1. PIO to OCI conversion:

After 31st December 2025, PIO (Person of Indian Origin) cards are not being considered as valid document for exit/entry into India. The service of conversion of PIO card into OCI card is discontinued after 31.12.2025. The PIO cardholder is required to submit a fresh application under the ‘New OCI Registration’ category by visiting https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/

2. Revised guidelines for re-issuance of OCI Cards and need to update details through OCI services portal on change of passport

Attention all Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders in the UK, the Indian government offers Miscellaneous Services for OCI cardholders for the reissuance of OCI Card or for updating their passport particulars in OCI. Details are as below:

(i) Reissuance of OCI Card (Paid Category):

An OCI Cardholder shall have to get the OCI Card re-issued once a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age. Under this category, the OCI Card holder shall fill an online application under OCI Misc services and submit it to the service provider (VFS) after taking prior appointment and paying applicable fee. In this category, a new OCI card will be issued to OCI Card holder.

(ii) Updating Passport particulars in OCI (gratis/non-paid category):

In other cases, where an OCI Cardholder has to update the OCI Card after issuance of new passport (except the first passport change on attaining 20 years of age), the OCI Card holder shall fill an online application under OCI Misc services. This needs to be submitted online only. A complete application under this category will be acknowledged by Indian Mission/Post/FRRO concerned and processed accordingly. In this category, existing OCI card remains valid and hence new OCI card is not issued.

3. Documents/certificates for OCI applicants under ‘Foreign Spouse Basis’ category:

Instead of apostilled Birth Certificate of foreign spouse and spouse’s parents/grandparents/great grandparents, now apostilled birth certificate of the foreign spouse confirming names of both parents, and any identity document issued by a government authority of applicant’s parents/grandparents/great grandparents, confirming their origin, are required.

Please Note:

Change/s in name (or correction in name), gender, nationality and correction in Date of birth, require availing paid service for issuance of duplicate OCI Card booklet. For more information please check - https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/

4. Cases of OCI applicants of Single parent:

In cases where the parents are legally divorced, legally separated or in cases of adoption or surrogacy by a single parent, in the application form for a minor child, the applicant may mention “None” or “Not Disclosed” in one of the mandatory field “Name of Father/Mother (as applicable)” so as to facilitate submission of OCI application in the case of a minor child by a single parent.

5. OCI cardholders are hereby informed of the limitations associated with status. OCI cardholders are not entitled to the following benefits:

• Voting Rights: OCI cardholders are not eligible to vote in Indian
• Holding Public Office: OCI cardholders cannot be members of the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, or Parliament.
• Constitutional Posts: OCI cardholders are not eligible to hold positions such as President, Vice President, Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court, and other constitutional posts.
• Public Services: OCI cardholders are not entitled to appointment to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or any State, except for special appointments specified by the Central Government.
• Agricultural Land: OCI cardholders cannot acquire agricultural land, farmhouses, or plantation properties in India.

OCI cardholders are advised to familiarize themselves with the rights and restrictions associated with their status to avoid any potential issues. Failure to comply with the above rules may result in the cancellation of the OCI card.

6. Clarification regarding Name Change / Discrepancy

1. In some cases of applications for OCI services, names of the applicants or parents do not match in different documents required for OCI services. Such a mismatch could be due to the use of different alphabets in the spellings of the names or there may be slight differences in the way the middle or family names are placed in different documents. Such cases are different from those which involve formal change of name.

2. OCI services, like all other Government-delivered services, especially identity-related are governed by the administrative procedures followed by the Government of India, wherein uniformity of name and spelling of names is a prerequisite in all kinds of documents.

3. Hence, in any case of different spellings of names, applicants must submit an affidavit issued by a UK Notary public explaining the cause for the difference / mismatch in the name(s) in different documents, additionally stating that all these documents relate to the same applicant. However, in cases where a name has been formally changed, applicants will have to submit the name change deed.