Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)

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Overseas Citizenship of India cards

Number of OCI cards issued till Aug 2013

No. of PIOs with overseas Indian citizenship card soars 10 fold

Himanshi Dhawan TNN

The Times of India 2013/08/09

New Delhi: India has been adding to its population not just within its territory but also outside the country. Over 2 lakh people of Indian origin have opted for the overseas citizenship of India (OCI) card every year since 2010 while 1 lakh OCI cards were issued in March-July 2013.

The largest group of overseas citizens of India is in the USA, which boasts of 5.2 lakh card holders, followed by the UK with 3.1 lakh people. Other countries that have a significant number of OCIs are Australia (1.3 lakh) and Canada (1.1 lakh). This means that roughly four out of every five OCIs live in one of these four countries.

OCI card members increased from 1.12 lakh in 2006-2007 to 12.52 lakh as on February 2013, growing more than ten-fold in just seven years. Between February and July 2013, the number of OCI card holders has gone up to 13.72 lakh. In addition, there are 11,672 applications under process in 107 Indian missions and posts across the world.

OCI BRIGADE

US | 5.2 lakh card holders UK | 3.1 lakh Australia | 1.3 lakh Canada | 1.1 lakh

Four out of every 5 OCI card holders live in one of these countries. In last 5 months alone, 1 lakh cards were issued

Saudi Arabia, which plays host to the largest number of overseas Indians, has only 968 OCIs registered. Pakistan has 2 OCIs, Nepal 6, Croatia 8 while Mali and Mongolia have one each. There are 4 OCIs in Libya and 19 in Cambodia, according to the data collated by the ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA). The card is not given to citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

OCI can’t be read as dual citizenship

However, overseas citizenship of India card (OCI) cannot be construed as “dual citizenship” as card holders do not have the right to vote, hold a constitutional post, run for elections or buy agricultural or plantation land. The scheme is open only for persons of Indian origin (PIOs) who were eligible or were already citizens of India as on January 26, 1950.

The OCI card provides multiple-entry, multi-purpose lifelong entry visa for visiting India and exemption from registration with local police authorities for any length of stay. It also allows parity with non-resident Indians with respect to economic, financial and educational fields, facilitates inter-country adoption of Indian children, allows opening of bank account in India and be charged the same entry fees as NRIs at national monuments, national parks and museums.

OCIs also get parity with non-resident Indians in respect of practicing professions in India like doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, advocates, architects and chartered accountantssubject to the relevant laws governing these professions.