'U' visa will be moved to OCI Card from passport

Modification of the OCI card scheme - Dispensing with 'U' Visa sticker - January 29, 2015

1. This Consulate has been informed by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India on 29th January, 2015 that the Central Government has vide Notice No. 26011/06/2015 – OCI dated 29th January, 2015 had issued instructions dispensing with the requirement of 'U' visa sticker on the foreign passport of an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder with immediate effect and modifying the OCI registration certificate with an endorsement "Visa validity - Lifelong".

2. As per procedure till date, the OCI documents consisted of an OCI Registration Booklet and a multiple lifelong 'U' (Universal) Visa sticker which was pasted on the foreign passport of applicants eligible for issue of an OCI card. It was mandatory for registered OCIs to carry their passports containing 'U' visa and the OCI registration certificate for entry into/ exit from India.

3. From now on, registered OCI cardholders would carry their valid foreign passport and the OCI Registration Certificate for entry/exit from India. Immigration authorities in the Immigration Checkposts (ICPs) have been requested not to insist on production of the foreign passport containing the 'U' visa sticker in the case of OCI cardholders while they enter/exit India and the immigration clearance may be granted based on production of the OCI card and a valid passport.

4. All existing OCI cardholders and new applicants for an OCI card are requested to take note of the aforementioned changes.

5. OCI cardholders who have lost their passports containing the 'U' Visa are not required to apply for a re-issue of OCI card under 'lost/stolen' category.

6. Till further notice, it is mandatory for the following categories of applicants to seek re-issue of OCI registration certificate under OCI miscellaneous services:

who are 20 years of age or younger, OCI registration certificate must be re-issued each time a new passport is issued;

who are 50 years of age or older, OCI registration certificate must be re-issued once after the issuance of a new passport.

7. The following categories of applicants are not mandated to seeking re-issue of OCI Registration Certificate each time a new passport is issued:

If the OCI registration certificate is issued for the first time after the age of 50 years, then there is no need for re-issuance of OCI;

For an applicant who is 21 to 49 years of age, there is no need to re-issue OCI registration certificate.

8. In case of queries, applicants/existing cardholders may send an email to the following for clarification:-