India bars minors from dual passports, shifts OCI system to 100% digital

The Union Home Ministry has overhauled India’s citizenship framework, notifying the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 on May 1, 2026, ushering in a 100% digital system for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) services while tightening norms around dual passport holdings for minors.

In a key change, minors holding Indian passports are now barred from simultaneously possessing passports of any other country, closing a critical gap that had raised concerns over misuse. The provision, formally inserted into Rule 3, makes compliance mandatory, reinforcing that OCI status does not equate to dual citizenship.

The revamped rules mark a decisive push toward a paperless regime. Authorities have introduced electronic OCI (e-OCI) cards alongside physical cards, with the entire application and processing workflow moving online. Applicants must now submit forms digitally, eliminating duplicate paperwork and physical submissions that earlier slowed down processing.

Officials said the reforms aim to streamline procedures, reduce administrative burden and bring clarity to processes such as registration, renunciation and cancellation of OCI status. Several practices that were previously followed informally have now been codified, giving the framework sharper legal backing.

Under the updated system, OCI registration applications must be filed electronically in Form XXVIII via a designated portal, replacing the earlier hybrid system. Registration outcomes will now be issued either as physical cards or e-OCI records, with all data maintained in a centralized digital registry.

The amendments also strengthen compliance mechanisms. Renunciation and cancellation processes have been fully digitised, requiring applicants to submit Form XXXI online and surrender physical cards where applicable. Authorities warned that non-compliance could result in OCI cards being treated as invalid.

In a forward-looking move, the rules introduce mandatory consent for biometric data usage. Applicants must agree to share biometric details, which could be integrated with fast-track immigration programmes, paving the way for potential automatic enrolment in the future.

Officials described the changes as a significant step toward modernizing India’s citizenship administration, combining stricter regulatory oversight with faster, technology-driven service delivery.