| Definition | Indian citizen ordinarily residing outside India | Foreign citizen who was an Indian national or whose ancestor was an Indian national | Person registered as OCI under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 |
| Citizenship Status | Indian citizen | Foreign citizen | Foreign citizen (not Indian citizen) |
| Visa / Travel Requirement | No visa required to visit India | Visa required to visit India | Lifelong visa-free travel to India; special permission required for research work |
| Activities Allowed | All activities available to Indian citizens (subject to government notifications) | Activities limited to the type of visa obtained | All activities except research work (special permission needed from Indian Mission/Post/FRRO) |
| Citizenship Eligibility | Already an Indian citizen | Must be ordinarily resident in India for 7 years before applying (Sections 5(1)(a) & 5(1)(c)) | Eligible after 5 years as OCI + 12 months ordinary residence in India (Section 5(1)(g)); Central Government may relax period up to 30 days in special circumstances |