Q.1278 OCI not for Indian citizen - PIO card still valid do I need OCI?
Question: Dear Sir/Madam Myself, Rupali Manoj Jagdale, is Indian citizen. My daughter, Siddhi Manoj Jagdale, is USA Passport holder and is holding PIO card. The PIO card is valid till 2-Jan-2020. My son also holds USA Passport and holds PIO card. His PIO card is valid till 19-July-2025. Do I have to apply for OCI card? If yes, please let me know the details. Thank you Answer: On your question whether you have to apply for OCI card? The answer is NO. Only foreigners can get OCI not Indian citizens. As for your son and daughter who hold PIO cards, they should consider getting OCI cards. In case you are not aware, The Government of India cancelled the PIO card scheme vide Gazette Notification No.25024/9/2014F.I dated January 09, 2015. However previously issued PIO cards continue to be valid as of today. However things may change in future. While PIO cards may not expire for several years, PIO card holders will eventually lose the benefit of visa free travel on the basis of PIO cards. This is because PIO cards were handwritten and now the norm is that travel documents must be machine readable. PIO cards issued earlier are not machine readable whereas OCI card [booklet] is machine readable. The Government of India had announced several years back that PIO card holders should convert their PIO cards to OCI. As it currently stands. The Bureau of Immigration will accept PIO cards as valid travel document till 30th September, 2019, along with valid foreign passport. The authorities may at their discretion extend this date or PIO card holders travelling to India will have to get a visa to visit India. To avoid uncertainty in future. It is best for PIO holders to apply for an OCI card. This will ensure that they can continue to enjoy visa free travel to India. Update: The Government of India has extended the expiry date from September 30, 2019 to March 31, 2020. The Bureau of Immigration (BoI) will accept all Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards (including handwritten PIO cards), along with valid foreign passport, as valid travel document till March 31, 2020
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Q.1278 OCI not for Indian citizen
- PIO card still valid do I need
OCI?
Question: Dear Sir/Madam Myself, Rupali Manoj Jagdale, is Indian citizen. My daughter, Siddhi Manoj Jagdale, is USA Passport holder and is holding PIO card. The PIO card is valid till 2-Jan-2020. My son also holds USA Passport and holds PIO card. His PIO card is valid till 19-July-2025. Do I have to apply for OCI card? If yes, please let me know the details. Thank you Answer: On your question whether you have to apply for OCI card? The answer is NO. Only foreigners can get OCI not Indian citizens. As for your son and daughter who hold PIO cards, they should consider getting OCI cards. In case you are not aware, The Government of India cancelled the PIO card scheme vide Gazette Notification No.25024/9/2014F.I dated January 09, 2015. However previously issued PIO cards continue to be valid as of today. However things may change in future. While PIO cards may not expire for several years, PIO card holders will eventually lose the benefit of visa free travel on the basis of PIO cards. This is because PIO cards were handwritten and now the norm is that travel documents must be machine readable. PIO cards issued earlier are not machine readable whereas OCI card [booklet] is machine readable. The Government of India had announced several years back that PIO card holders should convert their PIO cards to OCI. As it currently stands. The Bureau of Immigration will accept PIO cards as valid travel document till 30th September, 2019, along with valid foreign passport. The authorities may at their discretion extend this date or PIO card holders travelling to India will have to get a visa to visit India. To avoid uncertainty in future. It is best for PIO holders to apply for an OCI card. This will ensure that they can continue to enjoy visa free travel to India. Update: The Government of India has extended the expiry date from September 30, 2019 to March 31, 2020. The Bureau of Immigration (BoI) will accept all Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards (including handwritten PIO cards), along with valid foreign passport, as valid travel document till March 31, 2020
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