PIO-Person of Indian Origin

Persons of Indian Origin – PIO Card is a form of identification issued to a Person of Indian Origin who holds a passport in another country other than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

PIO Card is issued based on certain conditions

The person and his/her parents, grand parents or great grandparents must not have been a national of Bangladesh or Pakistan at any point of time.
The person is the spouse of a citizen of India or of a PIO and has been so for two years or more; or
The person ever held an Indian passport; or
The person’s parents or grandparents or great grandparents were born in and permanent residents of India and never moved to (i.e. were never nationals of) Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Documents Required

Timeline & Cost

Disclaimer

Oorlahelp will guide you at the initial stage on all the required documentation. Issuance or Rejection of PIO card is the sovereign right of the authorities and at no point Oorlahelp takes the responsibility of the documents not being accepted. Client shall be responsible to provide all required documentation Oorlahelp shall assist the client in obtaining the documents / certificates.

Oorlahelp is here to assist; we will facilitate the documentation part on the issuance of PIO card. Depending on the complexity of the task, the fees may vary; any additional costs incurred shall be borne by the client. Oorlahelp cannot be held responsible for any bureaucratic delays or delays due to insufficient or delayed information / documentation provided by the client.

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you have a question or a doubt, we will be able to answer it hassle-free and trustworthy.

Who is eligible to get PIO ?

Person of Indian Origin who holds a passport in another country other than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

What are the fulfillment to get PIO ?

The person and his/her parents, grand parents or great grandparents must not have been a national of Bangladesh or Pakistan at any point of time.
The person's parents or grandparents or great grandparents were born in and permanent residents of India and never moved to (i.e. were never nationals of) Bangladesh and Pakistan, or
The person ever held an Indian passport; or
The person is the spouse of a citizen of India or of a PIO and has been so for two years or more.

Where can the application for PIO Card be filed?

i. Applicants already in India on long term visa (one year or more) may submit the
application to the following authorities:

Those residing in :-
(a) Delhi: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer , Level II, East Block
VIII, R.K.Puram, Sector I, New Delhi.
(b) Mumbai: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Annexe II,
Commissioner of Police, Crawford Market, Mumbai-400001.
(c) Kolkata: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, 237, Acharya
Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kolkata-700020.
(d) Chennai: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Shastri Bhavan
Annexe, No.26, Haddows Road, Chennai-600006.
(e) Amritsar: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, (Additional Deputy
Director), Bureau of Immigration, D/123, Ranjeet Avenue, Amritsar, Punjab.
(f) Bangalore: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Cauvery Bhavan, 9th floor,
Bangalore.
(g) Hyderabad: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, SIB Office Kothi,
Hyderabad.
(h) Ernakulam: : To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Immigration Wing, CIAL,
P.O.Nedumbassery, Ernakulam, Kerala.
(i) Trivandrum: : To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, 572, Mont Fort House,
Vazhuthacaud, P.O. Thucound, Trivandrum-695014.
(j) Panji: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Goa, Panji.
(k) Calicut: To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Calicut, Kerala.
(l) Lucknow: : To Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Lucknow,(CCS Airport),
U.P.
(ii) Those residing in areas other than above: To the Joint Secretary
(Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigners Division, NDCC-II Building,
Jai Singh Road, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110001.

iii. An application for issue of PIO Card shall be made in the prescribed Form to an
Indian Mission/ Post in the country where the applicant is ordinarily resident.

What are the Documents to be relied upon to get PIO Card?

i. Indian Passport/travel document of the applicant or either of his/her parents or
grand parents or great grand parents.
ii. Proof of previous Indian nationality of the applicant or either of his/her parents or
grand parents or great grand parents.
iii. Any other document satisfactorily proving the previous nationality of the applicant as an Indian e.g. revenue records / domicile certificate / school / college leaving certificates, etc. May be considered on proper verification.

What is the Fee for PIO Card?

A fee of Indian Rupees 15,000 or equivalent in local foreign currency shall be payable
along with the application. The fee for a PIO Card for a child upto the age of 18 Years
will be Rs. 7,500 (or, its equivalent in local foreign currency).

What is the Validity of the PIO Card?

The PIO Card will have a validity of 15 years subject to the condition that a valid
passport accompanies it.

What are the benefits to a PIO Card- holder?

The PIO cardholders is entitled to the following benefits:
i. A multiple entry, multi -purpose visa for visiting India. PIO Card
itself is treated as a Visa;
ii. No separate Student/ Employment /Business visa will be required for
admission in colleges/institutions or taking up employment, business,
etc in India;
iii. Special counters for speedy immigration clearance at designated
Immigration check posts;
iv. Exemption from registration with local police authorities for
continuous stay upto 180 days in India ;
v. Parity with Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in economic, financial and
educational fields except for acquisition of agricultural land or
plantations;
vi. PIO Card can be used as identity proof for applying for a (I) PAN
card, (II) driving licence and (III) opening of Bank account in India, if
the PIO card holder resides in India.

Note:

i. In the event of continuous stay in India exceeding 180 days, the PIO Cardholder
must get himself/herself registered, within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days, with the
concerned jurisdictional FRRO/FRO.
ii. The grant of a PIO Card does NOT entitle the cardholder to visit a restricted /
protected area. Prior permission of the competent authority is required to be obtained for
visiting a restricted / protected area.
iii. A PIO Card does NOT entitle the cardholder to undertake any missionary work,
mountaineering and research work, without the prior permission of the Government of india.

What are the provisions for the issue of a Duplicate PIO Card?

In the event of the loss of a PIO Card, a duplicate card may be issued after charging a
fee of US$ 100 or equivalent in local currency, subject to the completion of the other
formalities viz. lodging of an FIR, scrutiny of claim, etc. as required to issue a duplicate
passport. A duplicate PIO Card may be issued from the same office that issued the
original card.

On what grounds PIO Card can be Cancelled?

(a) the PIO Card was obtained by fraud, false representation or the concealment of any
material fact; or
(b) the PIO cardholder has shown himself by act or speech to be disaffected towards the
Constitution of India and other laws of India; or
(c) the PIO cardholder 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
(d) the PIO cardholder has been sentenced in India for indulging in acts of
terrorism or smuggling of narcotics, arms, ammunitions etc. or has been
sentenced for committing an offence punishable with imprisonment upto one
year, or fine upto rupees ten thousand; or
(e) if it is not conducive in the public interest that the person should continue
to hold a PIO Card.