No Changes Made To OCI Rules, Says Ministry Of External Affairs (image @Pixabay)
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that there are no changes made to the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) rules. The ministry said false information regarding the matter saying that restriction have been placed on OCI card holders recently.
Taking to X, the Consulate General of India, New York, clarified that there are no changes introduced for the OCI card holders, and the Provision of Gazette Notification, dated March 4, 2021 regarding rights of OCI cardholders continue to remain in force.
The notification follows reports claiming that the Indian government recently reclassified OCI cardholders as “foreign nationals,” effectively stripping them of several privileges they previously enjoyed. The alleged changes would require OCI holders to obtain permits to visit certain regions, complicating access to India for the global Indian diaspora.
We have come across news reports spreading false information that restrictions have been placed on OCI card holders in the recent past.
Friends in the Indian American community are hereby informed that no new change has been introduced in the recent past for OCI card… pic.twitter.com/iD9qGcIQBY
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) September 28, 2024
Several OCI card holders in the past few days had complained about being reclassified as foreigners. The card holders had complained about changes in rules, which required them to take permission to visit protected or restricted areas such as Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
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In 2021, the ministry of home affairs amended the rules which required OCI card holders to seek permission or a permit to visit protected areas in India. The same restrictions apply to foreign nationals visiting Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as well.
The OCI card holders are significant contributors to India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and concerns have emerged that these changes may undermine trust and deter future investments. Calls for legal protections for NRI investments, emphasizing their vital contributions to various sectors within India were also made.
