Who is a PIO?
SBNRI Team
answered on 18/02/2023
PIO or Person of Indian Origin; is a person with foreign citizenship who has an Indian origin. The factors that define the term “Indian Origin” are:
- A person who was born in India
- A person who at any time, held an Indian Passport or
- An individual who is either a citizen of India or whose father/mother/grandfather/grandmother was/were a citizen(s) of India
- The spouse of an Indian Citizen or a PIO
Foreign Citizenship in case of Person of Indian Origin will not include citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal or Bhutan.
PIO is associated with the citizenship of an individual and not his/her residence.
PIO and OCI Merger
On 9th January 2015, PIO Card Scheme (issuing of Cards to Person of Indian Origin to allow visa-free travel to India) was withdrawn by the Government of India and has been merged with the OCI Card Scheme.
OCI card Benefits
Some Prominent Benefits of the OCI Card:
- Multiple entry; Lifelong visa to visit India
- Similar benefits to NRIs in educational, financial and economic fields
- The OCIs will be treated in the same way as Indian nationals considering the domestic air fare tariffs
OCI Card Application Fees
- Applications submitted from outside India: $275 or equivalent local currency
- Applications submitted in India: Rs.15,000/-
Application for OCI Card is available on https://ociservices.gov.in/
At SBNRI, you can get specialized advisory on how can you maximize your OCI Benefits. Contact us using to button below and get in touch with an expert.
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