All You Need to Know About OCI Card For Spouse

An OCI card is a crucial document granted to foreign citizens of Indian origin, allowing them to live, study, or work in India, with access to various professional opportunities and equality in the economic, educational, and financial sectors. 

However, a significant question arises: Can you obtain an OCI card for a spouse? Answer is 'Yes', you can apply for a Spouse OCI card after 2 years of marriage. 

In this blog, we will show you the process to apply for Spouse OCI, documentation, eligibility criteria, and other important things about the OCI card for a spouse. 

What is a Spouse OCI Card? 

An OCI card is an important document for foreign spouses who are married to Indian citizens. It provides them with various benefits and offers stability.

An OCI card was introduced by the Government of India in 2005 under the Indian Citizenship Act of 2005. For the Spouse cases, an OCI card is issued for only about 5 years, and after that, you need to renew your OCI card at the Indian Mission. 

As India does not provide dual citizenship, the OCI card acts as an alternative option for many foreign nationals.

Here are some of the key benefits of having an OCI card for the spouse of an Indian citizen: 

• You will get a lifelong visa-free entry to India. 
• You can stay in India for an indefinite time. 
• Exempted from registration with the Foreign Regional Registration Officer or Foreign Registration Officer.
• As an OCI cardholder, you will get the same rights in the economic, educational, and financial sectors. 
• Equal entry fees for national parks and wildlife sanctuaries for Indian residents. 

However, an OCI cardholder is not allowed to purchase any agricultural lands, vote in India, hold any constitutional or legislative positions, or get an Indian passport. 

Eligibility Criteria to Apply for a Spouse OCI Card

If you want to apply for an OCI card for your spouse, then first you need to know the foreign spouse eligibility for OCI. 

The main thing that you need to remember when applying for a Spouse OCI is that the spouse of an applicant should be a former Indian citizen or have an existing OCI card. 

Given below are some of the eligibility criteria that you need to meet to apply for the OCI application for your spouse. 

• You should be married for a minimum of 2 years, and it should be legally registered. 
• You need to submit your registered marriage certificate, which is the main proof that you will need for the OCI application for your spouse. 
• An Indian spouse must provide all the documents for the OCI application that will prove they are a citizen of India, like an Indian passport and a domicile certificate. 
• Citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh cannot apply for the OCI card. 

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What is the Application Process to Apply for a Spouse OCI Card? 

Check out the steps given below to apply for the OCI card for the spouse of an Indian National. 

1. Go to the official OCI service Portal. 
2. Fill out the online OCI application form by entering all the correct details. 
3. You need to collect all the necessary documents for the Foreign Spouse OCI application. 
4. Book an appointment with the nearest consulate. 
5. Go to the OCI application centre or consulate for the interview with the filled OCI application and all the supporting documents. 
6. Submit your biometrics for the OCI application verification of documents. 
7. Pay the required fees for the Spouse OCI application. 
8. Submit your Application along with the documents 
9. Wait for the processing of your OCI application. You will get all the updates to your registered email address. 

What are the Documents Required for a Fresh OCI for a Spouse?

Here is the documents checklist for fresh OCI for the spouse, given below, that you will need to apply for the OCI card for the spouse. 

• You need to provide a printed copy of the filled OCI card application. 
• Passport-size colored photo with plain white background 51 mm x 51mm. 
• Submit the current foreign passport of the spouse. 
• Submit a copy of the current passport of the applicant. 
• Provide proof of residence permit for verification. 
• Proof of Indian origin, like a copy of a spouse's passport, or any digital copy of an inherited land document in India. 
• Submit the marriage certificate if issued in India. Then it should be apostilled, certified by the CPV division, Ministry of External Affairs, and if in a foreign country, then it should be attested by the concerned authority. 
• A self-declaration or an affidavit by the couple that their marriage is still alive and not separated.
• A copy of the present OCI card of the spouse (if available). 

Note: You must bring all the original documents for the verification of your OCI application. 

OCI Photo Requirement for Spouse Application

For the OCI application, you need to provide 2 passport-size coloured photos. Here are the requirements given for an OCI card for a foreign spouse. 

• Provide 2 passport-size photos. 
• The photo should be in the JPEG or JPG format. 
• Photo size should not exceed 500KB. 
• The photo should be coloured with a plain white background. 
• The size of the OCI photo should be 2 inches x 2 inches (51mm X 51m). 
• You must wear dark-colored clothes for the Spouse OCI photo. 
• Make sure your eyes are open, and your face is clearly visible. 

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Things to Remember Before Applying for an OCI for a Spouse 

Here are some of the important points that you must know before applying for an OCI application for your spouse.

• You should know the correct jurisdiction so you can apply for your OCI application at the correct Embassy or Consulate General of India. 
• You need to book an appointment at the nearest application center. 
• Reach about 5-20 minutes before your interview at the application center. 
• Provide all the supporting documents for your OCI application. 
• You need to correctly fill in all the information in your OCI application form. 
• After submitting your application form online, you cannot make any changes to the OCI application form. 
• Applicants need to submit their biometrics for the verification of documents for the OCI application. 

Final Thoughts 

An OCI card provides foreign nationals of Indian origin with many benefits through which you can live, work, or study in India for an endless time period without reporting the length of stay to any FRRO or any local police. 

At the Visament, we provide a smooth and hassle-free OCI application process that will help you to get your OCI by following quick and easy steps. 

Here we provide you with an error-free application process, a fast application process, and personalized assistance in every step of the application. So that you can submit your OCI spouse application without facing any mistakes or issues.

For more information related to OCI services, you can visit our website, and our support team will provide you with all the information that is active 24*7 to help you and answer all your queries, doubts, and issues instantly.