Overseas Citizens of India card-holders have been facing trouble in travelling to India as the OCI cards have not been reissued by the individuals above 50 or below 20 years of age.
A request has been made by the home ministry (MHA) to the external affairs ministry for advising all the missions in the abroad to relax the rules till June 30,2020 so that the OCI- card holders are expected to get their new OCI cards issued.
An order has been issued by the foreigner’s division of MHA on 17th December which said, “This ministry has been informed that immigration authorities/ airlines in some countries are not allowing OCI card holders to travel to India on the following grounds: The OCI card holder has got the OCI card re-issued mandatorily after attaining 50 years of age; or the OCI card-holder below 20 years of age has not got his/her OCI card re-issued on renewal of passport.”
Although the re-issuing of the OCI cards has to be done by the card holders above 50 years and below 20 years of age, a request has been made by the MHA to MEA for advising the Indian missions abroad of temporary relaxations till June 30, 2020. “In view of the problems being faced by the card holders regarding re-issuance of the OCI cards, MEA is requested to advise Indian missions of the following temporary relaxation till June 30,2020: In case an OCI card holder below the age of 20 years has not got his/her OCI card reissued on change of passport, he/she may travel on the strength of his/her existing OCI card bearing old passport number till June 30,2020 subject to the condition that along with the new passport, the OCI card-holder carries old passport mentioned in the OCI card.”
The OCI card holders above 50 years or below 20 years of age has to get their cards re-issued in the grace period of up to June 30, 2020.
The aviation ministry tweeted on Friday night saying that the instances of the difficulties faced by the people travelling with OCI card with renewed/new passports have been brought to the notice of MoCA and relaxation has been issued until 30th June, 2020 for such OCI card holders by MHA.
Instances have been brought to the notice of MoCA that people traveling with OCI card with renewed/new passports are facing difficulties. MHA has issued relaxation for such OCI card holders till 30th June, 2020. pic.twitter.com/ln1dVFlfa7
— Ministry of Civil Aviation (@MoCA_GoI) December 27, 2019
 to the external affairs ministry for advising all the missions in the abroad to relax the rules till June 30,2020){kind=link}