Issuing a notice on 30 March 2026, the Canberra-based High Commission of India informed that from 1 April, applications for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will no longer be accepted by post.
“OCI applicants are hereby requested to visit the respective VFS Centre in person, by prior appointment, for the submission of their OCI applications and verification of supporting documents with original copies,” the official notice read.
OCI status is held by millions of people worldwide, including many in Australia.
Melbourne resident Pooja Choudhary describes OCI as an important document for her.
“OCI is a very important document for us. It helps us stay connected to our roots in India and makes travel much easier,” she said.
Reacting to the decision to end postal applications, she said that while the hybrid system, which allowed applications to be sent by post, was more convenient for those in regional areas, its removal could help reduce errors.
Echoing similar sentiments, another resident Vivek Asthana said OCI remains the best option for the diaspora to remain connected with India.
“We would welcome dual citizenship, but currently OCI meets the needs of millions of Indian-origin citizens.”
He feels the move to stop postal submission would be due to security reasons.
“If you submit the application in person, there is no risk of fraud but for those living in regional areas it will be a big change to deal with,” he said.
Currently, the official website states that on an average OCI processing can take up to eight weeks.
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