I. Registration of Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder

(1) The Central Government may, on an application made in this behalf, register as an overseas citizen of India cardholder-

(a) any person of full age and capacity,-

(i) who is a citizen of another country, but was a citizen of Indi time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitu

(ii) who is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to be citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the Cons or

(iii) who is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territ became part of India after the 15th August, 1947; or

(iv) who is a child or a grandchild or a great grandchild of such a or

(b) a person, who is a minor child of a person mentioned in clause (a); or

(c) a person, who is a minor child, and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or

(d) spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder 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.

No person, who or either of whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

(2) The Central Government may specify the date from which the existing persons of Indian origin cardholders shall be deemed to be overseas citizens of India cardholders.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in point (1), the Central Government may, if it is satisfied that special circumstances exist, after recording the circumstances in writing, register a person as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.