Under section 7A of the Citizenship Act 1955, OCI eligibility depends on a link to Indian citizenship or territory through yourself, a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent, or by marriage to an Indian citizen or OCI holder. Many Mauritian families' ancestors left India before 1947. India announced in 2025 an extension of OCI eligibility to Mauritians of Indian origin up to the seventh generation; check the notified criteria and document requirements with the High Commission in Port Louis before applying.
- Document route
- Mauritian notary or authority, then apostille
- Time difference
- IST is 1.5 hours ahead (no daylight saving)
- Law
- Citizenship Act 1955, sections 7A to 7D
- Spouse route
- Marriage registered, 2 years subsisting
OCI Card Issues from Mauritius: how it works
We review your family history and available documents: Mauritian birth and marriage certificates, immigration records and any records of Indian origin. We advise whether you qualify under the existing grounds or the extended eligibility for Mauritius, and prepare the application. Documents from Mauritius may need apostille. The application is filed online and submitted through the High Commission.
If an application is refused, delayed or an existing OCI card is cancelled under section 7D, we advise on representations and legal remedies in India. OCI cardholders can enter India without a visa, live and work there, and buy residential and commercial property, but not agricultural land, plantations or farmhouses, and they cannot vote or hold certain public offices. Update your OCI details when you get a new passport.
What clients in Mauritius should know
- Mauritian immigration records of ancestors' arrival may support claims of Indian origin under the extended eligibility.
- Mauritian citizens married to Indian citizens or OCI holders can apply on the basis of marriage after two years, subject to conditions.
- OCI cardholders working in India must follow FEMA rules on property and bank accounts, which differ from Indian citizens' rules.
Step by step from Mauritius
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Mauritius, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Mauritius
Mauritian notary or authority, then apostille
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Mauritius where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Mauritius. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on OCI Card Issues, or see all services for clients in Mauritius and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Mauritius
Can my children get OCI?
If you are eligible, your children may also be eligible, subject to the rules.
Does an OCI card give dual citizenship?
No. It is a lifelong visa and residence status, not citizenship.
Can an OCI cardholder inherit agricultural land?
Yes, by inheritance, though purchase of agricultural land is not permitted.