Eligibility Quiz
Have you, your parents, or your grandparents ever held citizenship of Pakistan or Bangladesh?
Requirements
Eligibility for OCI status is primarily based on your ancestral or marital connection to India. You may qualify if you fall into one of the following categories:
- Former Indian Citizens: You were a citizen of India on or after January 26, 1950, or were eligible to become one on that date.
- Territorial Connection: You belonged to a territory that became part of India after August 15, 1947.
- Descendants: You are the child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of an eligible Indian citizen.
- Minor Children: You are a minor child where one or both parents are Indian citizens or OCI cardholders.
- Spouses: You are the spouse of a foreign origin to an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder. Your marriage must be registered and have lasted for at least two continuous years immediately preceding your application.
Key Restrictions and Disqualifiers
- Nationality Bar: You are strictly ineligible for an OCI card if you, your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents are or were ever citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh.
- Military/Police Service: If you have served in a foreign military, police, or intelligence organization, your application will face heightened scrutiny and may be disqualified depending on your specific role and jurisdiction.
- Visa Status in India: You cannot apply for an OCI card while in India on a Tourist, Missionary, or Mountaineering visa. You must hold a long-term visa (valid for more than 180 days) to apply from within the country.
Conditions & Warnings
Citizens or descendants of citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh are strictly ineligible for OCI.
Applicants must obtain an Indian Passport Surrender Certificate before applying if they were previously Indian citizens.
OCI holders are prohibited from purchasing agricultural land, farmhouses, or plantation properties in India.
Special permission is required for research, missionary work, mountaineering, or journalistic activities.
Qualifications
No language proficiency is required for OCI applicants.
Fees
Standard fee for applications outside India. In India, the fee is ₹15,000. Excludes VFS service fees ($15–$30) and ICWF fee ($3–$5).