Toronto Consulate clarifies: OCI holders may travel while passport-update request is pending

The Consulate General of India in Toronto has issued a fresh advisory confirming that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders face no travel bar between India and abroad after submitting an online request to update a new passport in the OCI portal. The clarification, posted on 21 October, reiterates paragraph 5(v) of the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines but responds to a spike in queries after e-OCI digital cards were rolled out this year. Under current rules, an OCI card does not need re-issuance on every passport renewal; holders simply upload the new passport and a photo within three months. However, processing backlogs in some missions had led airlines to question travellers lacking a plastic card with the updated passport number. The Toronto notice states that boarding and immigration authorities in India have been instructed to honour the original OCI card alongside the new passport and a copy of the update acknowledgement email. Travellers are advised to carry a print-out of the acknowledgement until final approval appears in the online tracker. For Indian diaspora employers, the advisory removes uncertainty for staff planning Diwali travel. Corporate travel teams should brief ticketing agents and retain copies of the consulate circular to prevent airline denials at check-in. Meanwhile, immigration experts expect similar notices from other high-volume posts such as London, Dubai and Singapore. The reminder also underlines the importance of timely online updates; failure to upload details within the stipulated window can still attract penalties and may invalidate future visa-free entry privileges tied to OCI status.