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Visa & Consular Services  

PIO Card Scheme

Information on Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card

In accordance with the assurance by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, the validity of the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card has been made lifelong (click here for relevant GoI Notification PDF file that opens in new window. To know how to open PDF file refer Help section located at bottom of the site.).  The PIO card has also now been made on par with the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.  Consequently, PIO cards, already issued, will now be deemed to be OCI cards.  Such PIO cardholders are welcome to visit the Embassy of India, Kabul to have their PIO cards endorsed for lifelong validity.

Since PIO and OCI Card Schemes have been merged, Government of India has decided to discontinue issuance of any new PIO card with effect from January 9, 2015.  All applicants will now have to apply for OCI card only. The OCI application form is available on the website https://passport.gov.in/oci/. External website that opens in a new window  The OCI form has to be filled up online.  Subsequently, a copy of the filled up OCI application form downloaded from the website, along with supporting documents, are to be submitted to the Embassy of India, Kabul. 

Date of application for registration as OCI cardholder by the erstwhile PIO cardholders has been extended till June 30, 2017

 
 
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