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Pio and Oci

Prime Minister Modi urged overseas Indian diaspora holding Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards to switch to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. PIO cards were issued to foreigners with Indian ancestry but did not confer citizenship. OCI cards, implemented in 2005, provided more benefits like treating cardholders like Non-Resident Indians for economic opportunities. In 2015, the PIO scheme was merged with OCI. OCI cards allow cardholders to live in India for longer periods, own property, get driver's licenses and bank accounts like NRIs, though they cannot vote or hold public office.

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Arun Suresh
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54 views3 pages

Pio and Oci

Prime Minister Modi urged overseas Indian diaspora holding Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards to switch to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. PIO cards were issued to foreigners with Indian ancestry but did not confer citizenship. OCI cards, implemented in 2005, provided more benefits like treating cardholders like Non-Resident Indians for economic opportunities. In 2015, the PIO scheme was merged with OCI. OCI cards allow cardholders to live in India for longer periods, own property, get driver's licenses and bank accounts like NRIs, though they cannot vote or hold public office.

Uploaded by

Arun Suresh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PIO and OCI

Why in news?

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged the diaspora community to switch
from their Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards to Overseas Citizenship of India
(OCI) cards and had extended the deadline for applying for the conversion.

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Who are PIO and OCI?

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There are over 30 million overseas Indians living abroad and the remittance
of close to 69 billion dollars annually by overseas Indians.
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They can be categorised in three broad categories - NRIs, PIOs and OCIs. A
Non-Resident Indian (NRI) is a citizen of India who has temporarily
emigrated to another country for six months.
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PIOs and OCI card holders are not citizens but people who want to stay
connected and involved with India more closely.
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The PIO card was first implemented in 2002 as a benefit to foreign nationals
who could establish at least a third generation tie to Indian origin.
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The OCI card was implemented in 2005, carried more benefits than the PIO
card, and is valid for the holder’s lifetime.
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In 2015, the PIO scheme was withdrawn by the Government of India and was
merged with the OCI.
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What were the benefits of PIO?

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A PIO card holder doesn’t need a visa to visit India.
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The holder also doesn’t require a student or employment visa to acquire
employment or academic opportunities in India.
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The holder was exempted from registering at the foreigner regional
registration office (FRRO) during the duration of stay in India.
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The holder also enjoys parity with NRIs in concern to economic, financial
and educational matters like property transfer or acquisition, holding,
disposal, investment, admission of children in educational institutions under
general category quota for NRIs.
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Separate immigration counters are provided at all International airports.
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What are the additional benefits of OCI?

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Apart from the benefits of PIO, the OCI can attain Indian citizenship and
then live in India for a period of one year including short breaks, if they
remain an OCI for 5 years.
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An OCI cards holder can open special bank accounts in India just like NRIs
and make investments.
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They can also buy non-farm property and exercise ownership rights.
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They apply for a driver’s license and PAN card.
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They get same economic, financial and educational benefits like NRIs and
they can also adopt children.
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Both OCI and PIO cannot vote, hold a government job or purchase
agricultural or farm land. They also cannot run for public office or travel to
restricted areas without permission.
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Category: Prelims & Mains | GS – II | Indian Diaspora

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Source: The Indian Expre

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