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
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
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
(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
(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
(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
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.
(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
(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
(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)
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Level –II, East Block VIII,
R.K. Puram, Sector – I,
(b)
Mumbai
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Annex II, Commissioner of Police,
Craw Ford Market, Mumbai - 400001.
(c)
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, 237, Acharya
Jagdish
(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,
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
children
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
(ii) A PIO Card
holder will be exempted from the requirement of registration if his stay in
(iii) In the
event of continuous stay in
(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.