Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Card

Instruction about PIO card

As per the fresh guidelines handwritten travel document/PIO cards will be accepted as valid travel document along with valid foreign passport at all Indian Immigration check Post(s) till 31.12.2022 instead of earlier deadline 31.12.2021.

Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card Scheme

The PIO card scheme has been withdrawn vide Gazette Notification No. 25024/9/2014 F.I dated January 09, 2015. Further, vide Gazette Notification No 26011/01/2014IC.I dated 09.01.2015, all existing PIO card holders are deemed to be OCI card holders. No separate authentication of the existing PIO card as OCI card is, therefore, necessary. Henceforth, applicants may apply for OCI Card only, as PIO Card scheme is no longer in existence. Current PIO cardholders may apply for OCI cards in lieu of their PIO cards. Details in this regard are available in the OCI section of this website.

All PIO card holders are strongly encouraged to apply for OCI in Lieu of PIO card.

It is further informed that :

 As on date, all PIO cardholders are deemed OCI cardholders; the erstwhile PIO cardholder with a valid PIO card as on 9.1.2015 will have to upload only (a) Copy of the valid passport and (b) Copy of the PIO card.

The applicants may submit applications of OCI card in lieu of PIO card at the Indian Missions within the jurisdiction of their place of residence. They are no longer required to apply only at the location where PIO card was originally issued.

After an OCI card has been issued to PIO card holder and if at any point of time any irregularity or anything adverse is found against the applicant, OCI card thus issued is liable to be cancelled.

Change of Name/Nationality is not permitted on PIO card. PIO card holder will have to apply for OCI in Lieu of PIO card.

  • In case of loss of PIO cardPIO card holder will have to apply for OCI in Lieu of PIO card.

PIO cards will be considered as an invalid travel document from October, 2018. All PIO card holders who have  not yet get converted their PIO card into OCI card  are requested  to apply for  OCI card in lieu of  PIO  card immediately to avoid inconvenience.


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