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‘Finally I am Indian’: Russian woman jumps in joy as she shows off her OCI passport

A Russian influencer recorded her reaction while holding her OCI passport. She lives in India with her husband, a kid, and in-laws.

Updated on: Apr 25, 2025, 06:37:00 IST
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A Russian woman’s joyous expression while holding a passport has gone viral on social media. Marina Kharbani, a Russian influencer married to an Indian man, shared, “Finally, I am Indian,” while excitedly showing off her new document.

A woman showing her OCI passport. (Instagram/@terk_love)
A woman showing her OCI passport. (Instagram/@terk_love)

“Almost! I was waiting for this precious document for 3.5 years!!! And I am a proud holder of OCI now,” she wrote. The video shows her carrying her kid on her lap while showing her passport. Throughout the video, she could hardly control her smile and happiness.

Also Read: ‘Are you a racist’: Indian living in Japan asks vlogger, opens up about facing racism. Watch

What is OCI?

OCI stands for the Overseas Citizenship of India programme run by the Government of India. According to its official website, “spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder” is eligible for registering as an OCI cardholder.

Take a look at the video:

What did social media say?

An individual remarked, “Congratulations! I have one, too! Enjoy not having to worry about expiry dates or visa paperwork any more!” Another added, “People from India are migrating to Europe. Europeans are coming to India for citizenship.”

Also Read: What did 1 year in India teach this Japanese? CEO who relocated lists three lessons

A third added, “I have never seen anyone waving an Indian passport with so much happiness. Congratulations.” A fourth wrote, “But it's only the OCI. You're not Indian. The OCI doesn't give you Indian nationality. If you get divorced, the OCI is revoked. The OCI only gives us some rights, not all of them, like the ability to enter and leave without a visa. But it's not nationality.” Marina Kharbani replied, “Yes. So…?”

Last year, another video of Marina Kharbani went viral on social media. It showed how her parents reacted to the news of her pregnancy. She lives with her husband, kid, and in-laws in Shillong, Meghalaya.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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