The Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card services offer a very convenient and long term visa rights and other privileges to the card holders. In general, persons who are of Indian origin are entitled to this card.
Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Card
If you (or your parents or grandparents) were originally from India, you could be eligible to obtain an OCI card. Once you become an OCI card holder, you are granted multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India with exemption from registration for any length of stay in India. In addition, you will have right to be at par with other Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for pursuing profession in India such as doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, advocates, architects and chartered accountants, or to appear for the All India Pre-medical Test or similar tests.
OCI holders may travel to India at any time, throughout life, without having to apply for a visa. to get more details about the OCI card, you may visit visit http://mha1.nic.in/foreigDiv/OCI.html . You may also like to go through a detailed brochure about the OCI card on http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/oci-brochure.pdf
The holding of an OCI card does not prejudice your status as the citizen of Algeria.
You can then proceed to your OCI electronic application on the MHA website.
To apply for an OCI card, click on:
http://passport.gov.in/oci/
http://mha.nic.in
Fee for OCI services
The Government of India has introduced additional security checks before granting the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards. The newly introduced verification steps are undertaken at New Delhi. These take about a month to complete and cannot be fast-tracked. Therefore, the OCI card cases will now take about 8 weeks to complete. Applicants may please keep this in mind while applying for the OCI card and deciding their travel plans. Applicants will be required to produce the original Algerian passport at a later stage when the 'Life Long Visa Sticker' is received by us from India. In case, any applicant needs to visit India while his OCI application is under process, he can apply for appropriate Indian visa on his Algerian passport on payment of usual fee applicable.
Information for existing OCI card holders
Although the OCI Card is a life long visa card, the Card and the Life Long Visa sticker that comes with it must be replaced each time a new passport is issued up to the completion of 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. This is required as both these documents contain photo of the Card holder which needs to be renewed.
OCI card holders traveling to India must carry the Passport containing Life Long Visa sticker as well as the OCI Card. When the OCI card holder obtains a new passport, he MUST carry the passport containing U Visa sticker, new passport and the OCI card {total three documents} for visiting India. ALTERNATIVELY, he can apply for a new Life Long Visa sticker for the new passport after paying the requisite fee.
For getting service of change of photograph or in case of loss of the OCI card, you will need to apply at https://passport.gov.in/oci/OnlineOCIMiscMain.jsp While filling in the details at this link, please ensure that you fill in the details of your existing OCI card EXACTLY as printed on your card. Even a slight variation in the spelling or entries will result in the computer responding "Record not Found" and you will not be able to proceed further.
OCI Eligibility Criteria
A foreign national who was eligible to become a citizen of India
India on 26.01.1950,or was a citizen of India on or at any time after 26.01.1950, or belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947 and his / her children and grandchildren, are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), provided his / her country of citizenship allows dual citizenship in some form or other under the local laws. The minor children of such persons are also eligible for OCI. a person, who is a minor child, and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder registered under section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application under this section: Provided that for the eligibility for registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder, such spouse shall be subjected to prior security clearance from a competent authority in India.
Note:
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No person, who is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder.OCI card should not be granted to minor children whose one parent is eligible for OCI card, if the other parent is or was ever a Pakistani or Bangladesh national.
Checklist of Documents required with OCI Application
The following is a list of basic documents to be submitted in cases (fresh OCI applications/re-issue or transfer of OCI application). The high commission reserves the right to call for additional documents, as considered necessary.
1. Algerian Passport - Current passport which has validity of at least 6 months.
2. Previous Indian Passport(s)
i. In case of an unmarried applicant, an undertaking regarding his/her marital status.
ii. In case of a married applicant, landing passport of the spouse is required even if the spouse is not applying for OCI.
iii. In case if minor children born outside Algeria, landing passports of both the parents are required even if they are not applying for OCI.
iv. In case of applicants who are born in Algeria and have acquired Algerian citizenship by birth, their birth certificate showing both the parent's name is required in lieu of their landing papers.
3. Proof of Renunciation of Indian Citizenship and Surrender Certificate
4. Confirmation of Permanent Residence
5. Citizenship Certificate
6. Marriage Certificate
7. PIO Cardholders
8. OCI Card(s)
9. Copy of Naturalization certificate
10. Copy of full version birth certificate if the applicant is a minor or the applicant is born outside India
11. Proof of legal status
12. Meaning of self-attestation: Write on the photocopy of the document ,"This is a true copy of the original", and sign below it.
List of Original Documents Required with OCI Application
1. Algerian Passport - Current passport which has validity of at least 6 months. (Original passport will be returned after verifying the photocopy of the same at the time of submission of OCI application.)
2.Previous Indian Passport(s) - The passport on which the applicant entered Algeria (with the landing stamp put at the time of entry in Algeria) and the last Indian passport issued (before acquiring Algherian citizenship), which also needs to be surrendered before OCI process can be started. The details of surrender certificate may be seen in para 3 below.
In case of an unmarried applicant, an undertaking regarding his/her marital status.
In case of a married applicant, landing passport of the spouse is required even if the spouse is not applying for OCI.
In case if minor children born outside Algeria, landing passports of both the parents are required even if they are not applying for OCI.
In case of applicants who are born in Algeria and have acquired Algerian citizenship by birth, their birth certificate showing both the parent's name is required in lieu of their landing papers
In case the applicant does not have any Indian passport he/she can prove his/her Indian origin by submitting Indian passport of any one of his/her parents or grand-parents to prove his origin along with documents like birth/education* certificate etc. authenticated by the Ministry of External Affairs, as evidence of relationship with parent/grandparent of the applicant, should be submitted.
(*School Leaving Certificate, at least Secondary School onwards from required Board. Post dated school certificate /School Leaving Certificate from India should be authenticated by Director of Education/District Magistrate/District Collector of the area with name, stamp, seal and contract telephone numbers with area code for verification.)
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Application for registration as OCI cardholder in lieu of the PIO card online, the date for submission of online applications by the erstwhile PIO cardholders with valid PIO cards has been extended till 31.12.2016. All PIO cardholders are advised to submit the applications online by 31.12.2016.
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The OCI card is a smart card which will facilitate quicker immigration clearance at the ICPs and also for obtaining various Consular services from the Indian Missions. Further, for those residing in India, it will facilitate in availing various services in India.
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PIO card holders should apply at the location where the PIO card was issued.
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The grant of OCI card in lieu of PIO card will be on gratis basis, the applicants may have to bear only the postage charges and service fee wherever application.
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All applications for fresh registration as OCI cardholder from the spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder registered under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 shall be submitted only on the online system.
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If a foreign national gets remarried to another foreigner, the OCI card will be immediately cancelled. In case of re-marriage to another citizen of India or an OCI cardholder, the person concerned will have to submit fresh application for grant of OCI card.
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The foreign national children of such Indian national who is no more will be entitled to OCI card as per section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 on the basis of their Indian origin, such children holding PIO card will also be eligible to apply for OCI card in lieu of the PIO card.
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The foreign national spouse of a PIO / OCI cardholder, whose parents/grandparents are / were of Indian origin will also be eligible for OCI card as per section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 based on his/her Indian origin.
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A person holding any type of visa with 3 months validity as on the date of application for OCI card can submit his / her application for registration as OCI cardholder.
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No fee will be levied in cases where the applicant wishes to change the personal particulars viz., passport particulars, address, occupation etc while submitting the application for OCI card in lieu of PIO card.
