Overseas Citizen of India : In News
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation launched the new Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Portal in New Delhi recently.
- The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme was introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955, in August 2005.
- The Central Government may, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed, on an application made in this behalf, register as an OCI a foreign national
- who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, 26th January, 1950;
- who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January, 1950;
- who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947;
- who is a child or a grandchild or a great grandchild of such a citizen;
- who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above;
- who is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India – is eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder.
- Besides, a spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or a spouse of foreign origin of an OCI Cardholder 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 is also eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder.
- However, no person who or either of whose parents or grandparents or great-grandparents 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 an OCI Cardholder.
- The foreigner has to be ordinarily resident of India to be eligible to apply for OCI registration in India.
- ‘Ordinarily resident’ will mean a person staying in a particular country or in India for a continuous period of 6 months.
- The OCI cardholder professionals have the opportunity to pursue the profession in pursuance of the provisions contained in the relevant act, such as Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Pharmacists, Advocates, Architects and Chartered Accountants.
- However, these professionals are required to appear for the All India Pre-Medical test or any such other relevant test for eligibility towards admission in fulfilment of the provisions contained in the applicable act.
