Question: Consider the following statement:
1) OCI status to a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in India for an indefinite period.
2) It was launched in 2005
3) Pakistani person can be the card holder to OCI.
From the above correct statement/s is/are:
(a) Only(1)
(b) Only(1)and (2)
(c) Only(1) and (3)
(d) All the above
Answer: (b)
Related facts:
- On November 07,2019, The government has revoked British-born writer Aatish Taseer’s OCI card for concealing key information.
- Taseer, on the other hand, said he wrote to MHA seeking more time to respond on the matter as the authorities just gave him 24 hours to reply.
About OCI
- The OCI card provides Overseas Citizenship of India status to a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in India for an indefinite period.
- The OCI card was launched in 2005, under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005.
- The OCI card was introduced after demands for dual citizenship grew, especially from the Indians living in developed countries.
- The Indian constitution does not allow its citizens to hold dual citizenship.
- While the OCI card allows the holders to live and work in India, it has its own limitations as the citizens having the card do not enjoy the right to vote, right to hold constitutional offices or the right to buy agricultural properties.
- In the UK, however, the OCI card is considered as holding dual nationality.
Eligibility criteria
- Under the eligibility criteria for the OCI card, the holder must be a citizen of another country and have the passport of the nation, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- The Indian government provides the Overseas Citizen of India status if the holder:
- Was an Indian citizen on or after January 16, 1950
- Belonged to a part that merged with India after August 15, 1947
- Was eligible to become Indian citizen on January 26, 1950 or is a child, grandchild or great-grandchild of such a citizen
- is a minor child, whose parents are both Indian citizens or one parent is a citizen of India
- is a spouse of foreign origin of an Indian citizen or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder and whose marriage has been registered and survived for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately before the application
Disqualification:
- No person, who had been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh or whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents were citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh is eligible to apply for the Overseas Citizen of India status.
- Those who served as a member of any foreign military are also not eligible to register for the OCI card.
Links:
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/writer-aatish-taseer-loses-oci-card-he-hid-info-that-his-father-was-pakistani-says-govt-1616881-2019-11-08
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/writer-aatish-taseer-loses-oci-status-govt-says-he-hid-info-on-pakistani-father/articleshow/71962887.cms