Application Form for grant / renewal of PIO Card

Information on PIO Card Scheme 2002

The Government of India has announced the launching of a People of Indian Origin Card, which will allow visa free entry to people of Indian origin living aboard and give them all the rights enjoyed by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) including purchase of non-agricultural land. 15 million people of India origin living abroad will benefit from the Scheme. Fee for PIO card is CKC 9750/- for adult and CKC 4550,- for children below the age of 18 years (effective from September 15, 2002). Validity of new PIO card will be 15 years from the date of issue. However, it would not be issued to people of Indian origin living in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It does not give voting rights to the holders of the Card. Indian who hold a foreign passport living abroad till the fourth generations are eligible for PIO card. The PIO Card holder would be exempt from registration if his/her stay in India does not exceed 180 days. However, if the stay exceeds 180 days, the PIO Card holder will have to register within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners Registration Officer at District headquarters. The right to buy property would not be valid to Jammu & Kashmir. The PIO card holder would be able to admit their children to educational institution in India under the NRI category. These include the IITs and IIMs. They can also benefit from housing schemes of the Life Insurance Corporation, State Governments and other Government agencies.

Note: “With Effect From 1st December, 2011, an additional fees of KC 50 will be payable”

The Press Release and Gazette Notification on PIO Card Scheme follows:

Understanding the sentiments of persons of Indian origin to be closer to their original country and to reinforce their emotional bonds, as well as respecting their desire to participate in the development of the resolve to frame a special scheme. This resolve was translated in the first Budget Speech of FM:

“Government have decided to draw up a scheme for issuance of a Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card for those living abroad and having foreign passports. The PIO card, which would be extended to Persons of Indian Origin settled in countries to be specified by Government would besides introducing a visa free regime, also confer some special economic, education, financial and cultural benefits. The details are being worked out.”

The Government has today launched a comprehensive Scheme for the Persons of Indian Origin – called the “PIO Card Scheme”. Under this scheme, Persons of Indian Origin up to the fourth generation (great grant parents) settled throughout the world, except for a few specified countries, would be eligible. The Card would be issued to eligible applicants through the concerned Indian Embassies/High Commissions/Consulates and for those staying in India on long term visa, the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai) would be the same.

The fee for the Card, which will have a validity of 15 years, would be CKC 9750,- for adult and CKC 4550,- for children below the age of 18 years.

Besides making their journey back to their roots simpler, easier and smoother, this Scheme entitles the PIOs to a wide range of economic, financial, education and cultural benefits. The benefits envisaged under the Scheme include:

  • No requirement of visa to visit India;
  • No requirement to register with the Foreigners Registration Officer if continuous stay does not exceed 180 days. If continuous stay exceeds 180 days, then registration is required to be done within a period of 30 days of the expiry of 180 days;
  • Parity with Non-Resident Indians in respect of facilities available to the latter in economic, financial, educational fields, etc. These facilities will include:
    • Acquisition, holding transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India except of agricultural/plantation properties;
    • Admission of children in educational institutions in India under the general category quota for NRIs – including medical/engineering college, IITs, IIMs etc.
    • Various housing schemes of Life Insurance Corporation of India, State Governments and other Government agencies;
  • All future benefits that would be extended to NRIs would also be available to the PIO Card holders;
  • However, they shall not enjoy political rights in India.

The above steps would go a long way in renewing and strengthening the emotional bond amongst PIOs with the land of their origin. The attractive features of the Scheme will further exhort them to play an increasingly constructive role in the socio-economic and cultural development of the country of their origin.

 

Ministry of Home Affairs Notification

  • Short title and commencement:
    • This scheme may be called PIO Card Scheme, 2002;
    • It shall come into force with effect from 15th September, 2002.
  • Definition – in this scheme, unless the context otherwise requires.
    • “Indian Mission” means the Embassy of India/High Commission of India/Indian Consulate in a foreign country.
    • “Person of India origin” means a foreign citizen (not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the Central Government from time to time) if,
      • he/she at any time held a Indian passport; or
      • he/she or either of his/her parents or grant parents or great grant parents was born in and permanently resident in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 and other territories that became part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizens of any of the aforesaid counties [as referred to in 2(b) above; or
      • he/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (i) or (ii) above.
  • Form of application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card:An application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card shall be made in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by documentary evidence to show that the application is a person of Indian origin as defined.
  • Authority to which application is to be made:
    • An application for issue of a PIO card shall be made to an Indian Mission in the country where the applicant is ordinarily resident.
    • Applicants already in India on Long Term Visa (more than one year) shall made the application for issue a PIO Card to the following authorities:
    • Those residing in:
      • Delhi – Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Level-Ii, East Block VIII, R.K. Puram, Sector – 1, New Delhi.
      • Mumbai – Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Annexe-II, Commissioner of Police, Craw Ford Market, Mumbai – 400001.
      • Kolkata – Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, 237, Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kolkatta – 700020.
      • Amritsar – Additional Deputy Director, Bureau of Immigration, B/123, Ranjeet Avenue, Amritsar.
    • Those residing in areas other than (iii) above:
      Joint Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs, 1st Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi – 10003.
  • Validity of PIO Card:
    A PIO Card shall be valid for a period of fifteen years from the date of issue subject to the validity of the passport of the applicant.
  • Fee:
    For Adult………………………………………………: CKC. 9750,-
    For children upto the age of 18 years….: CKC. 4550,-

“With Effect From 1st December, 2011, an additional fees of KC 50 will be payable”

  • Facilities to be extended to a PIO Card holder:
    • A PIO Card holder shall not require a separate visa to visit India.
    • A PIO Card holder will be exempt from the requirement of registration if his/her 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, he/she shall have to get himself/herself registered within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer.
    • All PIOs including PIO Card holders shall enjoy parity with NRIs in respect of all facilities available to the latter in the economic, financial and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties. No parities shall be allowed in the sphere of political rights.
  • Validity of existing PIO Cards:
    PIO Cards issued under the scheme notified in 1999 will continue to remain valid. While no refund will be available, the validity of such cards would be extended for a further period of 10 years without any extra cost.
  • Cancellation of PIO Card:
    The Central Government nay, by order, cancel a PIO Card, if it is satisfied that: 

    • The PIO Card was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of any material fact; or
    • The PIO Card holder has shown himself by act or speech to be disaffected towards the Constitution of India and other laws of India; or
    • The PIO Card holder is a citizen or subject of any country at war with, or committing external aggression against India; or of any other country assisting the country at war with, or committing such aggression against India; or
    • The PIO Card holder has been sentenced in India for indulging in acts of terrorism, smuggling of narcotics, arms, ammunition etc. or has been sentenced for committing an offence punishable with imprisonment up to one year or fine up to rupees ten thousand; or
    • It is not conductive to the public interest that the person should continue to hold a PIO Card.

    • No reasons shall be assigned for cancellation of the Card.