Person of Indian origin (PIO) card scheme

Guidelines for 'Tracing the Roots' Programme | PIO Card Notification | Facilities to PIO Card Holder

The Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card scheme for the foreigners of Indian origin holding foreign passports was introduced either effect from 30.3.1999. The holder of the PIO card is entitled to visa free entry into India during the validity of the PIO card, i.e. for 20 years. They are, however, required to be in possession of their valid national passports along with the PIO card. PIO card holder is exempt from the requirement of registration if their continuous stay in India does not exceed 180 days. In case their continuous stay exceeds 180 days, they are required to register themselves with the concerned Foreigners Registration Officer (FRRO/FRO) within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days. The charges for PIO card for an adult are Roubles 9650 and children Roubles 4830.

To obtain/view PIO card please approach our Consular Wing at No 4, Vorontsovo Polye, Moscow from 10-00 hours to 12-30 hours on working days.

Guidelines for 'Tracing the Roots' Programme

It is a programme designed by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, hereinafter called 'Ministry'; to assist Persons of Indians origin in tracing their roots.
Persons of Indians origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would be required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with the concerned Indian Mission/Post located in the country of their residence along with a fee of Rs 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) in equivalent US dollar, Euro or any other foreign currency acceptable to the Indian Mission/Post. Any other useful information/document that could be helpful in tracing the roots may also be submitted with the application.
The Ministry would forward the application with all supporting documents to "Indiroots" with whom it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for this purpose. An amount of Rs 6,000/- (Rupees six thousand) as advance will also be paid to "Indiroots" as soon as possible. Contact details of Indiroots are as under:

Address: E-663/9 West Vinod Nagar, Delhi-110092.
Tel: (0091)9868464738,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The details of the roots in India (where traceable) i.e. name of close surviving relatives, details of the place of origin of their forefathers (paternal and maternal side) and a possible family tree will be prepared by "Indiroots" and submitted to the Ministry approximately within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the application by it.
The information received from "Indiroots" including family tree prepared by it, would then be sent to the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the earliest for onward transmission to the applicant.
In case of any doubt about the genuineness of the 'roots', the decision of the Ministry, taken in consultation with the applicant and 'Indiroots' will be final and binding on 'Indiroots'.
In case of a successful attempt, the balance of Rs 14,000/- (Rupees fourteen thousand) will be released by the Ministry to "Indiroots". In case the attempt is not successful a further amount of only Rs 4,000/- (Rupees four thousand) will be released to "Indiroots' and the Indian Mission/Post would be authorized to refund foreign currency equivalent to Rs 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) to the applicant at the official rate of exchange, as determined by the Government of India, applicable on the date of the refund.

N. B. The programme provides for gathering of the information of the ancestors of the applicant and does not have any provision or arrangement for the visit of the applicant to his/her ancestral place(s). In case the applicant wishes to visit these places, the Ministry/lndiroots would facilitate such visits but the applicant would have to bear all related expenditure.

Application for Tracing the Roots

PIO Card Notification

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
New Delhi, the 30th March, 1999
PIO CARD SCHEME
F.NO.26011/4/98-IC.I.

1. Short title and commencement :

i. This scheme may be called the scheme for issuance of Person of Indian Origin Card (PIO Card).
ii. It shall come into force with effect from 31st March,1999.

2. Definition - In this scheme, unless the context otherwise requires :-
a. "Indian Mission" means the Embassy of India/ High Commission of India/ Indian Consulate in a foreign country.
b. "Persons of Indian Origin" means a foreign citizen (not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the Central Government from time to time) if,
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 aforesaid countries{as referred to in 2(b) above}; or
iii. he/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (I) or (ii) above.
c. "PIO Card" means a card issued under this scheme.

3. Form of application for issue/ renewal of a PIO Card :-
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.

4. Authority to which application is to be made :
i. An application for issue of a PIO card shall be made to an Indian mission in the country where the applicant is ordinarily resident.
ii. Applicants already in India on long-term visa (more than one year) shall make the application for the issue of a PIO card to the following authorities

Those residing in India

Delhi - Foreigners Regional Registration Officer
Hans Bhawan, I.P. Estate
New Delhi-110002 Tel. 0091-11-331 9489 Fax. 375 5183

Mumbai - Foreigners Regional Registration Officer
Annexe II, Commissioner of Police
Craw Ford Market,
Mumbai-400001 Tel. 0091-22-262 1169 Fax. 262 0721

Calcutta - Foreigners Regional Registration Officer
237, Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Road
Calcutta- 700020 Tel. 0091-33-247 3301 Fax. 247 0549

Chennai - Chief Immigration Officer
Bureau of Immigration
Shastri Bhawan Annexe
No.26, Haddows Road
Chennai- 600006 Tel. 0091-44-827 7036 Fax. 827 7036

Those residing in Indian cities other than above :-
Joint Secretary (Foreigners),
Ministry of Home Affairs, Ist floor
Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market
New Delhi- 110003 Tel. 0091-11-469 3334 Fax. 462 1543

5. Authority to grant a PIO card :
The authority to grant a PIO card shall be an officer in an Indian Mission notified in for the purpose or the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta or Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai.

6. Validity of PIO Card :
A PIO Card shall be valid for a period of twenty years subject to the validity subject to the validity of the passport of the applicant.

7. Fee :
A fee of US $1000, inclusive of US $250 (non-refundable) as processing fee, will be payable alongwith the application. In case of rejection of the application of the application, US $750 shall alone be refunded to the applicant.

8. Facilities to be extended to a PIO Card holder :
i. A PIO Card holder shall not require a visa to visit India.
ii. A PIO Card holder will be exempted from the requirement of registration if his stay 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 Registration Officer at District Headquarters.
iv. A PIO Card holder 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.

9. Cancellation of PIO Card :
The Central Government may, be order, cancel the PIO Card, if it is satisfied that:
i. The PIO Card was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact; or
ii. The PIO Card holder has shown himself by act of speech to be disaffected towards the constitution of India and other laws of India; or
iii. 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
iv. The PIO Card holder has been sentenced in India for indulging in acts of terrorism, smuggling of narcotics, arms, ammunitions etc. or has been sentenced for committing an offense punishable with imprisonment upto one year or fine upto rupees ten thousand; or
v. It is not conducive to the public interest that the person should continue to hold a PIO Card.
No reasons shall be assigned for withdrawal of the Card.

Instructions for filling-up PIO Cards
1. Please enclose all relevant documents substantiating your claim as a person of Indian origin. (Please also see cols. 13&14)
2. Attach 4 recent passport size photographs.
3. A one-time fee of US $1000.00 is to be deposited alongwith the application. The fee should be paid either by cashier check or money order in favor of Embassy of India/ Consulate General of India (as applicable). In the event the applicant is not able to satisfy all the criteria for the PIO Card, an amount of US $250.00 will be retained as processing fee and US $750.00 will be refunded.

NOTE: Furnishing of false information will result in summary rejection of the application. Acceptance of application does not confer any right on the applicant to PIO Card.

Facilities to PIO card holder

A PIO Card holder shall not require a visa to visit India for a period of 20 years.
A PIO Card holder will be exempted from the requirement of registration if his stay in India does not exceed 180 days.
In the event of continous 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 Registration Officer at District Headquarters.
A PIO Card holder 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.
PIO card holder can also take up employment in India without seeking any separate prior permission from the Government, unless otherwise specifically provided by other Ministries/Department (eg. Department of Company Affairs approval is required for board level appointments, etc).