How to Download Your e-OCI Card (2026) — Step-by-Step Guide
India's Bureau of Immigration now issues an official digital version of the OCI card — the e-OCI — and existing OCI cardholders can download it from the official OCI Services Portal and keep it on their phone. Introduced in 2026, it can be presented at immigration check posts and to airlines, and your physical OCI card remains valid alongside it. Here's exactly how to download yours, what it shows, and what to do if you can't get into your OCI account — the most common snag.
What is the e-OCI card?
The e-OCI is an official, QR-verified digital copy of your OCI card, generated from your existing OCI record on the Government of India's OCI Services Portal. It shows your name, nationality, OCI number, issue date, category and lifelong validity, your photo, your linked passport number, and a QR code and barcode that officials can scan to verify it. It's a PDF — save it on your phone and it's with you wherever you travel.
Two things it is not: it's not a new OCI application (you need an existing OCI), and it doesn't replace your physical card — your existing physical OCI card remains valid.
How to download your e-OCI — the official steps
- Log in to the OCI Services Portal at ociservices.gov.in with your existing User ID and password. Not registered? Complete registration using the email address provided at the time of your OCI application.
- Open the e-OCI tab on the dashboard once you're logged in.
- Find your application details — in the last column, click Generate e-OCI Card.
- Your e-OCI is generated and made available for download.
- Download and save it on your phone. You can present the digital version at immigration check posts and to airlines whenever required.
The catch — most people can't get past Step 1
The portal login is tied to the email used for your original OCI application — which may have been years ago, and very often was registered by an agent or a family member. In practice, the common blockers are: the registration email is unknown or no longer accessible, the password is long forgotten, or the account details don't match what you expect. Recovering access is doable, but it's the fiddly part of the whole process.
When the e-OCI really helps
- Travelling light or as a backup — an official digital copy alongside your passport at airline check-in, immigration and transit checks.
- Card lost or damaged — an official copy you can present in the meantime. A lost or damaged card is normally replaced through the OCI Miscellaneous route; the e-OCI doesn't replace that, but it helps while you arrange it.
- Left the card at home — already on a trip and the card is in a drawer in the UK? The e-OCI on your phone is exactly the situation this was made for.
Doing it yourself vs having Matrix do it
Yourself, on the official portal
- Follow the five steps above on ociservices.gov.in
- You'll need your OCI-application email and password (or a successful recovery)
- Works well if your login details are to hand and your OCI is linked with your current passport
With Matrix — £50, or +£25 with any OCI service
- We recover or register your OCI portal account — preferably via your own email, so your login is used once and never stored
- We generate the e-OCI, verify every detail and the QR code, and deliver the PDF to your phone
- Generally within 24 hours of order confirmation, once your OCI is linked with your current passport
- Not linked yet? We handle OCI Link + e-OCI together (£125 total)
Frequently asked questions
Is my physical OCI card still valid if I download the e-OCI?
Who can download an e-OCI?
I can't remember my OCI portal login — what now?
My passport changed — can I still generate the e-OCI?
Is there a fee to generate the e-OCI?
Will airlines and immigration accept it?
My OCI card is lost — does the e-OCI replace it?
Want it done for you?
Send us your OCI number and current passport details — we'll confirm your OCI is linked and have your e-OCI on your phone, generally within 24 hours of order confirmation.
Based on the Bureau of Immigration's official e-OCI advisory and the OCI Services Portal (ociservices.gov.in), current as of July 2026. Specifications and availability are set by the Government of India and can change. Matrix Solutions is an independent documentation service (ICO ZB151833) and is not affiliated with the Government of India, the Bureau of Immigration, or VFS Global. General information only.