PIO card holders face June 30 deadline for conversion to OCI cards

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders are reminded that the Indian government has set June 30 as the deadline to convert PIO cards to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards.

What does the change mean? Although Indian authorities have not explicitly made the conversion mandatory, and although the conversion deadline has been extended in the past, PIO card holders are nonetheless encouraged to complete the conversion before the deadline in order to avoid interruption of travel plans.

• Implementation time frame: June 30.
• Visas/permits affected: PIO and OCI cards.
• Who is affected: PIO card holders.
• Next steps: PIO card holders should submit an application to convert to an OCI card at their earliest opportunity and no later than June 30.

Background: The Indian government merged PIO and OCI cards in January 2015. Authorities have extended the deadline for converting PIO cards to OCI card numerous times, with the most recent extension announced in December 2016. The current deadline is June 30.

BAL Analysis: PIO card holders may obtain OCI cards from the Indian mission or Foreigner Regional Registration Office that has jurisdiction over their current residence. Applicants should check with their local FRRO, overseas mission or consulate on specific procedures and requirements, as they may vary from location to location.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in India. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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