Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Card Scheme
Information on PIO Card Scheme
The Government
has announced the launching of a People of Indian Origin Card,
which will allow visa free entry to Indian origin people
living abroad and give them all the rights enjoyed by
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) including purchase of
non-agricultural land. 15 million people of Indian origin
living abroad will benefit from the Card.Fee for PIO Card is US $ 310.00 for adult and
for children below the age of 18 years is US $ 155.00
(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. It is eligible for the
Indians who hold a foreign passport living abroad till the
fourth generation. The PIO Card holder would be exempt from
registration if his 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 Indian institutes
of Management. They can also benefit from housing schemes of
the Life Insurance Corporation, State Governments and other
Government agencies.
THE PRESS RELEASE AND GAZETTE NOTIFICATION
ON PIO CARD 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, educational, 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
grand 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, Calcutta, and Chennai)
would be the same.
The fee for the card, which will have a
validity of 15 years, would be US $ 310.00 for adult and US $
155.00 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,
educational and cultural benefits. The benefits envisaged
under the Scheme include: -
(i) No requirement of visa to visit
India:
(ii) No requirement to
register with the Foreigners Registration Officer if
continuous stay does not exceed 180 days. If continuos stay
exceeds 180 days, then registration is required to be done
within a period of 30 days of the expiry of 180
days:
(iii) Parity with
Non-Resident Indians in respect of facilities available to the
latter in economic, financial, educational fields, etc. These
facilities will include:-
(a) Acquisition, holding,
transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India
except of agricultural/plantation properties;
(b) admission of children
in educational institutions in India under the general
category quota for NRIs - including medical / engineering
college, IITs, IIMs etc.
(c) various housing
schemes of Life Insurance Corporation of India, State
Governments and other Government
agencies;
(iv) All future benefits
that would be extended to NRIs would also be available to the
PIO Card holders;
(v) 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
(i)
This scheme may be called PIO Card Scheme, 2002;
(ii)
It shall come into force with effect from
15th September, 2002.
2. Definition - In this scheme, unless the
context otherwise requires.
(a) "Indian Mission" means
the Embassy of Indian/ High Commission of India/ Indian
Consulate in a foreign country.
(b) "Person of Indian
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.
(i) he/she at any time
held a Indian passport; or
(ii) he/she or either of
his/her parents or grand parents or great grand 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 countries (as
referred to in 2(b)above; or
(iii) he/she is a spouse
of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered
under (i) or (ii) above.
(c) "PIO Card" means a card issued under
this scheme.
3. 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.
4. Authority to which application is to be
made:-
(i) An application for
issue of a PIO Card shall be made to an Indian Mission in
the country where the applicant is ordinarily
resident.
(ii) Applicants already in
India on Long Term Visa (more than one year) shall make the
application for issue of a PIO Card to the following
authorities:-
(A) Those residing in:-
(a)
Delhi
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Level -II,
East Block VIII, R.K. Puram, Sector - I, New Delhi.
(b) Mumbai
Foreigners
Regional Registration Officer, Annex II, Commissioner of
Police, Craw Ford Market, Mumbai - 400001.
(c) Calcutta
Foreigners
Regional Registration Officer, 237, Acharya Jagdish Calcutta -
700020
(d) Chennai
Chief
Immigration Officer, Bureau of Immigration, Shastri Bhavan
Annex, No.26, Haddows Road, Chennai- 600006.
(B) Those residing in areas other than (A)
above:-
Joint Secretary
(Foreigners). Ministry of Home Affairs, 1st floor, Lok
Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market New Delhi-110003.
5. Authority to grant a PIO
Card:-
The authority to grant a
PIO Card shall be an officer in an Indian Mission notified
for the purpose or the Joint Secretary Ministry of Home
Affairs, Government of India or the Foreigners Regional
Registration Officer, New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta of the
Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai.
6. Validity of PIO Card:-
A PIO Card shall be valid for a period
of Fifteen years.
7. Fee:-
Fee
for new PIO Card for adult US $
310.00
Fee
for new PIO Card for childrenBelow the age of 18
years - US $
155.00
Status of PIO Cards issued
earlier as per PIO Card Scheme (1999)
PIO Card issued earlier for US $
1000/- will continue to remain valid and no refund shall be
admissible. However, the validity of the such cards shall be
extended by 10 more years without charging any fee.
8. Facilities to be extended to a PIO Card
holder:-
(i) A PIO Card holder
shall not require a visa to visit
India.
(ii) A PIO Card holder
will be exempted from the requirement of registration if his
stay in India does not exceed 180
days.
(iii) 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 Registration Officer at District
Headquarter.
(iv) A PIO Card holder
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 parity
shall be allowed in the sphere of political
rights.
9. Cancellation of PIO Card:-
The Central Government may by order,
cancel the PIO Card, if it is satisfied that:
(a) the PIO Card was
obtained by means of fraud, false representation or the
concealment of any material fact; or
(b) 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
(c) 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
(d) the PIO Card holder
has been sentenced in India for indulging in acts of
terrorism, smuggling of narcotics, arms, ammunitions etc, or
has been sentenced for committing an offence punishable with
imprisonment up to one year or fine up to rupees ten
thousand;or
(e) it is not conducive to
the public interest that the person should continue to hold
a a PIO Card.
No reasons shall be assigned
for withdrawal of the Card.
Source : Indian embassy
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