OCI card is a facility that brings the Indian diaspora in USA and other countries, at par with NRI’s (Non-Resident Indians), in financial, educational and economic matters, granting them multiple entries and multi-purpose life-long visa to visit India. The OCI card however, does not help them with property- agricultural land or plantation properties.
It was recently reported by PTI that many Indians are being forced to turn back mid-way while visiting India, as airlines refuse to ferry passengers whose OCI card numbers do not match with the ones on their passport. The reason behind this problem is lack of awareness about strict enforcement of a rule on renewal, Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, Indian-American has said in a petition to the Indian Ambassador.
“Airlines and immigration officials cite a recent advisory issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Civil Aviation and demand that passengers below 20 years of age and above 50 years of age need to have their OCI cards renewed after renewal of their passports. This has resulted in many passengers being turned back from the airports,” Bhandari said.
He urged Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla to help in fixing this issue through public information and awareness campaigns in the USA and at the same time getting the OCI cards rules simplified from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“The purpose of OCI card inter alia was to ease the travel experience of holders and not to cause avoidable anxiety and distress,” he said, adding that in his next India visit he plans to raise the matter with the Ministry of Civil Aviation so that airlines could be suitably briefed.
Bhandari said that he has also raised this issue with Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation.
09/12/19 Indica News
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It was recently reported by PTI that many Indians are being forced to turn back mid-way while visiting India, as airlines refuse to ferry passengers whose OCI card numbers do not match with the ones on their passport. The reason behind this problem is lack of awareness about strict enforcement of a rule on renewal, Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, Indian-American has said in a petition to the Indian Ambassador.
“Airlines and immigration officials cite a recent advisory issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Civil Aviation and demand that passengers below 20 years of age and above 50 years of age need to have their OCI cards renewed after renewal of their passports. This has resulted in many passengers being turned back from the airports,” Bhandari said.
He urged Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla to help in fixing this issue through public information and awareness campaigns in the USA and at the same time getting the OCI cards rules simplified from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“The purpose of OCI card inter alia was to ease the travel experience of holders and not to cause avoidable anxiety and distress,” he said, adding that in his next India visit he plans to raise the matter with the Ministry of Civil Aviation so that airlines could be suitably briefed.
Bhandari said that he has also raised this issue with Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation.
09/12/19 Indica News
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