Persons of Indian Origin Card

Despite being a former immigration officer, and a lawyer concentrating in immigration, I actually went to India and my visa expired while I was there. I took a series of small miracles for me to leave (I'll leave that to another post, but it felt like an episode of 'Amazing Race'). To avoid such visa problems and encounters with Indian bureaucracy, and if you travel to India relatively frequently, and you are a 'person of Indian origin' you may wish to obtain a PIO card which allows you visa free travel to India and is valid for 15 years. Since September 2002 the Government of India has implemented a revised Person of Indian Origin Card (PIO), which allows holders visa free entry to India. Holders will also enjoy all the rights enjoyed by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) including purchase of non-agricultural land. Holders will not enjoy political/voting rights. The fee has been set by the Government of Indi a at US $310.00 for adults (over 18) and $155.00. The validity of the PIO card is 15 years from the date of issue. Notably, persons of Indian origin residing in Pakistan and Bangladesh are ineligible under this program. An application for the... Read more →