An OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card lets eligible persons of Indian origin who hold foreign citizenship live, work and study in India without needing a separate visa for most purposes, and enter India any number of times. It's a lifelong registration, not actual dual citizenship — applied for entirely online through the official OCI portal.
Official website
Ministry of Home Affairs / Bureau of Immigration
https://ociservices.gov.in
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Go to the official OCI portal (ociservices.gov.in) and register an account.
Fill in the online application (Form XIX) with personal, family and travel document details.
Upload the required documents and photograph as per the specified format.
Pay the application fee online.
Book an appointment with your jurisdictional Indian Embassy/Consulate (if applying from abroad) to submit biometrics and physical documents, or the relevant FRRO office if applying within India.
Track the application status online; once approved, the OCI card is issued and delivered as per the process at your application location.
Official fees
Varies by applicant category (adult, minor, PIO cardholder conversion) and application location — check the current fee schedule on the official OCI portal or your nearest Indian mission's website.
Processing time
Varies significantly by consulate/location and case; the portal and your submitting mission provide case-specific status updates.
Validity
Lifelong (registered once, valid for life), but the OCI card must be re-issued each time a new passport is obtained before age 20, and once after age 50.
How to apply
Online application (ociservices.gov.in), with biometric/document submission at an Indian mission abroad or FRRO in India
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No — India doesn't permit dual citizenship. An OCI card is a long-term visa-free travel and residency registration for eligible persons of Indian origin holding foreign citizenship, not actual Indian citizenship.