MHA updates citizenship guidelines, tightens norms on twin passports for minors | India Information
3 min learnNew DelhiMight 1, 2026 04:00 AM IST
The Union House Ministry on Thursday notified the Citizenship (Modification) Guidelines, 2026, introducing digital Abroad Citizen of India (e-OCI) playing cards, absolutely on-line purposes, and stricter norms on twin passports for minors.
“The foundations introduce a totally digital OCI framework, mandating on-line purposes, digital data, and acknowledgements, whereas phasing out duplicative bodily processes. A brand new provision permits issuance of digital OCI (e-OCI) alongside bodily playing cards, signalling a shift towards paperless identification for abroad Indians. Candidates should now consent to sharing biometric information for integration with fast-track immigration programmes, enabling potential automated enrolment sooner or later,” an MHA official stated.
An MHA official stated the brand new guidelines purpose to streamline procedures, scale back paperwork, and bringing extra readability to processes corresponding to registration, renunciation, and cancellation of OCI standing. Earlier, OCI processes concerned a mixture of on-line and bodily submissions, together with paperwork and duplicate submitting necessities. Now, additionally they formally codify sure provisions that have been earlier adopted in apply, however not explicitly written into the foundations.
A significant replace mandates that minors holding Indian passports can not concurrently possess passports of different international locations, as inserted in a brand new proviso to rule 3 and this addresses issues over twin citizenship misuse, although OCI standing itself doesn’t confer full citizenship rights.
“These guidelines could also be referred to as the Citizenship (Modification) Guidelines, 2026. They shall come into drive on the date of their publication within the Official Gazette. Within the Citizenship Guidelines, 2009 (hereinafter known as the stated guidelines), in rule 3, the next proviso shall be inserted, specifically: Offered that the applicant in such instances shall word that the minor youngster can not at any time maintain the passport of another nation whereas additionally holding the Indian passport,” the notification stated.
In accordance with the notification, an software for registration as an Abroad Citizen of India cardholder below part 7A shall be made in Type XXVIII electronically on the designated on-line portal. “For OCI registration below Part 7A, purposes should now be filed electronically in Type XXVIII on the designated portal, scrapping bodily duplicates (Rule 29). Rule 33 has been revamped to difficulty both bodily OCI playing cards or e-OCI registrations in Type XXIX, with data maintained digitally in Type XXX,” it stated.
The amendments create a centralised digital registry of OCI holders and strengthen cancellation/renunciation processes, together with provisions for deemed cancellation and structured appeals.
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“Renunciation (Rule 34) and cancellation (Rule 35) processes are actually on-line: Holders should submit Type XXXI electronically, give up bodily playing cards if relevant, and obtain digital acknowledgments in Type XXXII. Non-compliance on cancellations may result in playing cards being handled as invalid,” it stated.
A brand new provision introduces the usage of biometric information collected throughout OCI registration for future immigration facilitation. “Candidates are required to offer consent permitting their biometric information for use for registration below the Quick Monitor Immigration Programme…or for automated registration below such programmes sooner or later,” it stated.
