Lost my son's PIO card in India

mravisri · Apr 6th, 2007, 01:23

Hi All,

My son was born in America and we got him a PIO card (Indian Embassy in US) and currently he is in India on a 3 month vacation.

My wife misplaced my son's PIO card and she is not able to trace it. Looks like its lost. An FIR is filed at the local police station.

what is the process for my son to travel back to US? I know to the fact that he cannot obtain a duplicate PIO in India (as PIO site tells that the duplicate PIO card will be issued by the same office where the original is issued. i.e. in our case it will be in Indian Embassy in US).

Local police told that we have to approach "Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi". They were not sure of what needs to be submitted to them and what is the process in place??

Here in US the Indian consulate has no idea. They told me to approach the local police in India and they will help.

Any one who has undergone through the same or has known people please let me know the process.

My son and wife are scheduled to return back on May 13 2007.

Thanks & Regards,
Ravi

Nick-H · Apr 6th, 2007, 02:28

Quote:

Local police told that we have to approach "Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi". They were not sure of what needs to be submitted to them and what is the process in place??

Don't think we can offer better advice than that.

Unless it be to approach the MHA in the city of arrival, or wherever he registered (but perhaps he didn't register if not expecting to remain more than 180 days.

Suggest he takes his photocopy of the PIO card (Err... he does have a separate copy, I hope?) along with his travel tickets and his passport and the FIR copy, along with a covering letter (they like those) stating the facts and requesting written permission to remain in the country until his planned date of departure along with permission to leave on that date.

That's what I'd do.....

crvlvr · Apr 6th, 2007, 04:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by mravisri

what is the process for my son to travel back to US?

Ravi, you don't need the PIO card to enter the US. I assume that your son has a US passport? That is all the US immigration will check for.

Good luck getting a replacement PIO card for your next visit to India. We would like to hear the details.

akt · Apr 6th, 2007, 06:05

I have no experience with PIO cards but he obviously doesn't need it to enter the US. Based on many other experiences, my guess is it would be much easier to get a replacement in the US. A police report or affidavit that you lost it should suffice.

However, if you just want to try what you can while in India...wasn't there supposed to be some kind of one-window service for NRI's? Even if this is not their turf, they might facilitate the process.

Nick-H · Apr 6th, 2007, 11:45

I was not addressing the problem of replacing the card in my advice. Permission to leave India is what I'm concerned about!

Also, although I admit it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever notice, he is travelling in this country with no evidence of his having the right to do so.

But it is the leaving the country thing that is likely to matter more. At least he has his passport with entry stamp, so I may be exagerating the possible problem, but in my experience of dealing with Indian bearuocrasy I'm not

.

It does say on the card the that the loss of the PIO should be reported to concerned FRRO or to MHA in Delhi. Failure to do this may make replacement in USA tougher.

Its a pain to spend time at the FRRO (MHA), but I strongly advise making sure every angle is covered.

mravisri · Apr 7th, 2007, 03:48

Quote:

Permission to leave India is what I'm concerned about!

But it is the leaving the country thing that is likely to matter more. At least he has his passport with entry stamp

It does say on the card the that the loss of the PIO should be reported to concerned FRRO or to MHA in Delhi. Failure to do this may make replacement in USA tougher.

Its a pain to spend time at the FRRO (MHA), but I strongly advise making sure every angle is covered.

I am also concerned about the same.. while departing definetely the immigration officer will look for the visa validiy just to check if we have over-stayed.

I want to know what is the process to exit out of India in this case. I am sure I cannot obtain duplicate in India. My son is 15 months so I dont need to register in India and he going to stay only for 90 days.

I want to know the process involved in getting my son out of India

Nick-H · Apr 7th, 2007, 12:00

To do what you've already been advised...

When he goes to the FRRO or MHA they will endorse his passport, if necessary, with permission to be in and to leave India.

I have experience of this happening with one person who lost her British passport: she had to take her emergency British travel document (like a one-journey passport) to the MHA and they endorsed it.

Don't worry too much... he isn't going to get held here for ever or any such nightmare, but in terms of getting on his flight without delays, and getting visas/replacement PIO/etc, someone in his position should pay their dues to the beaurocratic gods and get all that paper-work done.

Shouldn't take longer than an hour or so!

Oh, and don't leave it to the last minute... they may well check with the port-of-entry and ask him to come back after a day or two.

cyberhippie · Apr 7th, 2007, 12:08

It couldn't be as simple as just getting the thing replaced.

Nah probably not!

Apr 6th, 2007, 01:23	#1
mravisri Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA Posts: 2	Lost my son's PIO card in India Hi All, My son was born in America and we got him a PIO card (Indian Embassy in US) and currently he is in India on a 3 month vacation. My wife misplaced my son's PIO card and she is not able to trace it. Looks like its lost. An FIR is filed at the local police station. what is the process for my son to travel back to US? I know to the fact that he cannot obtain a duplicate PIO in India (as PIO site tells that the duplicate PIO card will be issued by the same office where the original is issued. i.e. in our case it will be in Indian Embassy in US). Local police told that we have to approach "Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi". They were not sure of what needs to be submitted to them and what is the process in place?? Here in US the Indian consulate has no idea. They told me to approach the local police in India and they will help. Any one who has undergone through the same or has known people please let me know the process. My son and wife are scheduled to return back on May 13 2007. Thanks & Regards, Ravi

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Apr 6th, 2007, 06:05	#4
akt Account Closed Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: USA Posts: 438	I have no experience with PIO cards but he obviously doesn't need it to enter the US. Based on many other experiences, my guess is it would be much easier to get a replacement in the US. A police report or affidavit that you lost it should suffice. However, if you just want to try what you can while in India...wasn't there supposed to be some kind of one-window service for NRI's? Even if this is not their turf, they might facilitate the process.

Apr 6th, 2007, 11:45	#5
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	I was not addressing the problem of replacing the card in my advice. Permission to leave India is what I'm concerned about! Also, although I admit it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever notice, he is travelling in this country with no evidence of his having the right to do so. But it is the leaving the country thing that is likely to matter more. At least he has his passport with entry stamp, so I may be exagerating the possible problem, but in my experience of dealing with Indian bearuocrasy I'm not . It does say on the card the that the loss of the PIO should be reported to concerned FRRO or to MHA in Delhi. Failure to do this may make replacement in USA tougher. Its a pain to spend time at the FRRO (MHA), but I strongly advise making sure every angle is covered.

Apr 7th, 2007, 12:00	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	To do what you've already been advised... When he goes to the FRRO or MHA they will endorse his passport, if necessary, with permission to be in and to leave India. I have experience of this happening with one person who lost her British passport: she had to take her emergency British travel document (like a one-journey passport) to the MHA and they endorsed it. Don't worry too much... he isn't going to get held here for ever or any such nightmare, but in terms of getting on his flight without delays, and getting visas/replacement PIO/etc, someone in his position should pay their dues to the beaurocratic gods and get all that paper-work done. Shouldn't take longer than an hour or so! Oh, and don't leave it to the last minute... they may well check with the port-of-entry and ask him to come back after a day or two.

Apr 7th, 2007, 12:08	#8
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	It couldn't be as simple as just getting the thing replaced. Nah probably not!

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