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Polity & Governance
Pradeep Kumar

31/03/21 12:25 PM IST

OCI card holders need not carry old passports

In news
People of Indian origin and the Indian diaspora having Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards will not have to carry their old, expired passports for travel to India, as was required earlier, according to a government notification

OCI Card
  • The OCI card issued to people of Indian origin globally gives them almost all the privileges available to an Indian national, except for the right to vote, employment in government service and buying agricultural land.
  • The OCI card gives them a visa free travel to India.
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
  • It is a form of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses which allows them to live and work in India indefinitely.
  • Despite the name, OCI status is not citizenship and does not grant the right to vote in Indian elections or hold public office.
  • The Indian government can revoke OCI status in a wide variety of circumstances.
  • As of 2020, there are 6 million holders of OCI cards among the Indian Overseas diaspora.
  • The OCI scheme was introduced by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora.
  • It provides Overseas citizens many of the rights available to resident citizens.
  • OCI status is not available to anyone who has ever been a Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizen, or who is a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of such a person.
Source: The Hindu

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