OCI Valid for 6 months

[sai77]

Hi All,
My son's OCI will expire in December 2021 . We are planning to India in June 2021. Is it ok to travel with only 6 months left on the OCI or will there be any problems?
Thanks

[arkaa]

Short Answer - Yes, IMO, you can travel. But you should check with your local consulate. Call or email them.

Long Answer:

1) OCI Card doesn't have any expiry, it has lifetime validity. I just re-checked my kids OCI cards and couldn't find any expiry date anywhere, only issue date (2016). And clearly says "LIFE LONG" under VISA Type. So, I am not sure where you are seeing the expiry date. If you have the older "U" (OCI) visa stamped in the passport, then I don't know the rules about that.
Or did you mean the passport? The rule is "You will be allowed entry into India if you have a valid OCI Card and a valid foreign passport, with a minimum remaining validity of six months."

2) For people under 20, the OCI should be renewed whenever a new passport is obtained (so every 5 years). After 20, no need for renewal till 50. And after one renewal at 50, no further renewals needed. In case your son got a new passport and didn't renew your son's OCI, don't worry they relaxed the rules a bit and you can travel - just have the old passport also with you in case the officer asks. My friend and his kids just visited India last Dec like this. But check with your local consulate.

[sai77]

Short Answer - Yes, IMO, you can travel. But you should check with your local consulate. Call or email them.

Long Answer:

1) OCI Card doesn't have any expiry, it has lifetime validity. I just re-checked my kids OCI cards and couldn't find any expiry date anywhere, only issue date (2016). And clearly says "LIFE LONG" under VISA Type. So, I am not sure where you are seeing the expiry date. If you have the older "U" (OCI) visa stamped in the passport, then I don't know the rules about that.
Or did you mean the passport? The rule is "You will be allowed entry into India if you have a valid OCI Card and a valid foreign passport, with a minimum remaining validity of six months."

2) For people under 20, the OCI should be renewed whenever a new passport is obtained (so every 5 years). After 20, no need for renewal till 50. And after one renewal at 50, no further renewals needed. In case your son got a new passport and didn't renew your son's OCI, don't worry they relaxed the rules a bit and you can travel - just have the old passport also with you in case the officer asks. My friend and his kids just visited India last Dec like this. But check with your local consulate.

Thanks. Yes you are correct. My apologies. It is the US Passport that will expire in December 2021 and not the OCI. We are planning to leave in June and comeback in July. Please advice.
Thanks

[sai77]

Thanks arkaa . Yes you are correct. My apologies. It is the US Passport that will expire in December 2021 and not the OCI. We are planning to leave in June and comeback in July. Please advice.
Thanks

[arkaa]

Thanks arkaa . Yes you are correct. My apologies. It is the US Passport that will expire in December 2021 and not the OCI. We are planning to leave in June and comeback in July. Please advice.
Thanks

If the passport has 6 months or more validity at the time you enter India, you should not have any issues.
Check the exact dates of the Passport expiry and your arrival in India.
For ex:
a) Passport expiring on 4-Dec-2021 and you are arriving on 15-Jun-2021, then you have less than 6 months validity left. So it will be up to the immigration officer to allow your son or not. Sometimes you may be stopped at the check-in itself by the Airlines staff if they are aware of the rule.
b) Passport expiring on 22-Dec-2021 and you are arriving on 6-Jun-2021, then you have more than 6 months validity left. So you will have no issues with entry.

Plan your travel so that you arrive in India with at least 6 months validity left on the passport, and you won't face any problems.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion. For an official answer please contact your nearest Indian consulate.

[arkaa]

I just read on another forum, that sic months rule does not apply to OCI card holders and they can travel as long as the US passport is valid. Search for "Issues with Travel to India with less than 6 Months on Passport". The person contacted Bangalore FRRO (in 2018) and got the following official response:

“Your daughter's passport should be valid during the entry, stay period and exit from India, along with a valid OCI card. There are no other restrictions on the validity of passport as such for OCI card holders.

Team FRRO support,Bureau Of Immigration,
Bengaluru International Airport,
Bangalore - 560 300,
INDIA
Tele : +91 80 2200 1302,
Fax : +91 80 2200 1320
E-mail : [email protected]
Alt e-mail: [email protected]”

And several people posted in that thread that they travelled to India using OCI with less than 6 months on their US passport and did not face any issues. So, I think you won't face issues.

But if you want to be certain, you should contact the FRRO at your arrival airport and get an official response.