| In a significant step towards granting dual citizenship
to overseas Indians, the government of India understands
the sentiments of persons of Indian origin to reconnect
with their roots hence, announced a scheme for issuance
of a Person of Indian Origin ‘PIO Card’, aiming at their
participation in the development of the country, in simpler,
easier, flexible and trouble free ways.
Who is eligible?
- Any person who at any time held an Indian passport;
or
- He/she or either of his/her parents or grandparents
or great grandparents was born in and permanently
resident in India as defined in the Government of
India Act, 1935
- Who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person
of Indian origin as mentioned above.
Benefits to a PIO Card holder
- No Separate tourist visa, student visa or employment
visa is required for visiting India.
- Will be exempt from the requirement of registration
if stay on any single visit in India does not exceed
6 months. In the event of continuous stay exceed 6
months; registration will be required within 30 days
of the expiry of 6 months with the concerned Foreigners
Regional Registration Officer/Foreigners Registration
Officer.
- Parity with Non-Resident Indians in respect of facilities
available to the latter
- All facilities in the matter of acquisition,
holding, transfer and disposal of immovable properties
in India except in matters relating to the acquisition
of agricultural/plantation properties.
- Facilities available to children for getting
admission in educational institutions in India
including medical colleges, engineering colleges,
Institutes of Technology, Institutes of Management
etc. under the general category quota for NRI s.
- Facilities available under the various housing
schemes of Life Insurance Corporation of India,
State Governments and other Government agencies
No parity shall be allowed in the sphere of political
rights.
What is the validity of the PIO
Card? A PIO Card shall be valid for a period
of 15Years from the date of issue subject to the validity
of the passport of the applicant. Note: The PIO Card
will be valid only when accompanied with a valid passport. What is the fee for the PIO Card? $ 310 ( for adults) or $ 155 (for
children upto the age of 18 years)
The validity of PIO card is 15 years. Where to Apply? Authority to which application is
to be made: An application for issue of a PIO
Card shall be made to an Indian Embassy or Consulate
in the country/area where the applicant is ordinarily
resident. Applicants already in India on Long Term Visa (more
than one year) should make the application for issue
of a PIO Card Those residing in USA Contact the nearest Indian consulate.
The list of Indian
Consulate in USA. Those residing in India Delhi: Foreigners Regional Registration
Officer, Hans Haven, I.P.Estate New Delhi - 110002.
Tel: 91-11-331 9489 Fax: 91-11-375 5183 Mumbai: Foreigners Regional Registration
Officer, Annex II, Commissioner of Police, Craw Ford
Market, Mumbai - 400001. Tel: 91-22-262 1169 Fax: 91-22-262
0721 Calcutta: Foreigners Regional Registration Officer,
237, Acharya Jagdish Calcutta - 700020. Tel: 91-33-247
3301 Fax: 91-33-247 0549 Chennai: Chief Immigration Officer, Bureau of Immigration,
Shastri Bhavan Annex, No.26, Haddows Road, Chennai-
600006. Tel: 91-44-827 7036 Fax: 91-44-827 7036 Those residing in areas other than
the ones mentioned above should apply to Joint Secretary (Foreigners). Ministry
of Home Affairs, 1st floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market
New Delhi-110003. Tel: 91-11-469 3334 Fax: 91-11-462
1563 Can the PIO Card be cancelled? The Central Government may by order,
cancel the PIO Card for reasons valid to them. PIO Card Application Form and Instructions: Application form for obtaining a
PIO Card can be downloaded from website:
http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/PIO/PIO.pdf Or procured from the:
EMBASSY OF INDIA Consular Wing 2536 Massachusetts Avenue,
NW Washington,
DC 20008 Ph: (202) 939-9839/9806 Fax: (202) 797-4693
http://www.indianembassy.org Related Links: More
details about PIO card at Indian Consulate SFO. |
