If you are in India and want to apply for an OCI card, the process has become simpler. The Bureau of Immigration announced on 17 July 2026 that applicants filing for an Overseas Citizen of India card from within India no longer need to submit a Registration Certificate or Residency Permit. These documents, which previously created obstacles for foreign nationals and long-term visa holders applying in-country, have been removed from the mandatory list. In their place, applicants must hold a valid long-duration visa with at least three months of validity remaining on the date of physical submission at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. The Bureau also confirmed that no physical OCI booklet will be issued. All approved applicants receive a digital e-OCI card only, consistent with the digital rollout confirmed at the 30 June 2026 launch of the e-OCI system. The 17 July update is the latest in a series of OCI rule changes the Ministry of Home Affairs introduced in 2026. The removal of the six-month continuous stay requirement, which had previously prevented foreign nationals from filing shortly after arriving in India, was part of the broader MHA overhaul in April 2026. The 17 July announcement builds on that change by also removing the RC/RP documentation requirement. An Overseas Citizen of India card is a lifelong, multi-purpose visa for foreign nationals of Indian origin or those connected to India through marriage or ancestry. It is not citizenship. OCI cardholders can live, work, study and own property in India without a separate visa. They cannot vote or hold government posts. The scheme was introduced in 2005 and has been progressively updated since then. Since the e-OCI rollout in June 2026, the card is issued as a digital credential only. No physical booklet is issued for any new application. The removal of RC/RP as a requirement primarily benefits foreign nationals currently in India on long-duration visas who wanted to apply for OCI but did not have RC/RP documentation. Spouses of Indian nationals on long-duration visas and children of Indian-origin parents can now apply using the simplified document set. The following documents are required for an OCI card application filed from within India under the updated July 2026 rules. A valid foreign passport with at least six months of remaining validity. A valid long-duration visa with at least three months of remaining validity from the date of physical submission at the FRRO. E-3 visas are explicitly excluded.
