Ten families in Toronto get OCI cards

The overseas citizenship cardholders are eligible for multiple entries, multi-purpose life-long visa to visit India.

The Indian Consulate has distributed the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) in Toronto.

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The OCI cards were given to PIOs of a certain category who migrated from India and acquired Canadian citizenship.

Consul-General Satish Mehta presented the OCI cards to the first batch of 10 Indians families living in Toronto, the business hub of Canada, at a function at the consulate premises on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering, Mehta said that response to the dual citizenship scheme from the community was overwhelming. "OCI will enable a PIO to maintain a link with his country of origin," he said.

Mehta said that over 60 applications were submitted to the Indian Consulate every week. "We are processing the applicants without any delay and hope that the applicants would get the documents soon," he said.

The OCI cardholders are eligible for multiple entries, multi-purpose life-long visa to visit India.

The cardholders also get the advantage of exemption from reporting to police authorities for any length of stay in India and parity with NRIs in financial, economic and educational fields except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties, Mehta added.

"I feel honoured to receive the card," said Udaypal Singh Natt, a Canadian national of Indian origin living in Toronto, who was the first recipient.