OCI Eligibility Checker
Do you qualify for an OCI card — through former citizenship, Indian-origin lineage, or marriage? Answer a few questions and get your route, with the exact guide to follow next.
Are you — or were you ever — a national of Pakistan or Bangladesh (or is either parent/grandparent)?
This bar applies before any other rule.
OCI eligibility — common questions
Who is eligible for an OCI card?
Foreign nationals who were Indian citizens on or after 26 January 1950 (or eligible for citizenship on that date, or from a territory that became part of India after 15 August 1947); their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; minor children of Indian citizens; and foreign spouses of Indian citizens or OCI holders whose marriage has been registered and subsisting for at least two years.
Who cannot get an OCI card?
Persons who are or were nationals of Pakistan or Bangladesh (and, generally, their descendants) are not eligible — this bar applies before any other rule. Beyond that, anyone without a qualifying Indian-origin link or qualifying marriage falls outside the scheme and uses the visa system instead.
Is spouse OCI the same as lineage OCI?
Not quite. The spouse route requires a marriage registered and subsisting for 2+ years, attracts additional verification, and produces an OCI tied to the marriage that is renewed rather than unconditional. The lineage routes rest on proof of Indian origin and are lifelong in character.
What documents prove OCI eligibility?
For former citizens: the old Indian passport plus its surrender certificate. For lineage: birth certificates establishing the chain plus the ancestor's Indian documents. For spouses: the registered marriage certificate (2+ years) plus the Indian spouse's passport or OCI card. Our OCI application guide covers the full sets.
Is this checker's result a guarantee?
No — it's an indication based on the published eligibility routes. The authorities decide against your actual documents under the rules in force at the time. Use the result to choose your next step, not as a decision.
Eligible? Start with the OCI application guide — and former Indian citizens should read the surrender certificate guide first. Not eligible? The e-Visa guide covers the standard routes.