Apply for a PIO card from India

Hello,

I am a US citizen of Indian origin currently in Delhi on a 6 month tourist visa which is valid for 10 years. My question is that I want to apply for a PIO card from India instead of having to come back and applying from the USA. I looked up the PIO rules and it says -

If you residing in India on a long term visaand depending on your place of residence you can apply in any of the Foreign Registration office in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata or Bureau of Immigration in Chennai or Amritsar.

Does that mean that I cannot apply for a PIO card from India and will have to come back to the US to apply? Does anybody have any experience in applying for a PIO card from India? How can I convert my tourist visa to a long term visa?

Unfortunately, you cannot. As a tourist, you are not residing in India, and you do not have a long term visa. I know your visa is valid for a long time, but that is not the same thing as having a long term visa which would allow you to remain in India for... a long time.

To apply for PIO you would need an entry visa of which allows you to remain in India for at least one year; while you may well have been eligible to apply for an entry visa instead of a tourist visa if you are of Indian origins, once you are in India it's too late to change it.

Yes

No, you could apply for your PIO from other countries outside India, for instance England.

Loads. I'd suggest doing a forum search to view their experiences, but it's not really applicable in your case.

Marry an Indian. That is the only way that a tourist visa can be converted to a long term visa.

<Cross-posted with Haylo>

But you are not, so no, you can't.
Are you married? You can do the conversion on the basis of marriage to a resident Indian citizen --- but, whatever you romantic/family plans are, you will almost certainly find it easier to get your PIO back in USA, and, as you have to leave India within 180 days of arriving on your tourist visa anyway, you might as well.

The next standard question for foreigners of Indian Origin who are planning on PIO is ... Why not OCI? Most consider it a much better deal.

Namaste,
I'm an american citizen residing in india with my indian spouse. I am currently holding an entry visa (long term) and I want to apply for a PIO without having to leave the country. But, I've been advised by many, even the local FRO office that I should apply from outside india. I have all relevant documents for applying and was thinking to try my luck at the MHO in delhi since my visa period will expire soon. Can any of you advise me on the best way to apply from india or whether it is better to just extend my visa temporarily and apply for the PIO from outside of india? Also, if it is advisable to apply from outside, can it be done in a nearby place like bangkok, nepal, england or elsewhere?

Many people, myself included, have applied for, and received, PIO cards in similar circumstances. However, my experience is five years old; they may have changed their policy, but I don't think so.

NO. In the country of origin. You can apply from the third country, if you are a long time resident of that country.

Thanks Nick. I hope the rules have changed in our favor but, knowing Indian bureaucracy, I'm expecting the worse. In any case, i want to avoid an unnecessary trip to the US so, I will go to the MHA in person to apply and try my luck. Will let you guys know how it went and any new info I get while I'm there. namaste