What is OCI Card and application process; Check how to use OCI miscellaneous services

An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) is a person with Indian heritage, origin, or roots, or who was an Indian citizen before becoming a foreign national and now carries a foreign passport. An OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card allows an Indian citizen who holds a foreign passport, i.e., is currently a national of a foreign country, a multi-purpose, multi-entry lifelong visa to India.

Go to the OCI registration page. Fill in personal details exactly as they appear on your passport. Complete the captcha and submit. Verify your email/mobile using the OTP sent to you. After registration, log in to the portal, fill in all required details about your identity, current nationality, passport information, and Indian origin and scan documents and make payment.

Only a registered Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder can avail the OCI Miscellaneous Services.

OCI Miscellaneous Services can be availed only by the registered OCI cardholders for re-issuance/issuance of duplicate OCI documents in the following contingencies: (i) In case of issuance of new passport. (ii) In case of change of personal particulars viz. nationality etc. (iii) In case of loss/damage of OCI registration certificate. (iv) In case of filling of wrong personal particulars while submitting online applications viz. name, father"s name, date of birth etc., (v) In case of manually filled in applications (discontinued now) mistakes have been committed by the Indian Mission/Post/Office while entering the personal particulars. (vi) In case of change of address/occupation.

Applicants have to submit the application form online and upload all the requisite documents (self attested), photograph and signature along with the application. After submission of the complete application online including documents, photograph and signature, the original of the supporting documents have to be submitted to the Indian Mission/ Post/ FRRO concerned for prior verification. For details of offices where the applicants have to submit the original supporting documents for prior verification, please see “Addresses of offices to file OCI Miscellaneous Service applications”.

The fee is US $25 or equivalent in local currency for re-issuance of OCI documents. In case of issuance of duplicate OCI documents (for loss/damage of old documents), the fee is US $100 or equivalent in local currency. In case of application filed in India, the fee is Rs.1,400 for re-issuance of OCI Card & in case of issuance of duplicate OCI Card (for loss/damage of OCI) the fee is Rs.5,500.