Government's big gift to Indians around the world! With the no longer having to carry a passport while traveling, this rule has changed
Now OCI i.e. Overseas Citizen of India cardholders do not need to bring their old passport with them while traveling.
According to a report, the central government has issued new guidelines on OCI. The Center has removed the compulsory clause of old passport in the new guideline extending the renewal period of OCI card till 31 December 2021. This decision will benefit millions of Indians. Now, foreign nationals of Indian origin will not have to return their passports after arriving at the airport and will also have to bother for emergency visas. It will also save you some extra money. It will also save time.
Learn what OCI is
Under the Constitution of India, Indians get dual citizenship. But Section 7B of the Citizenship Act 1955 gives some facilities to a special type of group, this special group is called OCI Overseas Citizens of India card holder. Simply put, an OCI card holder is a person of Indian descent. Who has acquired the citizenship of another country. OCI cardholder is valid for all countries except our neighbors Pakistan and Bangladesh.
India does not offer dual citizenship, so the OCI card holder is not a citizen of India. This facility is for citizens of the same countries where dual citizenship is provided.
One question that may be on your mind here is what is the difference between NRI and OCI? So let me tell you that an Indian person who has been abroad for at least 183 days in a financial year is called an NRI. The OCI card holder is not a citizen of India, while the NRI is a citizen of India.
Passport
OCI cardholders do not have the right to vote in India. OCI has the right to vote. OCI cardholder cannot participate in any election. While the NRI can do this.
OCI card holders cannot even buy any agricultural land. While NRI can buy agricultural land. The OCI card holder does not have an Indian passport, while the NRI can buy agricultural land. The OCI card holder does not have an Indian passport, while the NRI has an Indian passport.
Let us tell you about the new decision of the government
According to a report, the OCI card contains the passport number of the citizen's own country. Due to this, OCI cardholders of Indian origin have to carry a passport along with the card on arrival in India from there so that the number can be obtained. Prior to that, all OCI cardholders had to carry a passport. It will not be needed anymore.
For the past several years these people have been constantly complaining about changing it. Because at the end of the passport period of these citizens became their new passports.
Now the old passports are usually not even kept by the people. While the government did not abolish the obligation to keep the old passport with it as it got the OCI number.
Hundreds of citizens of Indian descent had to return from the airport, usually because of the old passport requirement. Ticket cancellations, round trip expenses, wasted time and extra money in applying for an emergency visa also became a nuisance for those travelers.
So the central government has taken a big decision and issued a new rule. Also, the OCI card renewal period has now been extended to 31 December 2021.
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