India tightens OCI card cancellation rules: Criminals not welcome back home

India Govt tightens OCI rules: India will now cancel OCI cards if holders face at least two years' jail or are charge-sheeted for offences carrying seven years or more in prison

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards will now be cancelled if the holder is sentenced to at least two years in prison or named in a charge sheet for an offence carrying a punishment of seven years or more, according to a new government notification.

 

The home ministry announced the change through a gazette notification issued under clause (da) of section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

 

“An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration shall be liable to get cancelled when a person has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years or has been charge-sheeted for an offence entailing punishment of imprisonment for seven years or more,” the notification read.

 

Applies to offences in India or abroad

 

Home ministry officials told news agency ANI that the provision will apply whether the conviction happens in India or overseas, as long as the offence is recognised under Indian law.

 

“This move strengthens the legal framework around OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status, which grants specific rights and privileges to foreign citizens of Indian origin,” said the official.

 

What is an OCI card?

 

The OCI scheme was introduced in August 2005 for people of Indian origin who were citizens of India on January 26, 1950, or became eligible for citizenship on that date. It excludes current or former citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, or any other country notified by the government.

 

The card, which resembles a passport, allows multiple entries and indefinite stay in India. It removes the requirement for police registration, regardless of the length of stay, and offers parity with Non-Resident Indians in areas such as financial, economic, and educational access—excluding ownership of agricultural land.

 

However, it does not confer Indian citizenship. OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) holders cannot vote, hold public office, or apply for certain government jobs.

 

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about five million OCI cardholders worldwide.