Bringing relief to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday allowed certain categories of them to return home. The coronavirus lockdown guidelines of May 7 had imposed restrictions on OCIs travelling home.
As per the current MHA order, several categories will benefit from the removal of visa and travel restrictions. These include minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards; OCI cardholders who wish to come to India on account of family emergencies, like a death in the family; couples where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other is an Indian national and they have permanent residence in India; university students who are OCI cardholders (not legally minors) but whose parents are Indian citizens living in India.
The home ministry also made it clear the travel restrictions imposed would not apply to any aircraft, ship, train or any other vehicle deployed for bringing back the above-mentioned categories of OCI cardholders who are stranded abroad due to the lockdown.
Officials said the decision to amend the earlier order was taken in public interest.
Many OCI card holders had approached the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian missions when the Vande Bharat scheme began. The MHA guidelines had then made it clear that only Indian nationals be brought back in these repatriation flights, leaving the OCI cardholders stranded. The MEA had then taken it up with the MHA to allow certain categories of OCI cardholders in these flights.
The OCI cardholders have the right of multiple entry through a lifelong visa, which was put on hold by the government guidelines on May 7 that suspended visas for foreign nationals and visa-free travel for people of Indian origin.
The government is currently undertaking a special operation under the name of 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring back stranded Indians from abroad.
A nationwide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic. It was first extended till May 3 and again till May 17. The lockdown has now been extended till May 31.
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