Is PIO to OCI conversion Mandatory ?

[mike300436]

Hi,
My kid is an American citizen born in 2013. We have applied PIO card for our kid and we travelled to India in 2014. During his travel his PIO card has been endorsed by Indian Immigration stating "LIFE LONG" REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED. Now I heard that every PIO card should be converted to OCI, and I am not sure if it is true. Could some one Please let me know if he can travel on his PIO card or if the OCI conversion is mandatory then what should be the process and time it takes to get the OCI.
If the PIO to OCI is a mandatory process then I may have to take my kid to visa stamping as he need to travel some time in May or June.


Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.

[happy2016]

Some say yes others say no, it seems to be a waiting game. Nothing is black and white in India.

[proonindiandoc]

Hi,
My kid is an American citizen born in 2013. We have applied PIO card for our kid and we travelled to India in 2014. During his travel his PIO card has been endorsed by Indian Immigration stating "LIFE LONG" REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED. Now I heard that every PIO card should be converted to OCI, and I am not sure if it is true. Could some one Please let me know if he can travel on his PIO card or if the OCI conversion is mandatory then what should be the process and time it takes to get the OCI.
If the PIO to OCI is a mandatory process then I may have to take my kid to visa stamping as he need to travel some time in May or June.


Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.

no but strongly recommended

[Nick757]

Not Mandatory

30th June is supposed to be the expiration of all PIO cards, after which you will have to obtain a Tourist visa, etc.

[proonindiandoc]

[QUOTE=Nick757;454767]30th June is supposed to be the expiration of all PIO cards, after which you will have to obtain a Tourist visa, etc.[/QUOT
June 30th is end of OCI in lieu of PIO, not end of PIO.

[vonugrad]

30th June is supposed to be the expiration of all PIO cards, after which you will have to obtain a Tourist visa, etc.

June 30th is end of OCI in lieu of PIO, not end of PIO.

What happens after June 30? PIO confers all the same benefits as OCI even after June 30, I assume.

Maybe they will change the application process for existing PIO holders. The current process is a real hassle.

[gcwait]

30th June is supposed to be the expiration of all PIO cards, after which you will have to obtain a Tourist visa, etc.

PIO card DOES NOT going to expire on June 30th. What GOVT says is, you can convert the PIO to OCI with free of cost until June 30th 2016, after that you need to pay new OCI fee.

Second, PIO card will be valid as long as the expiry mentioned on the card, unless otherwise Govt comes with new regulation. Don't know when...

[sunrag1]

PIO card DOES NOT going to expire on June 30th. What GOVT says is, you can convert the PIO to OCI with free of cost until June 30th 2016, after that you need to pay new OCI fee.

Second, PIO card will be valid as long as the expiry mentioned on the card, unless otherwise Govt comes with new regulation. Don't know when...

As per gulf news (dated Feb 2016), http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society...h-31-1.1674899

Dubai: The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai has urged all holders of the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card to apply for conversion to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card by the March 31 deadline as the PIO card will not be valid for travel to India after the deadline.

Rahul Srivastava, Consul, Visa, CGI, said applicants who are UAE residents should visit the consulate early to avoid any last-minute rush or delays. It takes a scheduled time of a maximum of two months for the OCI card to arrive from India, but officials have managed an average turnaround time of 30 days.

Still, applicants are advised to complete the formalities in time. After the deadline, a visa will be required to travel to India if the passenger doesn’t have an OCI card, and the applicant will be considered as applying for a fresh OCI, which normally costs Dh1,020.

There is no fee to convert a PIO card into an OCI card, only a Dh6 Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) fee is charged in such cases

[hoolahoous]

As per gulf news (dated Feb 2016), http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society...h-31-1.1674899

Dubai: The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai has urged all holders of the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card to apply for conversion to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card by the March 31 deadline as the PIO card will not be valid for travel to India after the deadline.

Rahul Srivastava, Consul, Visa, CGI, said applicants who are UAE residents should visit the consulate early to avoid any last-minute rush or delays. It takes a scheduled time of a maximum of two months for the OCI card to arrive from India, but officials have managed an average turnaround time of 30 days.

