Embassy of India PIO Person of India Origin Certificate

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

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PIO

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Persons of Indian origin who have already acquired foreign citizenship until 31 May 2010 will not be required to pay renunciation fees of USD 175.00, he/she will be required to pay Miscellaneous fees of USD 20.00 when getting the old Indian passport cancelled/surrendered.

In future those Indian citizens who acquire foreign citizenship on or after June 1 2010 will have to submit declaration of renunciation of their Indian citizenship and a fees of USD 175.00.

PLEASE SEND RENUNCIATION FORM, RENUNCIATION FEE AND PIO APPLICATION FEE CHEQUES SEPARATELY, BUT SEND IT TO US IN THE SAME PACKET TO

Embassy of India
PIO Cell
2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008

A.    If the applicant has already renounced Indian citizenship, he/she should   have one of the following as proof:

1.    A Certificate of Renunciation issued by a Embassy of India or,
2.    An Indian Passport that contains a cancelled stamp.

Those applicants who do not have Indian passport can submit any other documentary evidence like a notarized copy of birth certificate, educational certificate issued by an institution in India; and land ownership certificate by which eligibility may be reasonably ascertained or a duly notarized affidavit to that effect. The decision of the Consular Officer (deciding your Indian identity) will be final in such cases.
                                                                        OR
If parents’/grand parents’ origin is being claimed as basis for grant of OCI, enclose the following documents:

1. Evidence of relationship with the applicant as parent/grand parent: If you are claiming OCI card on the basis of parent Indian origin then your birth certificate (where parents name is mentioned) is required, if you are claiming the same with your grand-parents’ origin then you have to submit your birth certificate as well as your parents’ birth certificate showing the parents names clearly so that it establishes the relation with your parents and grand parents.

THERE IS NO EMERGENCY SERVICE FOR PIO. DO NOT PLAN TRAVEL BEFORE YOU RECEIVE PIO CARD IN YOUR HAND.


A.	PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN (PIO) INFORMATION
B.	PIO - ELIGIBILITY & BENEFITS
C.	FEES & TIMINGS FOR PIO CARD
D.	PIO - WHERE TO APPLY
E.	PIO APPLY IN PERSON
F.	PIO APPLY BY POSTAL MAIL
G.	RENUNCIATION OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP
H.	PIO - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

A. PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN (PIO) INFORMATION

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. In other words, the PIO card shall be valid only if the passport held by the individual is valid on a particular date.

B. PIO - ELIGIBILITY & BENEFITS

Eligibility

All persons of Indian origin who hold passport of any other country (with certain exceptions) will be eligible to apply for PIO Card, if the applicant:

At any time held an Indian passport; or

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 citizen of any of the specified countries; or

Is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under the above.

Please note that persons who were citizen of certain specified countries or whose spouse or either of whose parents, grandparents, great-grandparents were citizens at any time of these specified countries may cause an applicant to be ineligible for a PIO cards even though they fulfilled the above criteria.

These grounds of ineligibility would be established only after receipt of application and it may not be possible to respond to queries regarding grounds of ineligibility before receiving the application.

Benefits

Besides making their journey back to their roots simpler, easier and smoother, this Scheme entitles the PIO cardholders to a wide range of economic, financial, educational and cultural benefits.

The benefits envisaged under the Scheme include:

No requirement of visa to visit India when PIO card is carried along with the national passport;

No requirement of a Student Visa for undertaking studies in India and Employment visa for taking up employment in India. However, PIO cardholders would be required to fulfill other pre-requisite conditions and formalities in connection with their studies/employment as prescribed by concerned authorities from time to time.

No requirement to register with the Foreigners Registration Officer if continuous stay on a single visit 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 with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer / Foreigners Registration Officer.

Prior permission of the Government of India is required by the PIO Card holders for undertaking mountaineering expeditions, missionary activities, research work and visit to the restricted/protected area.

Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRI) in respect of facilities available to the latter in economic, financial, educational fields etc. except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties. PIOs would be eligible for benefits as available to NRIs from time to time.

PIO card does not allow parity with NRIs in the sphere of political rights.

Separate counters for immigration would be provided to PIO Card holders at all International Airports in India.

For any questions or clarifications, please click here to send email

C. FEES & TIMINGS FOR PIO CARD

The fee for the PIO card has been revised. The new rate with effect from 15 September 2007 is as follows:

Adults: $ 365.00
Children below the age of 18 years - $ 185.00

Fee is payable by cash/certified checks/money orders only at the counter.
Ordinarily, it takes about 45 business/working days to issue a PIO card but this schedule does not apply to cases where approval is required from authorities in India.

After issuance of the PIO card, if the holder is issued a new passport, he should get the new passport number endorsed on the PIO card. There is a $ 40.00 fee (Statutory fee + mailing fee) for this service.
PIO cards issued earlier with a fee of US$ 1000 were valid for 20 years. Holders with these PIO cards are also eligible for a free renewal for a further period of 10 years without any additional fee.

Applications for PIO cards are accepted at the Embassy counter between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. only.

PIO cards, irrespective of date or time of submission, are delivered only between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on working days.

Ordinarily, it takes about 45 business/working days to issue a PIO card, but this schedule does not apply to cases where approval is required from authorities in India.

Applicants are advised to find out at the time of application the exact date on which PIO card would be ready.

At present, there is no emergency service on PIO cards

For applications sent by mail, a reasonable amount of time for mailing and its return may be added before making inquiry with us

D. PIO - WHERE TO APPLY

To apply at the Embassy of India the applicant must be a resident of following states:
Bermuda, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

An application for issue of a PIO Card can be brought in by person to Embassy of India, 2536 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, DC 20008 or send the completed application with the required documents and fees by postal mail to

Embassy of India,
PIO Cell
2536 Massachusetts Ave.,
Washington D.C. 20008.

E. PIO APPLY IN PERSON

Please bring the following documents and fees to Embassy of India, 2536 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, DC 20008

HOW TO ARRANGE THE APPLICATION?
You need to provide the following documents with the duly filled application.

(i) All Naturalized US Citizens of Indian Descent should provide Surrender Certificate for your last held Indian Passport before applying for PIO. If you do not have surrender certificate issued by the Indian Government authorities after seeking foreign nationality, then follow the procedure for applying the surrender certificate by clicking at the SURRENDER CERTIFICATE link, without which your PIO application will not be processed.

(ii) Completed signed application form - (for very young children, thumb impression [right for girls / left for boys (in place of signatures)] For children who cannot sign, a thumb impression may be put in place of signatures in the application form.

(iii) Proof of present citizenship:
Notarized copy of current passport ( pages with particulars only). Please send the original US passport only when you have a valid Indian visa in it. We will cancel the valid Indian visas and return the foreign passports to you.

(iv)Proof of Indian citizenship:
The photocopies of first three and last two pages of Indian Passport should be enclosed. If Indian Passport is still valid, the same may be sent for cancellation.

(v)Birth Certificate:
If applicant is born abroad notarized copy of his/her birth certificate, wherein both parents’ names have been mentioned, should be provided.

(vi)Relationship proof:
If parents/grand-parents origin is being claimed as basis for grant of PIO Card, following documents may be furnished:

(a) Copies of first three and last two pages of both parents’ Indian passports

OR

Copies of their domicile certificates issued by the competent authorities (class one Gazetted officer in India)

(b) Evidence of relationship with the applicant i.e.

(i)In case of Parents origin: birth certificate of applicant wherein names of parents have been mentioned should be submitted.
(ii)In case of grand / great grand parents’ origin: birth certificate of applicant wherein names of parents have been mentioned; birth certificate of parents wherein their parents’ names have been mentioned should be submitted.

Those applying as spouses of persons of Indian origin should submit original Indian passport or PIO card (whichever is applicable) of the spouse and original marriage certificate; (To be eligible the marriage must have taken place more than a year before the date of application

(vii)     Proof of Residence:
Any one of the following i.e. copy of utility bill (phone bill /electricity bill) or Driving License or Lease Deed (of residence) etc. where your USA address in the USA is clearly mentioned should be provided. The copies should be duly notarized, if you are sending your application by mail.

(viii)     Visa Status:
Copy of Permanent Resident Card (both sides) or Employment authorization card or copy of page showing H1 / H4, L1/L2, F1/F2, J1/J2 etc. visa should be enclosed in case of non-US citizens. The Indian passport holder parents who are applying PIO card for their kids, then also visa status proof is essential. If you have applied for visa extension, then such proof should be provided.

(ix) Address in India:

If this different from the one in the Indian passport, please provide proof in r/o new address.

(x) Fee of US $365 (Fee of US $185 for minors below the age of 18). This can be paid in cash or Certified Checks or Money Orders payable to the Embassy of India. Personal Checks will not be accepted.

(xi) Four recent passport size photographs of the applicant showing frontal view of full face;

In case application is for a PIO card in lieu of a lost PIO card, a fee of US$100 would apply. Besides, the applicant would also be required to submit a Police Report for the loss of PIO card.
Please fill the Application Form completely, in particular, column 13 & 14. Mention the details of parents, grandparents, spouse etc., to the extent possible bringing out their Indian or foreign origin as applicable.
Submit proof of residence for more than a year (such as Green Card) in the area of this Embassy's jurisdiction in case the application is from a non-US passport holder.

IMPORTANT
IF YOUR NAME IN YOUR US PASSPORT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE IN THE INDIAN PASSPORT, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ADVERTISE CHANGE OF NAME IN A NEWSPAPER IN YOUR LOCALITY IN USA, AND IN INDIA. COMPLETE AND NOTARIZE THE CHANGE OF NAME (pdf file) AFFIDAVIT.
Above requirements are indicative and attempt has been made to cover majority of cases. However, the Consular Officer may ask for additional documents after examining the application in person and the same would have to be provided.

