NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — The Government of India launched a revamped Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Portal, designed to offer a new secure and user-friendly registration experience for millions of Indian-origin citizens residing abroad. The updated portal, accessible at https://ociservices.gov.in, introduces a modern interface and a host of new features aimed at simplifying and streamlining the OCI application process.
On the occasion of the launch, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the government’s efforts to improve immigration services. “India is continuously striving to provide world-class immigration facilities to its OCI cardholders,” Shah said. “The revamped portal will ensure that Indian-origin citizens face no inconvenience when visiting or staying in India.”
The OCI scheme, first introduced in 2005 through an amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, allows eligible Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) to register as Overseas Citizens of India. Individuals qualify if they were citizens of India on or after January 26, 1950, or were eligible to become citizens on that date. However, persons who are or were citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, or whose ancestors fall into those categories, remain ineligible under current law.
The updated OCI portal is the first significant overhaul of the platform since its original version launched in 2013. Previously, the portal operated across 180 Indian missions abroad and 12 Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs), collectively processing around 2,000 applications per day, according to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In response to evolving technology and feedback from users, the new portal offers enhanced functionality and robust security upgrades.
According to officials, the portal’s intuitive interface is designed to meet the expectations of today’s digitally savvy users while also being accessible for older applicants and those less familiar with online systems.
The upgrade is especially significant for the more than 5 million existing OCI cardholders, as well as prospective applicants around the world. With streamlined services and reduced documentation complexity, the government aims to make the OCI application process faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate.
