525. PIO Card for adopted children

of OCI Holder . . .

Question: Greetings. I have a rather complicated question about PIO. I am married to an OCI holder NZ citizen, we have one child together. My children of a previous marriage (all aged under 8 yrs) have a pakistani national father and grandparents. I have exclusive custody of the children and they have never been to Pakistan or have contact with the father. My question is, is it possible for my 3 elder children to get a PIO at the time that I apply? or does India not recognize children by marriage in the PIO scheme? Answer: Applications for a PIO status when applying for a minor child specifically ask for the child’s original birth certificate that should clearly mention the names of the parents. Having a Pakistani national as a parent may make your two elder children ineligible for PIO. The eligibility for PIO and OCI are strictly as stated and I doubt if there is any flexibility in such matters at the Indian Consulate level. Your option would be to opt for a Indian visa. The situation you mention is unique, if your children where not born in Pakistan and never held a Pakistani passport, then perhaps you may wish to check with the Indian consulate in New Zealand. They may be able to get some answers for you from the Indian Home Ministry.