Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-30042026-272180 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 299] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026/VAISAKHA 10, 1948 MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 30th April, 2026 G.S.R. 323(E). — In exercise of the powers conferred by section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Citizenship Rules, 2009, namely:- 1. Short title and commencement. — (1) These rules may be called the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Citizenship Rules, 2009 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in rule 3, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: - "Provided that the applicant in such cases shall note that the minor child cannot at any time hold the passport of any other country while also holding the Indian passport.". 3. In the said rules, in rule 29, for sub-rule (1), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:— "(1) An application for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7A shall be made in Form XXVIII electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in." 4. In the said rules, in rule 31,— (i) in the opening portion, the words “in duplicate" shall be omitted; (ii) in clause (a), sub-clause (ii) shall be omitted. 5. In the said rules, for rule 33, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:— "33. Registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder and maintenance of register of persons under section 7A.- (1) Every person, who is registered as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7A shall be issued an Overseas Citizen of India card in physical form or an electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) registration containing the details as in Form XXIX. (2) The issuing authority shall maintain a record of the persons registered as Overseas citizen of India cardholder as in Form XXX in electronic form.". 6. In the said rules, for rule 34, the following rule shall be substituted, namely :— "34. Declaration of renunciation of Overseas Citizen of India card. - (1) A declaration of renunciation of the card registering a person as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7C shall be made in Form XXXI electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in to the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned and in case of Overseas Citizen of India card issued in physical form, the original of the Overseas Citizen of India card shall also be surrendered to the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned. (2) On receipt of the declaration of renunciation of the card registering as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder and surrender of the original Overseas Citizen of India card (in cases where the Overseas Citizen of India card has been issued in physical form), the Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned shall issue an acknowledgment in Form XXXII electronically on the designated online portal, namely, https://ociservices.gov.in and remove the name of the declarant from the record maintained in electronic form under sub-rule (2) of rule 33.”. 7. In the said rules, for rule 35, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:— "35. Cancellation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder.— (1) Where an order has been made cancelling the registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder, the person whose registration has been cancelled or any other person in possession of the Overseas Citizen of India card in physical form issued to the person concerned shall, when required by notice in writing by the Central Government, deliver the said card in original to such person and within such period as may be specified in the notice. (2) On the Overseas Citizen of India card being delivered, it shall be cancelled and in case the card is not delivered, then the Central Government may direct that it shall be treated as cancelled. (3) Where an order has been made cancelling registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder in respect of a person who has been issued an e-OCI registration, the Central Government may direct that the e-OCI registration shall be treated as cancelled. (4) The issuing authority shall make an appropriate entry in the record maintained in the electronic form under sub-rule (2) of rule 33 stating the cancellation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder.". 8. In the said rules, for rule 42, the following rule shall be substituted, namely :- "42. Authority for revision of an order made under Act. — (1) If an application for revision is made under section 15 by a person aggrieved by an order made by an authority with reference to his application for citizenship under the provisions of the Act, the application shall be disposed of by an authority one rank higher than the authority specified for disposal of the application for citizenship. (2) If an application for revision is made under section 15 by a person aggrieved by an order made by an Indian Mission or Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned with reference to his application for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7A or an order made by the said authorities on cancellation of the registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7D, the application shall be disposed of by an authority as may be specified by the Central Government. (3) In all such cases covered by sub-rules (1) and (2), the application for revision shall be disposed of after giving a reasonable opportunity to the person affected to present his case.". 9. In the said rules, after rule 42, the following rule shall be inserted, namely:- "42A. Application for review of order made under Act.— If an application is made by a person for review under section 15A, the said application for review shall be disposed of by the Central Government after giving a reasonable opportunity to the person affected to present his case.". 10. In the said rules, in Schedule I,— (a) in Form I, in PART II, after serial number 10 and the entries relating thereto, the following serial number shall be inserted, namely :- “10A. I, ................ have also noted that my minor child .............. cannot at any time hold the passport of any other country while also holding the Indian passport." ; (b) in Form XXVIII,— i. In Part A relating to Indian Origin Applicant, serial number 2 and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted; ii. In Part A relating to Spouse Based Applicant, serial number 2 and the entries relating thereto shall be omitted; iii. in the DECLARATION, after paragraph 4, the following paragraph shall be inserted, namely:- "5. I hereby give my consent to — (i) share my biometric information that will be captured for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder for the purpose of my registration under the Fast Track Immigration Programme whenever I submit an application for availing such Programme in future; or (c) consider my automatic registration under the Fast Track Immigration Programme using the biometric information captured for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder. [Delete whichever is not applicable]."; for Form XXIX, the following Form shall be substituted by following Form, namely:— "FORM XXIX [See rule 33(1)] THE CITIZENSHIP RULES, 2009 DETAILS TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA CARD TO BE ISSUED TO THE APPLICANT EITHER IN PHYSICAL FORM OR AS e-OCI REGISTRATION 1. Unique OCI number 2. Category of OCI Registration 3. Name 4. Nationality 5. Gender 6. Date of Birth 7. OCI Issue Date 8. Valid Till 9. Place of Issue 10. Passport Number 11. Previous Passport (if any) 12. Name of Father 13. Name of Mother 14. Name of the Spouse 15. Present Address." ; (d) for Form XXX, the following Form shall be substituted, namely :- "FORM XXX [See rules 33(2] THE CITIZENSHIP RULES, 2009 REGISTER OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA CARDHOLDER UNDER SECTION 7A, RENOUNCED UNDER SECTION 7C AND CANCELLED UNDER SECTION 7D OF THE CITIZENSHIP АСТ, 1955 +-----+-----------+----------+----------+--------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------+-----------+ | Sl. | Full name | Father's | Mother's | Spouse | Place & | Natio- | Last | Date | Date & | Date & | Date & | Remarks | | No. | and | name | Name | Name | date | nality | perm- | from | Place of | Place in | Place in | | | | address | | | | of | | anent | which | Regist- | case of | case of | | | | of the | | | | birth | | address | resident| ration | renunc- | cance- | | | | applic- | | | | | | out- | in India| | iation | llation | | | | ant | | | | | | side | | | | | | | | | | | | | | India | | | | | | +=====+===========+==========+==========+========+=========+===========+===========+=========+====================+=====================+=====================+===========+ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | +-----+-----------+----------+----------+--------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------+-----------+ Note: Serial number in this register should correspond with the number in the Overseas Citizen of India Card or e-OCI registration.” ; (e) for Form XXXI, the following Form shall be substituted, namely:- 'FORM XXXI [See rule 34(1)] THE CITIZENSHIP RULES, 2009 DECLARATION OF THE RENUNCIATION OF THE CARD REGISTERING AS AN OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA CARDHOLDER/ e-OCI REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 7C (1) OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1955 MADE BY AN OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA CARDHOLDER 1. I, ................ (here insert full name and address of the declarant) am of full age and capacity and was born at ................ on ................ 2. I am registered as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder. 3. I hereby renounce my Overseas Citizen of India card and surrender* my Overseas Citizen of India Card bearing number ................ issued on............... at ................ in physical form (in cases where OCI card has been issued in physical form). Reason for renunciation of the OCI Cardholder registration is ................ 4. I, ................ do solemnly and sincerely declare that the foregoing particulars stated in this declaration are true, and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true. Date........................... Signature .................... Made and subscribed this ....... day of .......... 20 ............ before me. **Signature ................ ** Designation.............. Particulars 1. Full Name .......................................................................................... 2. Address .............................................................................................. 3. Occupation. ....................................................................................... 4. Place and date of birth. ........................................................................ 5. Nationality. ........................................................................................ 6. Name of wife or husband. ................................................................... 7. Number and date of issue of Overseas Citizen of India Card or e-OCI registration .................. 8. Name and full particulars of minor children who are registered as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder, if any ................................................................................... * Please surrender the original Overseas Citizen of India card in physical form to the Indian Mission/ Post concerned or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned in cases where the OCI card has been issued in physical form. ** Signature and designation of the officer of the designated authority specified under rule 34 of the Citizenship Rules, 2009." ; (f) for Form XXXII, the following Form shall be substituted, namely :- "FORM XXXII [See rule 34(2)] THE CITIZENSHIP RULES, 2009 ACKNOWLEDGMENT Received declaration of renunciation of registration as Overseas Citizen of India cardholder under section 7C(1) of the Citizenship Act, 1955 from Miss/Ms/Mr. ..............................D/o, W/o, S/o [delete whichever is not applicable]................................ resident of ................................. along with the original Overseas Citizen of India Card (bearing No. .......................... dated .......................... issued at .......................... in case of Overseas Citizen of India card issued in physical form)/ e-OCI registration number [delete whichever is not applicable]. Date ..................................." . Signature with seal of the Receiving Officer 11. In the said rules, in Schedule IV, a. in the table, in column (2), against serial numbers 8,10 and 11, the symbol "*" shall be omitted. b. after the table, the Note shall be omitted. [F. No. 24021/02/2026-OCI] NITESH KUMAR VYAS, Addl. Secy. Note :- The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub- section (i) vide number G.S.R. 124(E), dated the 25th February, 2009 and were last amended, vide G.S.R. 172(E), dated the 11th March, 2024. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.