Conversion of PIO card to OCI card is not mandatory

[Liberty48]

Makes sense....... but

You clarification regarding "HAND WRITTEN" PIO makes sense. I also see the govt notice saying PIO is valid for life. I assumed PIOs (hand written or printed) don't have the machine readable scanning information at that bottom and that is why it has to be converted to OCI. I may be wrong. But, please also check the message that pops up on https://www.in.ckgs.us/

It says...........

AFTER September 30, 2018, PIO card will be considered as an invalid travel document. Therefore, all applicants, who have not yet converted their PIO cards to OCI card, are requested to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO before September 30, 2018.

MEA should post clear message on this. If you ask me, I would just get the OCI and get over with it.

[mukulsam]

You clarification regarding "HAND WRITTEN" PIO makes sense. I also see the govt notice saying PIO is valid for life. I assumed PIOs (hand written or printed) don't have the machine readable scanning information at that bottom and that is why it has to be converted to OCI. I may be wrong. But, please also check the message that pops up on https://www.in.ckgs.us/

It says...........

AFTER September 30, 2018, PIO card will be considered as an invalid travel document. Therefore, all applicants, who have not yet converted their PIO cards to OCI card, are requested to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO before September 30, 2018.

MEA should post clear message on this. If you ask me, I would just get the OCI and get over with it.

Printed PIOs have machine readable scanning information. And it follows same guidelines as followed in passport and specs are spot on as per ICAO i.e. top line right to left first name>>lastname>>citizenship etc. and similarly bottom line. And from my past travels, I remember officers scanning my kids pio.

Messaging on CKGS is wrong and I emailed them about it. Yet to hear from them! will keep you guys posted.

you are correct on getting OCI but after missing the deadline I just don't feel like paying $300!

[vinodh_kumar]

PIO Trave April 2018

Hi All, need some advice. I am travelling to India end of this week in 4 days time. I haven't converted by PIO to OCI yet. My PIO was issued in 2006 and its valid until 2021.

I tried looking at taking eVisa just case to avoid any trouble. But eVisa application can't let me choose PIO as my visa for previous travels.

has anyone travelled to India recently in 2018, can I travel with my PIO card or expect any trouble at immigration counter in Chennai.

please share your advice and any experience.

thanks
vinodh

[mukulsam]

Printed PIOs have machine readable scanning information. And it follows same guidelines as followed in passport and specs are spot on as per ICAO i.e. top line right to left first name>>lastname>>citizenship etc. and similarly bottom line. And from my past travels, I remember officers scanning my kids pio.

Messaging on CKGS is wrong and I emailed them about it. Yet to hear from them! will keep you guys posted.

you are correct on getting OCI but after missing the deadline I just don't feel like paying $300!

2 updates since I last posted on this issue:

1) the consular fees has been dropped from $275 to $100
2) All the wording on government websites have been updated to mention only HAND-WRITTEN PIO need to be converted (https://www.indianembassy.org/pages.php?id=198 )

What I have not been able to do is make CKGS implement same changes. They are still arguing with me that their website is correct and that all PIO will be invalid. I will continue my fight and make sure they update their website too.

[mukulsam]

Finally!

Got a response from Mr.Vinayak Prataprao Chavan First Secretary, Consular Wing Embassy of Indian, DC:

Please see attached screenshot.

Also, emirates responded that I am good to go with PIO for my Nov/Dec travel

[mukulsam]

Finally! v2

finally CKGS fixed their website!

[akarti]

Got a response from Mr.Vinayak Prataprao Chavan First Secretary, Consular Wing Embassy of Indian, DC:

Please see attached screenshot.

Also, emirates responded that I am good to go with PIO for my Nov/Dec travel

Good. Agree on the machine readable PIO statements.. I am also following the same with local FRRO for the same questions from Chennai, India and my case is my son travelling from India to USA with PIO card along with us. Originally the info. came out as all PIO are treated as OCI and no explicit conversion and the later it is advised to convert. There is no clear information on sites w.r.t the recently issued PIO card which has the machine readable information at bottom of the first page per ICAO guidelines... I think the GOVT is pushing to convert all the PIO cards (no matter hand-written or printed) to OCI... Since it is an international travel so I am following up officials here at India and hoping no issues with my case too.

[akarti]

Hopefully no conversion.. Recent PIO are already machine readable per ICAO

Got a response from Mr.Vinayak Prataprao Chavan First Secretary, Consular Wing Embassy of Indian, DC:

Please see attached screenshot.