Still, applicants are advised to complete the formalities in time. After the deadline, a visa will be required to travel to India if the passenger doesn’t have an OCI card, and the applicant will be considered as applying for a fresh OCI, which normally costs Dh1,020.

There is no fee to convert a PIO card into an OCI card, only a Dh6 Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) fee is charged in such cases

take it with grain of salt. All other information from other embassies is contrary to it. Also even dubai consulate website doesn't have anything to indicate above assertion. As of today PIO continues to be valid lifelong.

[vonugrad]

They want people to convert from PIO to OCI, but make the conversion process a major hassle. Government at its finest.

[proonindiandoc]

They want people to convert from PIO to OCI, but make the conversion process a major hassle. Government at its finest.

the process can't be more simple just tourist visa. what you need is application, additional particulars form, if minor add parental authorization for minor with notary, current passport with at least 8 month validation copy, pio card copy and proof of current residence copy, that's all. what do you mean hassle? is call hassle? how about get you from india to US? which more hassle?

[vonugrad]

the process can't be more simple just tourist visa. what you need is application, additional particulars form, if minor add parental authorization for minor with notary, current passport with at least 8 month validation copy, pio card copy and proof of current residence copy, that's all. what do you mean hassle? is call hassle? how about get you from india to US? which more hassle?

I hope you're being sarcastic.

For someone who has a PIO card and has already jumped through all those hoops, there should be a much more simple and streamlined process to convert that PIO to OCI.

[sunrag1]

the process can't be more simple just tourist visa. what you need is application, additional particulars form, if minor add parental authorization for minor with notary, current passport with at least 8 month validation copy, pio card copy and proof of current residence copy, that's all. what do you mean hassle? is call hassle? how about get you from india to US? which more hassle?

Are you saying uploading docs, scanning, re sizing photo, unnecessary notarization, going thru multiple sites is really easy, according you, for conversion from PIO to OCI?. Already for PIO cards, we sent long list of docs.. Why again to submit now?

[proonindiandoc]

I hope you're being sarcastic.

For someone who has a PIO card and has already jumped through all those hoops, there should be a much more simple and streamlined process to convert that PIO to OCI.

been a PIO card holder convert to OCI, can't be more simple enough. only 5 pices of documents, what you want?

- - - Updated - - -

Are you saying uploading docs, scanning, re sizing photo, unnecessary notarization, going thru multiple sites is really easy, according you, for conversion from PIO to OCI?. Already for PIO cards, we sent long list of docs.. Why again to submit now?

if you are adult and no affidavit need, there's no requirement of notary for San Francisco jurisdiction.

[jimmyf]

BLS improved but still has a ways to go.

been a PIO card holder convert to OCI, can't be more simple enough. only 5 pices of documents, what you want?

- - - Updated - - -



if you are adult and no affidavit need, there's no requirement of notary for San Francisco jurisdiction.

Sorry to dissapoint you proonindiandoc, but I just applied for PIO to OCI conversion. I had a really tough time. 3 visits in total to BLS as the info provided is very confusing. Unnecessary documents are required, the checklist says maximum size of each uploaded file should not be more than 500Kb, but when you actually go to upload (after painstakingly scanning all documents) it says file size should not exceed 1000Kb. Took me a lot of tries to scan and make sure the size would be less than 500Kb. Some of my docs weren't very good quality at this resolution. After all that, I find out while actually uploading, that upto 1000 Kb is OK. Frustrating!
Luckily I had paid a professional to have my Photo taken and signature scanning done. If you do that yourself, be prepared for more frustration.
There are so many OCI checklists on the BLS website that come up in a google search, many outdated. Why don't they delete these from their servers?
Also, they still try to make you feel you are obligated to choose Delivery of documents to your address. Thank god I had already read about this scam before, so I said I would pick up myself. Got an angry look from the woman, and a very rude reply saying you will have to come between 3 and 5 pm. When I asked when that would be, she said rudely, "you have to check that yourself online" and didn't respond to my "thank you". Completely ignored me after that, immediately taking next customer. These people are so shameless.