PIO cards have lifetime validity now, notifies Home Min within hours of PM's announcement
Updated: Oct 01, 2014 04:03:34pm
New Delhi, Oct 1 (KNN) In less than three days of an announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Madison Square Garden in the US, the Home Ministry has issued a notification that all NRIs holding Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards will now get lifelong entry to India.
Earlier, foreigners of Indian Origin had PIO cards with only 15 years validity for visa-free entry to India and they had to extend it for 10 years at a time if desired.
Now, according to the new rule, “It has been further clarified that all PIO Cards issued till September 30, 2014 are automatically deemed to have life time validity,” said Home Ministry.
“In pursuance of the announcement made by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 28, 2014, Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a Notification on September 30, 2014 to the effect that Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card shall be valid for life time and the PIO Card holder shall be exempt from police reporting / registration,” it said.
The PIO Card Scheme, 2002, has been in operation since 15th September, 2002. PIO is granted to foreigners married to Indian citizens, a person whose parents/grandparents/great grandparents are or had been of Indian origin and minors whose parents are Indian citizens or one parent is an Indian citizen and the others is not.
PIO card is not allowed to nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and China. (KNN/SD)
Earlier, foreigners of Indian Origin had PIO cards with only 15 years validity for visa-free entry to India and they had to extend it for 10 years at a time if desired.
Now, according to the new rule, “It has been further clarified that all PIO Cards issued till September 30, 2014 are automatically deemed to have life time validity,” said Home Ministry.
“In pursuance of the announcement made by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 28, 2014, Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a Notification on September 30, 2014 to the effect that Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card shall be valid for life time and the PIO Card holder shall be exempt from police reporting / registration,” it said.
The PIO Card Scheme, 2002, has been in operation since 15th September, 2002. PIO is granted to foreigners married to Indian citizens, a person whose parents/grandparents/great grandparents are or had been of Indian origin and minors whose parents are Indian citizens or one parent is an Indian citizen and the others is not.
PIO card is not allowed to nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and China. (KNN/SD)
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