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In supersession
of previous PIO Card Scheme, the Government of India
has announced that henceforth the Person of Indian
Origin Card Scheme would be as follows:
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A persons of Indian Origin/ foreign citizens (not being a citizen of Pakistan / Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Afganistan /China/ Nepal/ Bhutan and other
countries as may be specified by the Central Government from
time to time) will be eligible to apply for PIO Card, if:
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(i) he/she at any time held an Indian
passport; or
(ii) he/she or either of his/her parents or grand
parents or great grand parents was born in and permanently
resident in India as defined in the Government of
India Act, 1935, and other territories that became
part of India thereafter provided neither was at any
time a citizen of any of the specified countries;
or
(iii) he/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or
a person of Indian origin covered under (i) and (ii)
above.
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: If the applicant himself/ herself or either of his/ her spouse's parents or grand
parents or great grand parents held nationalities of the countries specified above, they shall not be eligible for grant of PIO.
An application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card shall be
made in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by
documentary evidence to show that the applicant is a person
of Indian origin as defined.
The form can also be down loaded from Website: www.mha.nic.in
For minor children (under
15 years) application MUST be furnished
with following documents:
1. Copy of Date of Birth certificate,
2. No Objection Letter from both the parents along with
the photocopy of the relevant pages of their passports to
verify signatures,
3. Both parents MUST sign the PIO application for minor
children.
A PIO Card shall be valid for a period of fifteen years
from the date of issue subject to the validity of the passport
of the applicant.
The fee for a PIO Card would be A$ 570/- payable along with
the application. PIO Card to children upto the age of 18
years will be issued at a fee of A$ 285/- for a fifteen
year card.
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(i) A PIO Card holder shall not require
a separate visa to visit India.
(ii) A PIO Card holder will be exempt from the requirement
of registration if his stay on any single visit in
India does not exceed 180 days.
(iii) In the event of continuous stay in India of
the PIO Card holder exceeding 180 days, he/she shall
have to get himself/herself registered within 30 days
of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners
Regional Registration Officer/Foreigners Registration
Officer.
(iv) All PIOs including PIO Card holders, shall enjoy
parity with NRIs in respect of all facilities available
to the latter in the economic, financial and educational
fields except in matters relating to the acquisition
of agricultural/plantation properties. No parity shall
be allowed in the sphere of political rights.
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PIO Cards issued under the scheme notified in 1999 at US$
1000 will continue to remain valid. While no refund shall
be available, the validity of such cards would be extendable
for a further period of 10 years (i.e. 30 years in all), if
so applied for by the cardholder, without any extra cost.
The Central Government may, by order, cancel a PIO Card, if
it is satisfied that:
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(a) the PIO Card was obtained by means
of fraud, false representation or the concealment
of any material fact; or
(b) the PIO Card holder has shown himself by act or
speech to be disaffected towards the Constitution
of India and other laws of India; or
(c) the PIO Card holder is a citizen or, subject of
any country at war with, or committing external aggression
against India; or of any other country assisting the
country at war with, or committing such aggression
against India; or
(d) the PIO Card holder has been sentenced in India
for indulging in acts of terrorism, smuggling of narcotics,
arms, ammunition etc. or has been sentenced for committing
an offence punishable with imprisonment upto one year
or fine upto rupees ten thousand; or
(e) it is not conductive to the public interest that
the person should continue to hold a PIO Card.
No reasons shall be assigned for cancellation of the
Card.
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