OCI stands for Overseas Citizenship of India. It is a scheme introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 in August 2005, which provides for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder. The OCI card is a long-term visa that offers various privileges to the cardholders, such as parity with Non-Resident Indians in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children, parity with resident Indian nationals in matters of tariffs in domestic airfares, and parity with domestic Indian visitors in respect of entry fee for visiting national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India.

Foreign nationals who were citizens of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitution of India, or who were eligible to become a citizen of India on 26.01.1950, or who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947, or who is a child or grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen, or a spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder registered under section 7A of Indias Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the OCI application, are eligible for registration as OCI cardholders.

OCI does not confer political rights, and the registered Overseas Citizens of India shall not be entitled to the rights conferred on a citizen of India under article 16 of the Constitution with regard to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. OCI is not to be misconstrued as dual citizenship.

OCI services are offered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and the decision to grant or refuse OCI services is made solely by the officers at Indian Mission. OCI services are not affected by the suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals.