Comparison between rights and eligibility of NRI, Person of Indian Origin and OCI cardholder

Comparison of NRI, Person of Indian Origin, and OCI Cardholder: Criteria, Eligibility, and Benefits

Criteria	NRI	Person of Indian Origin	OCI Cardholder
Definition	An Indian citizen ordinarily residing outside India who holds an Indian passport	A person or their ancestors who were Indian nationals but currently hold foreign citizenship	A foreign national registered under section 7A of The Citizenship Act, 1955
Eligibility	N/A	N/A	- Was a citizen of India at any time after January 26, 1950, or was eligible to become a citizen on that date - Belongs to a territory that became part of India after August 15, 1947 - Child, grandchild or great-grandchild of such eligible persons - Minor child or spouse of eligible persons or Indian citizens
Application Process	N/A	N/A	Apply online, submit documents to Indian mission/FRRO for verification
Fees	N/A	N/A	$275 if submitted abroad, ₹15,000 if submitted in India
Ineligible Nationals	N/A	N/A	Pakistan, Bangladesh, or other countries specified by the government
Benefits	All benefits available to Indian citizens	No specific benefits	- Multiple entry lifelong visa to visit India for any purpose - Exemption from registration with FRRO - Parity with Indian nationals for domestic airfares and monument entry fees - Parity with NRIs for adoption, exams, property purchase, certain professions
Visa Requirement	No	Yes	OCI card is a multiple entry lifelong visa, some activities require prior permission
Police Registration	No	Yes, if stay exceeds 180 days	No
Activities Allowed	All	As per visa type	All, except those requiring prior permission
Citizenship Pathway	N/A	Ordinarily resident in India for 7 years	Registered as OCI for 5 years, ordinarily resident in India for 12 months (can be relaxed to 30 days)

Also Read: Here are the key points regarding the new rules for Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs)