Reminder: PIO Card Holders Are Advised to Switch to OCI in Lieu of PIO Cards

India

Following the merger of the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card and the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card in January 2015, PIO card holders are advised to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO cards prior to March 31, 2016 in the absence of clear guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Benefits of the OCI in Lieu of PIO Card

The MHA has confirmed that PIO card holders are deemed to be OCI card holders, but has advised PIO card holders to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO cards so they can be eligible for various benefits, including the following:

• Faster immigration clearance processing at airports, as OCI status offers a smart card;
• Access to consular services from Indian consular posts abroad; and
• Eligibility for various services for OCI card holders.

Application Process

PIO card holders who seek to switch to the OCI in lieu of PIO card can visit an Indian consular post in their country of residence or the Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office in India that corresponds to their jurisdiction of residence.

The application process and documentation requirements for PIO card holders to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO cards is equivalent to that of a new OCI card application, as is the three- to four-month processing time.

Applicants awaiting the approval of their OCI in lieu of PIO card applications can travel under their PIO card. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals

Although airport immigration authorities still recognize the PIO card as a valid document and allow PIO cardholders to travel into and out of India without any restrictions, PIO card holders are advised to contact their immigration professional to apply for the OCI in lieu of PIO card before March 31, 2016. 

Given the ambiguity surrounding the OCI in lieu of PIO card, Fragomen India is working with the MHA to determine whether this policy will become mandatory. Further advice will be published when it becomes available.

We worked closely with Fragomen Immigration Services India (Pvt.) Limited ("Fragomen-India") to prepare this alert. It is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

Fragomen in India is Fragomen Immigration Services India (Pvt) Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in India.

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