nri information

Person of Indian Origin - PIO Card

 

The Person of Indian Origin Card (PIO CARD) was launched by the Government of India in 1999. The PIO card was intended to make it easier for foreign nationals of Indian origin to enter India with ease and avoid the process of applying for visas every time they wanted to visit.
With effect from 15th September 2002, the Government of India has announced a new PIO Card Scheme.

PIO Card holders are entitled to a number of benefits.

PIO Card Benefits

  •  No visa required for visiting India as long as a person has a valid PIO Card.

  • No separate “Student Visa” or “Employment Visa” required for admissions in Colleges/Institutions or for taking up employment respectively.

  • A PIO Card holder will be exempt from the requirement of registration if his stay on any single visit in India does not exceed 180 days.
    In the event of continuous stay in India of the PIO Card holder exceeding 180 days, PIO card holders will have to get themselves registered within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer / Foreigners Registration Officer.

  • Parity with non-resident Indians in respect of facilities available to the latter in economic, financial and educational field.

  • Acquisition, holding, transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India except agricultural immovable properties in India accept agricultural/plantation properties.

  • Facilities available to children of NRIs for getting admission to educational institutions in India including medical colleges, engineering colleges, Institute of Technology, Institute of Management, etc. under the general categories.

  • Facilities available under the various housing scheme of LIC, State Government and other Government Agencies.

  • Special counters at the immigration check posts for speedy clearance.

  • All future benefits that would be extended to NRIs would also be available to the PIO Card holders

     

Eligibility for PIO Card

Persons of Indian origin who hold foreign passports of a country other than Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Sri Lanka are eligible for PIO Card if:

  1.  They had at any time before acquiring foreign citizenship held an Indian passport.

  2. She/he or either of his/her parents or grandparents or great grandparents was born in India or permanent resident in India provided neither was at any time a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Sri Lanka.

  3. She/he is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under 1 & 2 above.

You may be ineligible to apply for a PIO card if you, your spouse, parents, grandparents or great grandparents have ever held citizenship of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.

PIO or OCI

The PIO card was introduced long before OCI was announced. As it stands today get a PIO card does not make sense when OCI is a lifetime visa compared to 15 years for PIO card holders.