Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched the updated Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) portal in New Delhi, aiming to improve the digital experience for OCI cardholders. This move is part of the government’s broader efforts to upgrade citizen services for the Indian diaspora.

The OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card is given to individuals of Indian origin who have acquired foreign citizenship. It allows them to travel to India without a visa for life and grants them certain economic and educational benefits. As the number of OCI cardholders worldwide continues to grow, so has the need for better digital support.

Benefits of the new OCI portal

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) explained that the new portal was created in response to both rapid advancements in technology over the last decade and user feedback highlighting issues with the earlier system. The goal was to fix existing problems and provide a more streamlined and user-friendly interface.

The redesigned platform is intended to be more efficient and easier to navigate for people of Indian origin living abroad. It aims to make services smoother and more accessible.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and wrote, “With enhanced features and improved functionality, the new OCI Portal marks a major step forward in boosting citizen friendly digital governance.”