Is your OCI Card still valid?

Many children and elderly passengers with Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards were adversely affected at Australian airports due to a strict protocol enforced by airline check-in staff for India-bound travellers.

Indian government announces new rules for OCI holders. Source: SBS Tamil

OCI holders travelling to India, in December 2019, on a renewed Australian passport were turned back from international airports due to a ‘mismatch’ of the passport number printed on their OCI card. Several other cases have surfaced of families whose travel plans to India had simply fallen apart.

There were some reports of OCI cardholders who had not renewed their Australian passport but yet were denied boarding.

We made use of the opportunity when The Deputy High Commissioner, Mr P. S. Karthigeyan, attended the Annual Pongal festival at the Parliament in Canberra to ask for clarification.

When asked about the experiences of some travellers with OCI cards, Mr Karthigeyan said, “the situation was made to look like as though it was panic or a disaster.  Something like out of control has happened.  It was not the case.  We had a few isolated cases where, people travelling on those cards which were not valid at that time.  They had some issues with the Airlines because foreign airlines were not allowing them to travel.”

P. S. Karthigeyan, Deputy High Commissioner; High Commission of India, Canberra Source: SBS Tamil

He further said, “Air India has been allowing them - did allow them to travel, and whenever it was brought our notice, we had also taken it up with the concerned airlines to facilitate the travel.  But the fact remains that there were clear cut guidelines to all OCI card holders on what should be the validity of OCI cards.”

“They were told that they should have their passports – For people below the age of 20, every time they got their passport renewed, their OCI cards would also need to change because it is connected to that passport;  those in the age group of 20 to 50, obviously there is no need to change because you can go on the basis of the OCI card; and then for people beyond 50, when they changed the passport after turning 50 they should also get their OCI cards re-issued.”

Mr Karthigeyan said that this information was shared through mainstream media, social media, and their own website and press releases.  Later, he sent us the Press Release the High Commission issued in December 2019.

Press Release, High Commission of India, Canberra Source: Supplied

Mr Karthigeyan said that a special exception was given to those hard holders, even those who were not fulfilling the requirements.  However, that will lapse in the middle of this year.  “So, my request through this platform is” said Mr Karthigeyan, “that people whoever having those old cars they should get it changed.  Of course, all this is not new.  We have given the clear-cut guidelines on the requirement.  They should just look at that, refer to that, and if they fall in that category where they need apply and get it, my advice to them is to do that quickly and not wait for the last date - because you never know when your need for travel would arise, and then if they get into trouble then it will be very difficult for anybody to intervene.”