India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has overhauled the fee structure for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) services, effective 1 April 2026, and introduced a USD 25 penalty for cardholders who fail to update their details within three months of obtaining a new passport. The changes were detailed in a 24 April Business Today report. New registrations filed inside India now cost ₹15,000, while applications lodged overseas are set at US $275 (local-currency equivalent). Re-issuance due to passport renewal or personal-detail change costs US $25, and duplicate booklets for lost or damaged cards rise to US $100. The move standardises what had become a patchwork of mission-specific fees and aims to fund upgraded biometric enrolment systems across Indian missions. With more than 6 million OCI holders worldwide, the scheme functions as a lifelong multi-entry visa, granting parity with Non-Resident Indians in most economic activities. Mobility advisors say tighter compliance rules—particularly the late-update penalty—will catch many expatriates unaware, as the previous regime relied largely on goodwill reminders. Employers sponsoring executives on foreign payrolls should update mobility checklists to include OCI passport-renewal tracking, especially for families with minor children whose passports change frequently. The fee hike also affects PIO-to-OCI conversions, still common in the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
Source: Business Today
