OCI card should be renewed each time you change your passport, says High Commission and VFS

LONDON March 25: The rules associated with the Overseas Citizenship of India card is now been strictly enforced at the ariline check-in counter in the UK and the port of arrival in India. The rules were always there from 2015, but were never strictly enforced and no one has been denied entry to India for not adhering the OCI rules.

However, the airlines are now making strict checks on these rules at the time of check-in. In some cases, they have been contacting the immigration department at the destination airport in India before admitted on to the aircraft.

Although you may have an OCI card it’s not enough. Please read the following examples for a person aged 50 and for a person below 20 and be aware the rules more and ensure that you have all the valid documents before you set out for your journey.

If you had secured the OCI Card between the age of 20 and 50 and your British Passport runs out between these ages then you DO NOT need to request for a reissuance of OCI Card (OCI Registration Certificate). Ensure you obtain a new and valid British Passport and have it during journey.

When you travel to India you need to ensure that you carry the old British Passport (Cancelled) too as the OCI card you are carrying has this Passport Number in it. Therefore, you should have the Old British Passport (Cancelled), the OCI Card and the New and Valid British Passport.

If you now have reached the age of 50 and had your British Passport changed since you secured the OCI card then you will have to secure a new OCI Card. If you have reached 50 years of age then you need to request for an OCI Card only once.

The Indian government says that this is in view of biological changes in the face of the applicant. However, if the OCI card was issued to you at the age of 50 years or after, then there is no need for re-issuance of OCI.

If you have reached 50 and if your British passport hasn’t expired (since you obtained the OCI Card) then you can continue with the existing OCI Card. You need to secure a new OCI card only when you have reached the age of 50 and when your present British Passport has expired.

As long as your OCI card still has a valid British Passport number the card remains valid you can travel. However, the day when your British Passport expires and you have reached the age of 50 then this OCI card becomes invalid and you will have to request for a new OCI Card and get the new Passport Number entered onto the new OCI Card.

The immigration authorities will need you to provide the British Passport and the OCI Card which will have the new British Passport number. The immigration authorities have done away with the ‘U’ Visa Sticker. This is now not required on the British Passport on issuance of a new OCI Card.

Re-issuance of OCI Card is mandatory every time passport is renewed up to the age of 20 years. If you are below the age of 20 and had your British Passport changed since you secured the OCI card then you will have to secure a new OCI Card. The Indian government says that this is in view of biological changes in the face of the applicant. However, if the OCI card was issued to you at the age of 21 years, there is no need for re-issuance of OCI until the age of 50.

If you have reached 20 and if your British passport hasn’t expired (since you obtained the OCI Card) then you can continue with the existing OCI Card. You need to secure a new OCI card only when you have renewed your passport when you were below 20 or reached the age of 20.

As long as your OCI card still has a valid British Passport number the card remains valid you can travel. However, the day when your British Passport expires and you are below 20 years old then this OCI card becomes invalid and you will have to request for a new OCI Card and get the new Passport Number entered onto the new OCI Card.

OCI registration certificate (OCI Card) has to be re-issued each time a new passport is issued up to the completion of 20 years of age and Once after the completion of 50 years of age in view of biological changes in the face of the applicant. Reissuance of OCI registration certificate is not required if you are aged between 21 and 50 years of age. However, if the applicant wishes to obtain a new set of OCI documents, he/she can apply for the same. A new OCI Registration Certificate (OCI Card) would be issued after surrender of the old OCI documents. The life Long Visa Sticker process has been discontinued by Government of India.

Applicants are required to carry Valid OCI Card with current foreign passport (endorsed on the OCI Booklet) whenever travelling to India.

All immigration authorities in India will not insist on production of the foreign passport containing the ‘U’ Visa Sticker in the case of OCI Cardholders while they enter / exit India and the immigration clearance will be granted based on production of the ‘OCI CARD ONLY’.

If you are a person below the age of 20 and above the age of 50 and had your passport renewed after obtaining the OCI card then you should have had a new OCI Card. If you don’t have one and if you need to travel to India on a short notice then the only option is to secure an e-Visa.

e-Visa is a facility launched by the government of India for foreigners travelling to India for the purpose of Tourism, Business or short term medical treatment.

Passengers must have a valid passport and a print out of the Visa approval letter sent to their email before leaving the respective country they are travelling from.

Services of e-Visa involves completely online application made by the applicant for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary or agents.

Do not share your personal information with any unauthorized website as it may lead to your personal data piracy. Only visit Government of India website.

For any clarification or doubt, you may email i.e. indiatvoa@gov.in.

Step 1: Apply online (Upload Photo and Passport Page)

Step 2: Pay visa fee online (Using Credit / Debit card)

Step 3: Receive e-Visa Online (e-Visa Will be sent to your e-mail)

Step 4: Fly To India (Print e-Visa and carry at the time of travel)