Foreign-origin spouse eligible for OCI card

New Delhi, October 23

To make life easy for foreign-origin spouses of any Indian nationals or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, the government has changed the rules to make such individuals avail the same card, which entitles them multiple-entry, multi-purpose, life-long visa for visiting the country.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while notifying the new facility to foreign-origin spouses of Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, also simplified the process of renunciation of Indian citizenship, providing relief to Indians who have applied for foreign passports.

In the notification, the MHA said a person, who is a foreign-origin spouse of a citizen of India or of an OCI cardholder, and who fulfils the laid-down conditions would be eligible to apply for registration as OCI cardholder, who otherwise till now was not eligible for this facility.

A registered OCI is granted multiple-entry, multi-purpose, life-long visa for visiting India. He or she is exempted from registration with Foreign Regional Registration Officer or Foreign Registration Officer for any length of stay in India, an MHA official said. — TNS