Why in the news
On 30 June 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs rolled out two digital services in New Delhi: a rebuilt portal for foreign-contribution work and a fully electronic Overseas Citizen of India card. Both fit the 2026 amendments to the FCRA Rules and the Citizenship Rules.
Key facts
- Launched by Home Minister Amit Shah in the presence of the Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary and the Intelligence Bureau Director.
- FCRA 2.0 Portal is hosted on MeghRaj (National Government Cloud) and is meant to cut paperwork, speed up registrations and allow live tracking of foreign inflows.
- About 14,500 active FCRA organisations exist; each year they file roughly 15,000-20,000 applications and about 17,000 annual returns.
- The e-OCI Card serves over 50 lakh cardholders abroad and is applied for and downloaded online.
- Planned additions: an AI chatbot, an FCRA mobile app and a separate dashboard for banks.
FCRA 2.0 features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|
| Process re-engineering | Simpler workflow |
| Integrated dashboard | One login, one view |
| Aadhaar authentication | Identity check |
| e-Sign | Digital signing |
| OCR analysis | Text pulled automatically from uploaded PDFs |
| API links | PAN, Aadhaar, OCI, NGO Darpan, ICAI UDIN |
About FCRA
- The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 replaced the 1976 law and controls how individuals, associations and companies accept and use foreign money. Nodal ministry: MHA.
- Prior permission or registration is needed; sub-granting to another entity is barred under Section 7.
- Receipts must go to an account at SBI, New Delhi Main Branch; office-bearers need Aadhaar.
- Only 20% of the contribution may be spent on administration; registration is renewed every 5 years.
- FCRA Amendment Rules, 2026 amend the 2011 Rules: a schedule lists permissible religious activities, compliance is tighter, 75% of earlier funds must be used before the next instalment, and key functionaries share accountability.
About the e-OCI Card
| Earlier practice | With e-OCI |
|---|
| Booklet re-issued when a new passport is taken after age 20 | Only passport details are updated online |
| Fresh application for renewal | Usually not needed for existing holders |
| Booklet can be lost or damaged | Digital, so no such risk |
| Checking needed contact with MHA | Holder can verify in real time |
| Registration number might change | Same unique number kept |
- The OCI scheme began in August 2005 under the Citizenship Act, 1955, for persons of Indian origin who were citizens on or after 26 January 1950 or eligible then; Pakistan, Bangladesh and notified countries are excluded.
- OCI is a lifelong multiple-entry visa with some economic and educational rights, not dual citizenship.
Linked systems
- NGO Darpan: NITI Aayog portal for registration and reporting by NGOs getting central funds.
- UDIN: ICAI’s Unique Document Identification Number for CA certificates, used to verify audits.
- MeghRaj: cloud initiative of MeitY begun in February 2014 to speed e-governance.
Exam angle
- Nodal ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs, not External Affairs.
- Hosting platform: MeghRaj, a MeitY initiative.
- Statutory limits: no sub-granting (Section 7), 20% administrative cap, 5-year renewal.
- Related terms: OCI, NGO Darpan, UDIN, e-Sign.