By Usha Muthusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, 2 July 2025: India is actively working to simplify the procedure for Malaysian Indians seeking Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, addressing key challenges primarily related to documentation requirements. High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, His Excellency B.N. Reddy, confirmed this initiative in an exclusive interview with Bernama.
The current process often poses difficulties for applicants in providing proof of Indian ancestry, typically required up to the third generation. Reddy acknowledged that many documents are unavailable due to historical migration patterns during the British era and losses incurred during war periods.
To overcome these hurdles, the High Commission has been engaging with the Indian government to allow the acceptance of documents issued by Malaysian authorities or former British colonial administrations as valid proof of origin. Reddy stated that if a document identifies India as the country of origin, the OCI card can be issued.
Currently, approximately 100,000 out of over two million Malaysian Indians hold OCI cards. OCI status grants foreign nationals of Indian origin the ability to travel to India without a visa and provides certain rights, including property ownership under specific conditions, although it does not confer Indian citizenship.
Source: BERNAMA
