Q879. How long will it take for Nepali doctor marrying Indian citizen to get Indian Citizenship?

Question: Hello there, Greetings!! I ned to know the procedure to acquire Indian citizenship for a Nepalese girl(doctor) who gets married to an Indian citizen in India. When can she apply for Indian citizenship, procedure and how much time it will take. Also as she is a doctor, will she be able to appear for MCI exam to practice in India before acquiring citizenship?? Thanks!! ankit kumar

Answer: Regarding your question whether after marrying an Indian citizen, a Nepalese girl who is a doctor will be able to appear for MCI exam to practice in India before acquiring Indian citizenship; the answer is probably yes. When a foreigner marries an Indian citizen, the foreign spouse does not get Indian citizenship immediately following the marriage. The foreign spouse must live in India for seven years before being eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955. The time period can be cut from 7 years to 5 years if the foreign spouse gets OCI status. Registering as an OCI allows life time visa for India along with several other benefits. However, citizens of Nepal are not eligible for OCI. [See Question # 532] More information on how to acquire Indian citizenship is provided on NRI Information in an article titled ‘Modes of acquiring Indian citizenship’ Here you will find complete information on how foreigners can acquire Indian citizenship and step by step instructions on applying online for Indian citizenship. Click Here to read article.