THE Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card will be cancelled if its holder is sentenced to jail for at least two years or is named in a charge sheet for an offence that carries a punishment of seven years or more, the home ministry has said.
The ministry issued a gazette notification on the decision.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by the clause (da) of section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), the central government hereby states that an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration shall be liable to get cancelled when a person has been sentenced to imprisonment for term of not less than two years or has been charge-sheeted for an offence entailing punishment of imprisonment for seven years or more,” the notification said.
The OCI scheme was introduced in August 2005. It allows registration as OCI for all persons of Indian origin who were citizens of India on January 26, 1950, or became eligible to be citizens on that date, except those who are or have been citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, or any other country specified by the central government through notification.
(With inputs from agencies)
Supporters of Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia hold posters with her portrait as they mourn her death outside the Evercare hospital in Dhaka on December 30, 2025. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP via Getty Images)
Tarique Rahman (C), son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)'s apparent heir waves to supporters after his arrival in Dhaka on December 25, 2025. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP via Getty Images)
