The Ministry of Home Affairs on April 30, 2026, issued the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 to further amend the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In rule 3, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: -
“Provided that the applicant in such cases shall note that the minor child cannot at any time hold the passport of any other country while also holding the Indian passport.”.
• In the said rules, in rule 29, for sub-rule (1), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:—
“(1) An application for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7A shall be made in Form XXVIII electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in.”
• In the said rules, in rule 31, –
(i) in the opening portion, the words “in duplicate” shall be omitted;
(ii) in clause (a), sub-clause (ii) shall be omitted.
• In the said rules, for rule 33, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:—
“33. Registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder and maintenance of register of persons under section 7A.— (1) Every person, who is registered as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7A shall be issued an Overseas Citizen of India card in physical form or an electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) registration containing the details as in Form XXIX.
(2) The issuing authority shall maintain a record of the persons registered as Overseas citizen of India cardholder as in Form XXX in electronic form.”.
• In the said rules, for rule 34, the following rule shall be substituted, namely :—
“34. Declaration of renunciation of Overseas Citizen of India card.—
(1) A declaration of renunciation of the card registering a person as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7C shall be made in Form XXXI electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in to the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned and in case of Overseas Citizen of India card issued in physical form, the original of the Overseas Citizen of India card shall also be surrendered to the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned.
(2) On receipt of the declaration of renunciation of the card registering as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder and surrender of the original Overseas Citizen of India card (in cases where the Overseas Citizen of India card has been issued in physical form), the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned shall issue an acknowledgment in Form XXXII electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in and remove the name of the declarant from the record maintained in electronic form under sub-rule (2) of rule 33.”.
• In the said rules, for rule 35, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:—
“35. Cancellation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder.—
(1) Where an order has been made cancelling the registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder, the person whose registration has been cancelled or any other person in possession of the Overseas Citizen of India card in physical form issued to the person concerned shall, when required by notice in writing by the Central Government, deliver the said card in original to such person and within such period as may be specified in the notice.
(2) On the Overseas Citizen of India card being delivered, it shall be cancelled and in case the card is not delivered, then the Central Government may direct that it shall be treated as cancelled.
(3) Where an order has been made cancelling the registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder in respect of a person who has been issued an e-OCI registration, the Central Government may direct that the e-OCI registration shall be treated as cancelled.
(4) The issuing authority shall make an appropriate entry in the record maintained in the electronic form under sub-rule (2) of rule 33 stating the cancellation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder.”
• In the said rules, after rule 42, the following rule shall be inserted, namely:—
“42A. Application for review of order made under Act.— If an application is made by a person for review under section 15A, the said application for review shall be disposed of by the Central Government after giving a reasonable opportunity to the person affected to present his case.”.
They shall come into force on April 30, 2026.
[Notification No. G.S.R. 323(E)]
