The Union Home Ministry of India has eased more restrictions on the entry of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders with new rules issued last Friday.
Those now allowed entry into India include:
- Minor children who hold OCI cards and whose parents are Indian nationals
- OCI card holders who wish to come to India on account of family emergencies like critical medical conditions of immediate family members or death
- Married couples, where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other is an Indian national
- Students who are OCI cardholders, where at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder
Additionally, the government has also allowed the following foreign nationals to travel to India:
- Foreign nationals who are minor children where at least one parent is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder
- Foreign nationals married to Indian citizens
- Foreign nationals who are single parents of minor children holding Indian passports or OCI cards
- Students who are foreign nationals where at least one parent is an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder
- Dependent family members of foreign diplomats or official/service passport holders accredited to foreign diplomatic missions, consular offices or accredited international organisations in India
However, the entry of all foreign nationals is subject to them obtaining a fresh visa from Indian embassies abroad. Even those who have valid long-term visas will have to get them revalidated by the respective mission that issued them the visa.