OCI Card or Indian tourist visa – what is better? Which one is easier to obtain, OCI card or Indian visa, for foreign-born minors of Indian origin? What are the advantages of an OCI card and the disadvantages of an Indian tourist visa? What will help me with hassle-free multiple entries to India, a 5/10-year-old Indian visa or a life-long OCI card? Indian Diaspora hits Google, Facebook, and visa-related forums with such queries before the time is ripe to search online for best deals for flights to India from USA.
Both OCI Card and Indian tourist visa have their own pros and cons. If you don’t have either one, you can obtain a tourist visa faster than an OCI card for emergency travel to India. However, OCI cardholders were allowed to enter India, whereas the tourist visa (both electronic and paper) was banned and tourist visa holders were restricted from traveling to India during the pandemic. Inarguably, the OCI Card is given preference to the tourist visa in the event of international travel restrictions.
I have an OCI card but recently had to have a new passport as mine had expired . Can i stil travel with my OCI card to India showing my old passport with it.
Hi Lionel! You can until December 31, 2022.
My child passport is getting expired in 2027. I am thinking to apply for OCI card but will I have to reapply for OCI card once her passport gets renewed? Because in that case, I will just go with getting 5 years tourist visa.
no need to renew the OCI mam. Just you have to upload the new passport online..
https://www.cgisf.gov.in/page/oci-reissuance-clarification/
I am a British Citizen of Indian Origin.
Do I need to have an OCI Card to inherit or own property in India ?
Hi
im a indian passport holder and married to a pakistani ,I delivered 2 kids here in portugal recently my both kids got passport now im planning to travel to india along with my kids as my mother passed away 4 months ago and kids dnt have oci card and they r not registered with indian embassy as well, its a big confusion for me where do I have to start and which dept as ,I have to travel by Jan 15th please guide me if any one can
Hi,
I’m planning to apply for OCI card for the first time. I have a tourist visa already. Can I travel to India during the time OCI card application is in progress on my tourist visa?
Hi Hari! You can travel to India using a valid tourist visa as well.
I dont want to apply for an OCI yet because its expensive for me at this point. I am considering a quick evisa for india instead. While I was completing the evisa form, there is a strange question regarding if you had been to India and what is your visa reference no on previous visit.
How can you complete the online tourist visa application when the question is if you had visited india before – which is of course a yes answer but then it asks you to provide the visa application number. Anyone had this issue before? How did you get past it ? Many thanks
Hi,
If I travel to india on tourist visa and while my stay if I get my OCI, can I stay longer and exit India on OCI based?
Cheers
Hi Ashwin! In our knowledge, you can. You may have to inform the local authority. The Indian Embassy or consulate will better guide you.
Hello, I am a German citizen with an OCI card. However, my passport was recently renewed and I need to get my OCI reissued as well. There is now an emergency in India however, that I need to return urgently for. I got a one-year evisa approved very recently for India. Can I travel with the evisa to India and then get my OCI card reissued after I land in India?
Hi Yash! In our knowledge, you can travel with the e-visa and enter India.