In this post, we will tell you about What is OCI card, its benefits, eligibility and much more. India is a vibrant nation where traditional and modern cultures coexist. This undoubtedly makes it the most popular tourist destination worldwide. Besides that, the old cultures and religions leave their imprint on every visitor here. In fact, every year, millions of foreign citizens visit India for tourism and business.
As we all know, travelers must have a visa to enter India. Besides that, there are some other requirements that need to be fulfilled before entering the country. To avoid unnecessary hassles, always enter the country through a convenient route and follow all the guidelines. Getting back to the point! Is it possible to travel to India without an OCI card? Well, you can enter India if you have a current OCI card and a valid passport from another country. Continue reading to know more details about OCI.
What Exactly Is An OCI Card?
OCI is an acronym that stands for Overseas Citizen of India Card. Furthermore, this card serves as a permanent visa to live or work in the country. An OCI is a multi-entry, multi-purpose travel document that eliminates the need for a tourist or business visa to enter the country. Similarly, you are not required to inform law enforcement officials of the length of your stay if you have this card. The cardholder will have the same rights as an Indian citizen. This includes investments in businesses such as agriculture and commercial real estate.
In other words, OCI cardholders are essentially considered to have the same rights as Indian citizens. Hope you now understand what is an OCI Card and what are the perks of having it in your name. On the other hand, in case you are traveling to India and finding cheap flights, you can get in touch with us. Our website has some great offers on Air tickets to India. In addition, you can check schedules and status for international arrivals and departures.
Validity Duration
It is a permanent visa; you just have to renew it on a regular basis. Additionally, spouses of OCI cardholders and spouses of Indian citizens who are foreign nationals can obtain OCI cards as well.
Renew Time
Once you’ve turned 20 or 50, you can only renew the OCI once. Those who obtain the OCI card before the age of 20 must have it reissued when they get a new passport. Perhaps this will be useful for entering the applicant’s information, including facial features.
Eligibility Requirements For OCI Cards
Except for residents of Pakistan and Bangladesh, all foreigners with valid passports are eligible to apply for OCI cards. Moreover, this is applicable if they can show proof of Indian origin or have a valid PIO card. The following individuals are eligible for an OCI card who:
- Are of Indian descent.
- Belonged to a territory that became Indian Territory after the country’s independence.
- Were eligible to become Indian citizens on January 26, 1950.
- Had Indian citizenship on or after January 26, 1950.
Advantages Of An OCI Card
We hope you understand what is OCI Card and its eligibility requirements. Let us now go over some of its benefits. The OCI card is extremely useful for foreign nationals who want to live in India but keep their citizenship in another country.
- Multiple-entries, multi-purpose, permanent visa for India.
- Exemption from the requirement to register as a foreigner in India for any length of stay.
- Economic, financial and educational equality with non-resident Indians (NRIs) .
- Equality for NRIs in intercountry adoption.
- Entry fees to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are equal to those of an Indian citizen.
- OCI cardholder professionals can practice their profession in accordance with the provisions of the relevant act such as Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Advocates, Architects and Chartered Accountants. However, to be eligible for admission, these professionals must pass All India Pre-Medical Test or any other pertinent exam as specified by the applicable act.
- Can serve as identity documentation when applying for a PAN card and a driver’s license.
- Offer OCI cardholders comparable domestic airfare charges as a resident Indian national.
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Documents Needed To Apply For An OCI Card
You must provide the following documents:
- Application form completed and signed.
- Evidence of current citizenship.
- Documentation proving that you, your parents, grandparents or great grandparents are Indian citizens.
- If the applicant’s origin is Indian, they must provide relationship proof in the form of a parent, grandparent or great grandparent when applying for an OCI card.
- Evidence as a foreign-born spouse of an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder.
- The applicant’s current passport-size photograph.
- Thumbprint and signature of the applicant.
Takeaway
We hope and believe that our blog post on What is OCI Card has given you plenty of knowledge on this particular topic. Apart from that, there are many benefits to an OCI card, such as it allows Multiple-entries, is multi-purpose and a lifelong visa for India for any length of time and for any reason. Persons having an OCI card are not required to report to the police for the duration of their stay. To enter India, a passport holder of Indian ancestry needs to have an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. You can apply for an OCI card online through OCI Services. Talking about the validity, an OCI card is valid for ten years from the date of issue.
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