• June 6, 2020

Relaxation in OCI Guidelines for OCI cardholders younger than 20 and older than 50 years till Dec 31, 2020

Relaxation in OCI Guidelines for OCI cardholders younger than 20 and older than 50 years till Dec 31, 2020
By A Staff Reporter
LONDON June 6: In December 2019, India’s Home Ministry issued an official memorandum directing the relevant government agencies and airlines that OCI cardholders younger than 20 and older than 50 years of age who have renewed their passport must get their OCI cards linked to the new documents. They were given time till June 30, 2020 to renew their OCI card.
Indian-Americans wrote to the Indian government that June 30 is not enough time due to the restrictions put at the time of the Covid pandemic.New York-based Bhandari, who last year took up the matter, said in his latest communique to the Indian government:

“My humble request to you is to extend the date of renewal of OCI cards till December 31, 2020 such that the Non-Resident Indian/Person of Indian Origin community has enough time to understand the new requirement and renew their OCI cards.”

Following this, the Indian government discussed the matter and relaxed the OCI guidelines till 31st December 2020, according to a news release by the Indian Embassy in Washington following a memorandum issued by India’s

Ministry of Home Affairs on 22nd May 2020.

The official memorandum read as below:

“With a view to avoid inconvenience to such OCI cardholders, it has been decided, with the approval of the competent authority, to grant extension of time till December 31, 2020 to get their OCI cards re-issued.

“As and when prohibition on international air travel is lifted by the Central Government and the status of OCI card as a lifelong visa for travel to/from India is restored, such OCI cardholders may be allowed to travel on the strength of their existing OCI cards bearing old passport number.

However, this will be subject to the OCI cardholder travel along with old and new passports and the OCI card having the old passport number”.

The memorandum asked all Indian missions/posts to issue Press Release covering the decision and also inform the airlines operating flights to India.