Overview
- The Home Ministry, which notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 on Thursday, made OCI applications mandatory on ociservices.gov.in with immediate effect.
- The rules introduce an electronic OCI option so applicants may receive a digital registration or a physical card, with online document filing and a central registry kept electronically.
- A new proviso states that a minor who holds an Indian passport cannot at any time hold a passport from another country.
- Applicants must now consent to the use of their biometrics for the Fast Track Immigration Programme, enabling possible automatic enrollment in future services.
- Renunciation and cancellation move online, with physical cards required to be surrendered and cancellations recorded even if cards are not returned, while OCI remains a lifelong visa scheme without political rights and excludes those with links to Pakistan or Bangladesh.