The starting point is unambiguous: India does not permit dual citizenship. Under the Citizenship Act, acquiring another nationality ends Indian citizenship automatically, and it is an offence to keep using an Indian passport afterwards. What exists instead is the Overseas Citizen of India card, which despite the name is not citizenship.
Quick facts
The card gives a lifelong multiple-entry visa, exemption from police registration however long you stay, and parity with resident Indians in several areas. It does not give a passport, a vote, or the right to hold public office or buy agricultural land.
Fees and sequence
| Step | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Surrender of the Indian passport | $40 plus $3 welfare fund | Plus the service charge |
| Renunciation certificate | Issued with the surrender | Typically 2–3 working days once filed |
| Card application, fresh adult | About $275 government fee | Plus welfare fund and service charge |
| Re-issue of the card | Separate fee | Card itself has no expiry |
| Update of passport or address details | Free, online | No new card issued |
The order is fixed. The surrender and renunciation certificate comes first; the card application will not proceed without it.
Who qualifies
- Former Indian citizens who have naturalised abroad, once they have surrendered the Indian passport.
- Children and grandchildren of people who were or are Indian citizens, with documents linking each generation.
- Minor children of an Indian-origin parent, including children born in the United States, with both parents consenting.
- Foreign spouses of Indian citizens or cardholders, where the marriage has been registered and subsisting for the required period.
- Nobody whose own parents or grandparents have ever been citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, which is an absolute bar.
Required documents
- Current foreign passport, valid at least six months.
- Proof of Indian origin: a previous Indian passport, or a parent’s or grandparent’s Indian passport or birth certificate, plus the documents linking you to them.
- Naturalisation certificate and the surrender or renunciation certificate.
- Apostilled U.S. civil documents where they form part of the chain.
- Proof of U.S. status and address within the jurisdiction.
- Photograph and signature images meeting the portal’s size rules.
Where to apply
Applications go through VFS Global for pre-scrutiny and onward transmission to the mission covering your address. Consulates do not accept them directly.
Consulate General of India
View details →HoustonConsulate General Of India
View details →New YorkConsulate General of India, New York
View details →New YorkPermanent Mission of India
View details →San FranciscoConsulate General of India
View details →Sandy SpringsConsulate General of India
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of India
View details →Additional notes
The card is not a passport
Cardholders travel on their foreign passport. The card replaces the visa, not the travel document.
Children born in the United States
A child born here to Indian-origin parents can hold either Indian citizenship by descent, through registration at the mission, or a foreign passport with a card. Families choose one path; they cannot have both.
Updates and re-issue
Changing a passport number or an address is a free online update. A new physical card is only produced on re-issue, which carries a fee.
Documents must match
Names spelled differently across generations of documents are the usual cause of delay. Fix discrepancies with the issuing authority before filing, not after.