OCI card holders no longer required to carry old passports for India travel
People of Indian origin and Indian diaspora having abroad residents of India (OCI) card at the moment are not required to carry their old, expired passports for travel to India, as required earlier, in accordance to a press release. “The requirement of carrying old and new passports, along with the OCI card, has been done away with,” the Indian embassy mentioned on its web site on Monday, referring to a notification issued on this regard by the Centre, addressing one of many main issues of abroad Indians.
“Henceforth, an OCI cardholder travelling on the power of an present OCI card bearing old passport quantity is just not required to carry the old passport.
However, carrying the brand new (present) passport is obligatory,” the embassy mentioned.
According to the embassy, the Indian authorities has additionally determined to grant additional extension of time until December 31, 2021, to get the OCI playing cards re-issued for these beneath the age of 20 years and above 50 years.
As per the present OCI tips which were in drive since 2005, an OCI card is required to be re-issued every time a brand new passport is acquired by the cardholder up to the age of 20 years or after finishing 50 years of age.
The Indian authorities has relaxed the second provisions since final 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The timeline has been prolonged a number of occasions up to now. However, that is for the primary time that the rules has been relaxed for carrying old passports and the brand new passports together with the OCI playing cards for abroad Indians.
This has brought on lots of inconvenience among the many Indian diaspora as usually the old passport is discarded after the difficulty of recent ones. But the old OCI guidelines desired that the abroad Indians carry the old passport as properly together with the brand new passports and the OCI card.Â