To endorse new passport No. on PIO card
- Fill the endorsement application (pdf file)
- Paste 2"X2" - Recent photo with light color background, in the box provided
- Enclose notarized copy the first 3 pages and last 2 pages of current passport.
- Enclose original PIO Card.
- Enclose $ 40.00 (Statutory fee + mailing fee) by Money order /cashier's check drawn in favor of Embassy of India, Washington DC.
- It takes about 45 business/working days to process endorsement application.
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F. PIO APPLY BY POSTAL MAIL

In addition to applying in person at the Counter at the Embassy of India, applications can also be sent by UPS mail to Embassy of India, PIO Cell, 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

When sending by postal mail please follow all instructions as applying in person.

PIO cards along with other documents would be returned by UPS mail only .

Applicants may include $20 for UPS Mail

You may send one check or money order towards payment of both PIO card as well as mail service.

Fee should be paid by Money Order/Certified check payable to the Embassy of India. Do not send cash if applying by mail. Personal Cheques are not accepted.

The Embassy is not responsible for delayed dispatch of documents or for the loss of documents in the mail.

Incomplete/False Information

Application Forms should be filled in fully, legibly (in BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS) and accurately. Applications received with incomplete details would remain unprocessed causing unnecessary delays. It is an offense to give false information in the Application. PIO card facilities can be denied/withdrawn on grounds of misuse, suppression of factual information, misrepresentation of the facts, submission of false particulars, and for making unauthorized changes in the PIO cards.

No Refunds
Fees, once received, cannot be refunded, even if the application is withdrawn or service cannot be rendered.

G. RENUNCIATION OF INDIAN CITIZENSHIP

IMPORTANT NOTE:

H. PIO - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Q. Jurisdiction of Embassy of India, Washington, DC

A. Applications for PIO are accepted only from residents of the following States and Territories: Bermuda, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Proof of residence (copy of driving license or utility bill or bank statement) should accompany the application. Applications will be accepted only through UPS mail.
Q: How to contact for For any questions or clarifications

A: Please click here to send email

Q: What are the requirements for applying a PIO card by a person who is born in India?

A: Submit the following documents:
(a) Application form duly filled in with four recently taken and identical colour photographs with light background of size 3.5x3.5 cm. Photographs should show the front view of full face and should be in civil dress. Polaroid photographs, poor quality photographs and photographs taken in uniform or with dark glasses will be rejected.
(b) His/ Her latest expired or not yet expired Indian passport (in original) along with a copy each of first four pages.
(c) A copy of the applicant's current US/Foreign passport.
(d) The prescribed fee by Cashiers check/Money Order drawn in favour of Embassy of India, Washington DC.
(e) Return mailing charges of $ 20/-, if applying by mail.
Note: Please also mention your contact telephone number in the application

Q: What are the requirements for applying a PIO card by a person who was not born in India and never had an Indian passport?

A: He / She should submit the following documents:
(a) Application form duly filled in (in duplicate) with four passport size photographs.
(b) A notarized copy each of his/her birth certificate , his/her parent's latest Indian passports (either expired or not yet expired ) and his/her current US/Foreign passport and a copy of the parent's valid passport.
(c) The prescribed fee by cashiers check/money order drawn in favor of Embassy of India, Washington DC(d) Return mailing charges of $ 20/-, if applying by mail.
Note : Please also mention your telephone number in the application form.

Q: If the applicant is a minor, who should sign his / her PIO card application?

A: The PIO card application of a minor should be signed by both the parents. However, in the boxes provided for the specimen signature of the applicant, either the minor should sign himself / herself or his/her thumb impression (left for boys and right for girls) should be provided (in case the minor is too young to sign).

Q: Can a PIO card holder study or take up an employment in India?

A: Yes, a PIO card holder does not require a "Student" visa for undertaking studies in India and similarly no employment visa for taking up employment in India. However, they will be required to fulfill other pre-requisite conditions and other formalities in connection with their studies/employment as prescribed by the concerned authorities from time to time.

Q: What is the approximate time required for processing a PIO card application?

A: About 45 business/working days.

Q: What is the procedure for change of Passport particulars on the PIO Card when a new Passport is obtained.

A: If a new passport has been obtained after issue of PIO card, please apply in PIO application for endorsement of new passport number on the PIO card. Send original PIO card and a notarized copy of the new Passport. Fee for this service is $ 20 (twenty). If applied by mail, mailing fee may also be sent for returning the documents.

Please Note:

- Fee once paid is non-refundable even if service is refused/delayed.

- Above requirements are indicative. The Consular Officer, however, may ask for additional documents after examining the application.