 

Q) The applicant is separated but not divorced. What are the requirements for applying for an OCI Card?

A) The applicant will have to choose the option ‘separated but not divorced’ and provide a copy of a separation order from a court. Please note that the court order must be from the country where the marriage was solemnized. eg. for a marriage solemnized in India, and Indian court order of separation is required.

The applicant will be required to enter the name of their separated spouse in the application form and also provide a copy of their separated spouse’s passport.

Q) Can a PIO Cardholder apply for OCI card?

A) Yes, provided he/she is otherwise eligible for grant of OCI like any other applicant.

Q) I have lost my OCI card. How do I apply for renewal of OCI?

A) Applicant is required to submit a copy of the police report carrying the details of the lost OCI card along with the OCI renewal application. Please bear in mind that the fee for renewal of OCI Card in lieu of a lost one is different than regular renewal fee. For more information, please visit https://www.cgivancouver.gov.in/pages/MTA1MQ,,.   

Q) My OCI card is damaged. Can I apply for a new OCI card?

A) Yes. Please apply under the OCI renewal procedure with fee applicable for damaged OCI renewal.

For more information, please visit https://www.cgivancouver.gov.in/pages/MTA1MQ,,.

Q) Can a person registered as an OCI travel to Protected Area/Restricted Area  without permission?

A) No. He/she will be required to seek Protected Area Permit (PAP)/Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for such visits.

Q) Would the Indian civil/criminal laws be applicable to persons registered as OCI?

A) Yes, for the period OCI card holder is living in India.

Q) Can a person registered as an OCI be granted Indian citizenship?

A) Yes. As per the provisions of section 5(1) (g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, a person who is registered as an OCI for 5 years and is residing in India for 1 year out of the above 5 years, is eligible to apply for Indian Citizenship.

Q: What are the benefits available to an OCI Card holder?

A: An OCI card holder gets the following benefits:

A multiple entry, multi-purpose life-long visa for visiting India.

Exemption from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India.

Parity with Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of economic, financial and educational fields as per the relevant Acts, except in relation to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

OCI can be used as identity proof for application of PAN Card and driving license as well as for opening a bank account if the OCI card holder is residing in India.

Q: What are the benefits to which an OCI card holder is NOT entitled to?

A: The OCI Card holder is not entitled:

• to vote;
• to be a member of a Legislative Assembly or of a Legislative Council or of the Parliament of India;
• to hold Indian constitutional posts such as that of the President, Vice President, Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court etc.;
• He/she cannot normally hold employment in the Government
• to undertake any Missionary work, Tablighi, Mountaineering and Journalism without prior permission of the Govt. of India;
• to undertake internship in any foreign Diplomatic Missions or foreign Government organisations in India or to take up employment in any foreign Diplomatic Missions in India without prior permission of the Govt. of India; 
• to visit any place which falls within the Protected or Restricted or prohibited areas as notified by the Central Government or competent authority without prior permission of the Govt. of India;

Q) If a person is already holding more than one nationality, can he/she apply for OCI?

A) Yes.

Q) Whether an OCI be entitled to apply for and obtain a normal Indian passport which is given to a citizen of India?

A) No. Indian Passports are given only to Indian citizen.

Q) Can a person renounce OCI?

A) Yes. He/she has to declare intention of renunciation in Form XXII to the Indian Mission/Post where OCI registration was granted. After receipt of the declaration, the Indian Mission/Post/FRROs shall issue an acknowledgement in Form XXII A. Once OCI is renounced, all OCI cardholders who have obtained OCI card on the basis of his/her OCI shall deemed to be renounced their respective OCIs. All such OCI cards have to be surrendered to the Consulate for cancellation.

Q) Can an OCI holder undertake Research work in India?

A) Yes, after getting prior approval/special permission from MHA. He/she has to apply for special permission through https://ociservices.gov.in/. 

Q: How to check status of my OCI application?

A:  OCI status may be checked at https://ociservices.gov.in/statusEnqury. 

Q) What are the consequences of furnishing wrong information or suppressing material information?

A) All the applications will be subject to pre or post enquiry depending on whether any adverse information is voluntarily reported in the application or not. If the Government comes to the know that any false information was furnished or material information was suppressed, the registration as OCI already granted shall be cancelled by an order under section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955. The persons will also be blacklisted thereby banning his/her entry into India.