On 06-01-2015, the President of India promulgated the Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015. The objective of the Ordinance is to amend the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 with immediate effect. The Ordinance provides for the following amendments:
- To relax the mandatory provision of one year continuous stay in India for Indian Citizenship, with that of a maximum thirty days (which may be in different breaks), if the Central Government is satisfied that special circumstances exist and after recording such circumstances in writing.
- To enable for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) by a minor, whose parents are Indian Citizens.
- To enable for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) by a child or a grand-child or a great grandchild of an Indian citizen.
- To enable for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) by such spouse of a citizen of India or spouse of an OCI registered under Section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application.
- In respect of existing PIO card holders, the Central Government may specify a particular date from which all existing PIO card holders will be deemed to be OCI card holders.
-Ministry of Home Affairs