A detailed Guide to OCI VS Indian Tourist – Which is better

• OCI Card Application – A brief Intro

Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a type of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses coming to India by cheap international flight tickets that allows them to live and work in India indefinitely. Despite its name, OCI status is not citizenship and does not grant the right to vote in Indian elections or hold public office. The Indian government has the authority to revoke OCI status in a variety of circumstances. By 2020, the Indian Overseas Diaspora had 6 million OCI card holders.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, of 2005 appointed the OCI scheme in answer to the Indian diaspora’s request for dual citizenship. It grants overseas citizens many of the same rights as resident citizens.

OCI status is not available to anyone who has ever been a Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizen, or who is the child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of such a person.

• Procedure for OCI registration

To apply for OCI registration, go to the Ministry of Home Affairs website at www.mha.nic.in. Alternatively, please go to https://ociservices.gov.in. Carefully read the instructions, especially regarding the required supporting documentation, to avoid mistakes when submitting the application. A family of up to two minor children can apply online using the same form, Form XIX. Submit Part A of the application form online. For Part B, you can either download and print it on a computer or fill it out by hand in block letters. Print and present Parts A and B of the application form to the High Commission.

• Overseas Indian Citizenship entitles the individual to:

1. Multiple entries, multi-purpose visa-free travel with the best last minute flights to India for life.
2. Exemption from registering with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) of India upon arrival or for any length of stay in India, unless their permanent home address or employment changes.
3. Domestic airfare and entry prices for national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments, historical sites, and museums are equal to those paid by Indian nationals.
4. Except for the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties, parity with NRIs in most economic, financial, and educational fields.
5. Parity with foreign nationals in any other field not mentioned in 3 and 4.
6. Visits to India with cheap international flight tickets for the purpose of conducting research after obtaining a No Objection/Research Project Clearance Certificate from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), India, which can be applied for at the nearest Indian Diplomatic Mission.
7. OCI holders are not constitutionally citizens of India and will not be entitled to the following rights even if they reside in India.

• Indian Tourist Visa

India is destiny. Every year, millions of travelers are fascinated by this huge subcontinent’s spectacular blend of festivals, customs, colors, and foods & come to enjoy the true vibrancy & hospitality of India with affordable flight tickets to India.

If you’re reading our India Visa Guide, you’re probably thinking about going to India and having a list of sites you want to see, but nothing can prepare you for the magnificent experience of Indian culture.

Prepare yourself, because this Guide will whisk you away from the comfort of your own home.

• Categories of Indian Visa

There are paper visas and electronic visas for visiting India. Paper visas are intended for long-term travel. It is the finest option for individuals who have fallen in love with India and have opted to work or study there.

There are five sorts of India Electronic Visas available for persons visiting India for the first, second, or fifth time. India is a nation that should be visited again and again.

The following electronic visas are available:

• Tourist eVisa (dual entry/30 days)

• Tourist eVisa (multiple entries per year)

• Tourist eVisa (multiple entries/ 5 years)

• Business eVisa

• Medical eVisa

• What documents are needed to apply for an India E-visa?

Regardless of the type of E-visa you obtain, you must have a valid passport and a photo with a white backdrop.

Tourist eVisa: You will need a valid passport and a photo with a white background.

• How do I apply for an India E-Visa?

Once you have all of your documents for your eVisa type in hand, you can apply with us in just three steps:

1. Begin by completing our simplified application form. There, you must include your personal information as well as the specifics of your trip. It usually takes 4 to 5 days to process your visa, though most travelers receive their visa within 24 hours.
2. You will be emailed your eVisa. There’s no need to deal with an embassy!
3. Present your passport and E-Visa upon entering India.

• Merits of having an Indian Tourist Visa

1. Double entry is permitted with a 30-day tourist visa.
2. Multiple admissions are permitted under the one-year and five-year Tourist Visas.
3. Holders may enter India using any of 29 airports or 5 seaports.
4. Holders of an India Tourist Visa may depart the country by any of the authorized Immigration Check Posts (ICP) listed below.

India Tourist Visa Restriction:

The Indian Tourist Visa has the following restrictions:

• A 30-day tourist visa is only valid for two entries.

• The 1 Year and 5 Year Tourist Visas are only valid for 90 days of continuous residence in India. Nationals of the United States coming via flights to India from USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan are permitted to stay in India for 180 days in a row.

• This visa is not convertible, cancelable, or extendable.

• Applicants may be required to show proof of appropriate means to maintain themselves throughout their stay in India.

• On the Indian Tourist Visa, applicants are not needed to show proof of a plane ticket or hotel reservation.

• All candidates must have an ordinary passport; government or diplomatic passports are not accepted.

• The Indian Tourist Visa does not permit entry into protected, restricted, or military cantonment zones.

• If your passport expires in less than 6 months from the date of entrance, you will be required to renew it. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months.

• While you do not need to visit an Indian embassy or High Commission to have your Indian Tourist Visa stamped, you will need two blank pages in your passport so that the immigration officer can stamp your departure at the airport.

• You cannot enter India by land; however, you may enter by air or cruise with an India Tourist Visa though cheap international flight tickets are exclusively available on flyopedia.

• So which one is better – OCI or Indian Tourist visa

Both the OCI Card and the Indian tourist visa have their advantages and disadvantages. If you don’t have either, you can get a tourist visa faster than an OCI card for emergency travel to India.

If you plan to spend time in India, be sure you have all of the necessary travel papers. The India Tourist eVisa is offered for international visitors who desire to visit India for tourism purposes. The OCI Card, on the other hand, enables you to live and work in India. In both cases, you must determine your eligibility and whether you meet the requirements.