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India tightens rules for overseas citizens
Officials have underscored that OCI is a privilege, not a legal entitlement.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 13, Aug 2025
- 11:57 EDT
- 29
OCI cards / MEA
The Indian government has moved to strengthen its Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) framework, introducing new provisions that allow cancellation of registration in cases involving serious criminal charges or convictions.
In a gazette notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that an OCI registration “shall be liable to get cancelled when a person has been sentenced to imprisonment for term of not less than two years or has been charge-sheeted for an offence entailing punishment of imprisonment for seven years or more.”
Also Read: India urges court to limit citizenship for children of overseas citizens
The provision applies regardless of whether the offence was committed in India or abroad, provided it is recognized under Indian law.
Officials have underscored that OCI is a privilege, not a legal entitlement, and must be safeguarded against misuse by individuals posing legal or security risks.
A total of 122 OCI registrations were cancelled between 2014 and 2023, followed by 57 in 2024 and another 15 by May 2025. The latest notification removes earlier time-based restrictions, allowing cancellations at any point in an OCI holder’s lifetime.
The OCI scheme, introduced in August 2005 and replacing the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) scheme in 2015, offers multiple-entry, lifelong visa benefits to eligible foreign nationals of Indian origin, excluding former citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries notified by the government.
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