India Extends OCI Card Access to 7th-Generation Mauritians

At an official ceremony held at the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site in Port Louis, India's High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, confirmed a significant expansion of the Overseas Citizen of India scheme: it is now open to Mauritians of Indian descent up to the seventh generation.

The Aapravasi Ghat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Port Louis waterfront, is where hundreds of thousands of indentured labourers from India first arrived in Mauritius from 1834 onwards. It is a powerful symbol of the historical ties between the two countries, making it a fitting setting for the announcement.

This latest move builds on a gradual broadening of eligibility criteria. In 2017, the Indian government extended OCI access to sixth-generation descendants. The new seventh-generation rule goes one step further, bringing a larger share of the Mauritian population within reach of a status that many consider one of the most practical benefits of the India-Mauritius relationship.

The OCI card, issued by the Government of India, functions as a lifelong, multiple-entry permanent visa. It allows holders to live, work, study and conduct business in India without needing to apply for visas each time. Holders can also access Indian universities on terms similar to non-resident Indians, and visit family with no restrictions on length of stay. Crucially, the OCI card does not replace Mauritian citizenship: holders keep their Mauritian passport and nationality.

The scheme is not the same as Indian citizenship. OCI holders cannot vote in Indian elections or hold certain government positions, but for the vast majority of purposes, including travel, education and employment, the card removes most practical barriers to engaging with India.

Applications are processed through the official Indian government portal at ociservices.gov.in. Applicants must compile a supporting dossier including proof of their Indian-origin lineage, identity documents and other materials specified on the portal.

What this means: For many Mauritian families whose Indian roots stretch back five, six or seven generations, this expansion makes OCI status accessible for the first time. Given that indentured immigration from India to Mauritius began nearly two centuries ago, the seventh-generation threshold is particularly significant here. It effectively means that most Mauritians who can trace any Indian ancestry may now qualify, opening doors to education, career opportunities and family connections in India without losing any of their Mauritian rights.

Source: ION News