Also, emirates responded that I am good to go with PIO for my Nov/Dec travel

Good.. Yes, I am also following up local India officials (FRRO) on my case. My case is my kid is going to travel from India to USA with his PIO card which is having already machine readable info. bottom of the first page per ICAO guidelines.. Initially the info. broadcasted as merge existing PIO into OCI cards and no explicit conversion is required and later it is advised to follow conversion. The sites has no clear info. on the recent issued machine readable PIO cards (before the conversion act) and I think its GOVT push to convert all the PIOs to OCIs.. Anyways since its an international travel so I need confirmation from local officials on this matter for no hassle exit from India. I am hoping no issues for my case too.

[akarti]

Hopefully no conversion.. Recent PIO are already machine readable per ICAO

Yes.. I am also following up with local India officials (FRRO) on similar matter. My case is we are planning to travel from India to USA along with my kid (US Passport + PIO validity 2028) and we want to know if there is any issue with it. The PIO seems like already machine readable document and verified the ICAO guidelines as well. I sent an email to local officials and waiting for confirmation on leaving India for our travel.
Initial information was broadcasted as not mandatory to convert to OCI and later it is advised to convert.. The site has no clear information and it was mentioned as not machine readable earlier and not it is.. but they still mention as
"OCI in Lieu of PIO
All PIO cards are valid until September 30, 2018. After September 30, 2018, handwritten PIO cards will be considered as Invalid travel documents according to the ICAO guidelines. Therefore, all applicants, who have not yet converted their PIO cards to OCI card, are requested to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO." I think they should mention as "All handwritten PIO cards are valid until September 30, 2018" I know the later is is mentioned as handwritten PIO card only invalid.

Hoping no issues for my upcoming travel from India.

[vinniemak]

Yes.. I am also following up with local India officials (FRRO) on similar matter. My case is we are planning to travel from India to USA along with my kid (US Passport + PIO validity 2028) and we want to know if there is any issue with it. The PIO seems like already machine readable document and verified the ICAO guidelines as well. I sent an email to local officials and waiting for confirmation on leaving India for our travel.
Initial information was broadcasted as not mandatory to convert to OCI and later it is advised to convert.. The site has no clear information and it was mentioned as not machine readable earlier and not it is.. but they still mention as
"OCI in Lieu of PIO
All PIO cards are valid until September 30, 2018. After September 30, 2018, handwritten PIO cards will be considered as Invalid travel documents according to the ICAO guidelines. Therefore, all applicants, who have not yet converted their PIO cards to OCI card, are requested to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO." I think they should mention as "All handwritten PIO cards are valid until September 30, 2018" I know the later is is mentioned as handwritten PIO card only invalid.

Hoping no issues for my upcoming travel from India.

akarti....you should be okay with your kid's PIO card. If you read the CKGS website, they have a link to a govt document which states that machine printable PIO's are good until March 2019. Good luck with your travels.

[vagar]

Stamp in MRZ area of PIO card

My kid's PIO card has a Govt of India round stamp (in black color) over the <<< characters in the machine readable area on the bottom. Since this is an optical read technology, any idea if this stamp will cause problem with the reader at airport. Does anyone have experience with using the PIO card that had a similar stamp.

Is there anything I can do in advance to ensure there wouldn't be a problem. One thought I had was to visit the airline counter and ask them to give it a try.

[fifafan]

akarti....you should be okay with your kid's PIO card. If you read the CKGS website, they have a link to a govt document which states that machine printable PIO's are good until March 2019. Good luck with your travels.

Is it good only till March 2019? Can you please share CKGS website stating that? I have been avoiding conversion just to not keep renewing OCI every now and then but seems like every India Gov website now keeping working so convoluted that no body would take chance to keep PIO. I think someone only at the immigration at India with PIO could validate the real thing now.

[fifafan]

One of my friend traveled to India before March 31st with his son having PIO. Immigration officer advised him to get OCI done before March 31st but didn't confirm that PIO is valid lifetime neither he got stamp of lifetime on PIO.. Now I check CKGS website and they added have extended deadline now till Sept 30th 2019.. Message is still confusing.. "All PIO cards are valid until September 30, 2019. After September 30, 2019, handwritten PIO cards will be considered as Invalid travel documents according to the ICAO guidelines. Therefore, all applicants, who have not yet converted their PIO cards to OCI card, are requested to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO. " --> First sentence they say 'All' and then they say 'handwritten' .... Frustrating..