PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card allows visa free travel and gives several benefits to the card holder. The Government of India has a comprehensive Scheme for the Persons of Indian Origin - called the "PIO Card Scheme". Under this scheme, Persons of Indian Origin up to the fourth generation (great grand parents) settled throughout the world, except for Bangladesh or Pakistan would be eligible.

The PIO Card will be valid only when accompanied with a valid passport.

A PIO card shall be valid for a period of fifteen years from the date of issue subject to the validity of the foreign passport.
PIO Card issued earlier as per PIO Card Scheme (1999) for US $1000/- will continue to remain valid and no refund shall be admissible. However, the validity of the such cards shall be extended by 10 more years without charging any fee.

"Person of Indian Origin" means a foreign citizen not being a citizen of Bangladesh, Pakistan or other countries as may be specified by the Central Government from time to time if;

1. he/she at any time held a Indian passport; or
2. 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 citizens of any of the aforesaid countries (as referred above) ; or
3. he/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (i) or (ii) above.

Exceptions:
Persons who were citizens of certain specified countries; or whose spouse; or either of whose parents, grandparents, great-grandparents were citizens at any time of these specified countries may render an applicant ineligible for a PIO card even though he/she may otherwise be eligible.

The grounds of ineligibility can be established only after receipt of application. It will not be possible to respond to queries regarding grounds of ineligibility before receiving the application.