India shifts Overseas Citizen of India rules to digital platform on April 30

What the 2026 amendment changes

India's Ministry of Home Affairs notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 on April 30, 2026, moving nearly all Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) processes onto a digital platform. New registrations under section 7A now use Form XXVIII filed through the official OCI portal and authorities must maintain OCI records electronically.

The rules introduce an electronic OCI option, letting cardholders choose between a physical card and an e-OCI record. Renunciation declarations now go through Form XXXI online, with digital acknowledgments issued in Form XXXII. Physical cards must be surrendered to an Indian Mission, Post or FRRO when status ends.

A separate proviso bars any minor holding an Indian passport from simultaneously holding the passport of another country. The rules also allow biometric data collected during OCI registration to feed into future Fast Track Immigration Programmes, subject to written consent.

Who feels the change

Foreign nationals of Indian origin, including expats and remote workers who base themselves in India for stretches of the year, handle all OCI paperwork through the portal from now on. Duplicate document sets are no longer required.

Families with mixed nationalities face the sharpest shift. Parents must now choose between keeping a child's Indian passport or taking up a foreign one, because the two can't coexist at any point during minority. Former PIO cardholders lost entry rights after the December 2025 grace period and must apply fresh for OCI if eligible.

Standard tourist e-visa rules are untouched.

Practical steps and costs

• File new OCI registrations, miscellaneous services and renunciations through the OCI portal using the prescribed online forms.
• Update passport details on the portal within three months of receiving a new passport. Late updates can trigger a penalty of roughly $25.
• Choose between a physical card and e-OCI at registration. Physical cards remain useful where airlines or local authorities expect a tangible document.
• Surrender any existing physical card when renouncing OCI or when the government cancels registration.
• Sign the biometric consent form only if planning to use fast-track immigration channels later.

Read our full India guide for the complete picture and check our latest visa updates for more on the rollout.