Washington:
Indian-Americans have welcomed the Indian government’s choice to simplify the approach of keeping Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards, saying more overseas citizens will now opt for this kind of residency.
The OCI cardholders will now be needed to get their document re-issued only as soon as at the age of 20 rather of numerous instances necessary to be performed at present, according to the Indian Union Home Ministry.
“This will remove the confusion to many OCI cardholders on the process of renewing the card at the age of 20 and 50 and one doesn’t have to go through the whole OCI card renewal process again,” Dr Thomas Abraham chairman of the Global organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) told PTI on Thursday.
“This will also encourage more overseas Indians to become OCIs and it will benefit India, through their travel, business and investment in India,” he mentioned.
Highly well-known amongst overseas Indians, the OCI card offers extended term visa-no cost travel and keep in India and offers the cardholders a host of privileges ordinarily not offered to a foreign national. So far India has issued about 37.72 lakh OCI Cards.
The prior provision of OCI card holders beneath 20 years of age and above 50 years of age requiring to re-apply for a fresh OCI card every single time their passport was renewed was causing a lot of anxiousness and travel turbulence to persons of Indian origin.
“With a view to facilitate the OCI cardholders, it has now been decided by the Government of India to dispense with this requirement,” the Union Home Ministry mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
A particular person who has got registration as an OCI cardholder prior to attaining the age of 20 years will have to get the OCI card re-issued only as soon as when a new passport is issued just after his/her finishing 20 years of age, so as to capture his/ her facial capabilities on attaining adulthood.
If a particular person has obtained registration as an OCI cardholder just after attaining the age of 20 years, there will be no requirement of re-concern of the OCI card.
“With a view to update the data regarding new passports obtained by the OCI cardholder, it has been decided that he/she shall upload a copy of the new passport containing his/her photo and also a latest photo on the online OCI portal, each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within 3 months of receipt of the new passport,” the government statement mentioned.
“OCI process simplification guidelines, issued today (Thursday), truly make OCI a life-long visa. Previously, it was just a long-term visa,” New York-based social activist Prem Bhandari mentioned.
“Travellers with valid OCI, but renewed passports were denied boarding. The excruciating difficulties NRIs have gone through due to the tedious OCI renewal process after getting a passport renewed, are resolved once for all,” Bhandari mentioned.
At the very same time, the GOPIO urged the Indian government to take methods to address other challenges of the overseas Indian neighborhood as properly.
“GOPIO strongly urges the government to treat OCI cardholders who have invested in the business and creating jobs in India at par with Indian citizens and they shouldn”t be termed as foreign nationals by various government oagencies while doing business including manufacturing and research in India,” Dr. Abraham mentioned
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