Disclaimer: Information provided is for general knowledge only and should not be deemed to be professional advice. For professional advice kindly consult a professional accountant, immigration advisor or the Indian consulate. Rules and regulations do change from time to time. Please note that in case of any variation between what has been stated on this website and the relevant Act, Rules, Regulations, Policy Statements etc. the latter shall prevail. © Copyright 2006 Nriinformation.com

Rations card for OCI holders & PIOs - Can foreigners get ration card in

India

Ration Card in India - Is it compulsory for Indian residents to have a ration card . . .

The purpose of Ration cards initially was to control the issue of subsidized food rations such as sugar, rice, kerosene oil etc. Since some 40 years ago, there were no PAN cards or Aadhaar cards, to some extent, the ration card was accepted as a ID of a persons address. Ration cards are issued by State Governments to residents of their State and this document enables them to qualify for subsidized goods and services. OCI and PIO holders should be aware that it is not compulsory for everyone living in India to have a ration card.

Can OCI holder or PIO get a ration card in India

Several years back, all residents of a State in India could easily get a ration card. All that was required was proof of address and declaration that the applicant did not already have a ration card, and that his/her name was not being used on anyone else’s ration card, for instance on a parent or relatives card. The question of citizenship was previously not taken into account.

Can OCI or PIO card holders legally have ration cards

Can OCI visa holders, PIO card holders legally get a ration card in India? the short answer, as per current conditions is No! There may be several OCI or PIO card holders, who may have applied for and got ration cards in India. This may be because: • The rules clearly specifying that ration cards are for Indian citizens only, perhaps were not widely known and ration card applications did not ask applicants to fill in their citizenship. or • Some applicants simply showed themselves to be Indian citizens and did not declare their foreign citizenship or mention that they were OCI visa holders. Under the current rules, ration cards are only for Indian citizens, while the previous ration card application forms probably assumed that anyone applying for a ration card was an Indian citizen, the new revised ration card application forms have started asking applicants to specify their citizenship. A sample application form for a ration card in Delhi can be viewed by clicking HERE. If you look at the sample application form, you will notice that their is no option to apply if your nationality is not INDIAN. In case you are wondering, OCI holders are not Indian nationals, they are nationals of the country of which they hold a passport from. So they are of Indian origin, not Indian nationals. Once you open the sample form, see item #5. then scroll down to item #34 which is the declaration part that applicants sign. By signing this application, applicant’s solemnly declare themselves to be Indian citizens. Acquiring a ration card by withholding citizenship information may lead to problems for OCI and PIO card holders. As governments face pressure on their finances and cost of freebies increase due to social pressures on governments, more and more checks will take place to root out those who are not entitled to government benefits. If you are an OCI living in India with a ration card issued in your name, perhaps you should check whether you can legally hold a ration card in India before the authorities find out.