India rolls out fully digital OCI system with new Citizenship rules

The government has notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing revised provisions related to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and citizenship applications. The Ministry of Home Affairs has made changes to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, and notified the amendments through a gazette notification. The Ministry said that a minor child cannot, at any time, hold the passport of any other country while also holding an Indian passport. According to the notification, all applications for OCI card registration and renunciation will now be submitted electronically through the official portal. It added that applications for registration as an OCI cardholder will be made in the designated form electronically on the online portal.  
On the declaration of renunciation of OCI status, individuals must surrender the original physical card to the nearest Indian Mission, Post, or Foreigners Regional Registration Officer. The government has also removed the previous requirement for applicants to submit documents in duplicate and introduced electronic OCI (e-OCI), under which registered individuals may now be issued either a physical OCI card or an electronic OCI registration. OCI applicants will now have to sign a new consent form to opt into the Fast Track Immigration Programme by agreeing to the collection of their biometric information during registration.