India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a widely welcomed clarification confirming that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card-holders can continue to enter and leave India freely while their passport-update request is pending in the OCI online portal. Multiple Indian missions, including the High Commission of India in London and the High Commission in Wellington, published identical notices on 14 October 2026, ending months of confusion among the 37 million–strong OCI diaspora. Background An OCI card is a lifelong, multi-entry travel document that allows foreign citizens of Indian origin to live, work and own property in India. Holders must update their OCI record every time they obtain a new passport up to age 20, and once after turning 50. Until now, many airports and airlines insisted on seeing the online acknowledgment confirming that the update had been accepted—effectively grounding travellers for several weeks. What Has Changed The MHA circular states that “there will be no restriction on the OCI card-holder to travel to or from India from the date of submission of the passport-update application till the date of final acknowledgement.” In other words, the online receipt showing that the application has been submitted is now sufficient for boarding and immigration clearance. Border officials have been instructed to accept expired passport details on the OCI card provided the traveller also carries their current passport. Business-Mobility Impact The clarification removes a costly pain-point for global companies moving Indian-origin executives. HR teams no longer need to re-route or postpone travel while waiting for OCI approval, and travellers avoid last-minute airline denials. Airlines operating India routes should train check-in staff immediately to accept the submission receipt as proof of compliance. Frequent flyers may wish to keep a printed copy of both the receipt and the new advisory for the next few weeks while frontline staff are trained. Next Steps OCI holders who have delayed trips for fear of being turned away can now book travel with confidence. The advisory also reiterates that the passport-update process remains mandatory and should be completed online within three months of obtaining a new passport. Failure to do so could still attract penalties at a later stage, so proactive compliance remains essential.
