The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, fundamentally shifting Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) services to a paperless, digital-first framework. Key reforms include the introduction of the e-OCI card, the removal of the mandatory six-month residency period for applicants in India, and the transition to online-only applications via Form XXVIII. While the rules simplify travel with integrated biometric data for fast-track immigration, they also tighten security—imposing a $25 penalty for late passport updates and strictly prohibiting dual passports for minors. The update ensures that while OCI remains a lifelong privilege, digital compliance and security standards are now non-negotiable.
