pio card

salima · Jan 8th, 2004, 23:22

pooch-
i am anxiously awaiting your return. i thought i would start a new thread for pio card questions, where you could post what you learned from the office you visited monday...
thanks,
salima

Colin · Jan 9th, 2004, 02:48

Excuse my ignorance but what is a pio card? What does pio stand for?

concoran · Jan 9th, 2004, 05:19

PIO == People of Indian Origin.

pooch · Jan 9th, 2004, 11:44

salima I was asked to return today when I visited Monday, here's what I was told :

1. Why go for PIO when dual citizenship is now possible.
2. Fees- check with the indian mission in your home country
3. Fees may be drastically lowered in the near future.
4. You may apply for the PIO card whilst resident in India rather than your home country but wait is longer.

steven_ber · Jan 9th, 2004, 13:58

NonIndianResident has posted some useful PIO info.

Click here to read.

salima · Jan 9th, 2004, 15:43

becoming an indian citizen once dual citizenship is legal would be fine with me-but how would i go about that? i didnt think there would be any difference between the two. if it becomes a law, it was my understanding that a pio would BE an indian citizen. i want to do the fastest and easiest according to my condition (that is being on a tourist visa that expires in middle of may and 180 days expires in beginning of march).

salima · Mar 17th, 2004, 08:47

how to contact frro---

i mailed my pio application to delhi the end of january and havent heard anything. soon i will have to register since i landed in india oct 5, and getting a pio card wont change that. so i need to know if i have to go to delhi to register or can it be done by mail...

secondly, i had a hard time trying to find a valid phone number for the frro office in delhi so i cant follow up by phone to ask about the application. does anyone have a good phone number for the frro office in new delhi?

thanks-

Samsara · Mar 17th, 2004, 09:38

This is a really useful thread as I'm eligible for either PIO or dual citizenship (if it's come in here) but you know the Indian bureaucracy!!! I was born in India and on the form one of the ways to prove it was to put your Indian passport number. And I had one when I left India but it's long lost and I don't know the number. I guess this is a case of jump in and see where it all goes. You eventually get there.

pooch · Mar 17th, 2004, 13:04

salima, most towns and even villages will have a police station where one can register. It's only when you need visa extensions that you will have to make it to the FRRO.

samsara, if you know where it was issued and approximately which month of what year you might be able to dig up details. Or visit your grands and you just might find a passport of either parent lying around. My dad's first driving license and British India passport were retained as souvenirs by my grandmother ,no one knew it was there I just stumbled upon them once.

Samsara · Mar 18th, 2004, 10:27

Thanks pooch, unfortunately my grandparents and my father are deceased but I still have two (aged) uncles in India, I can ask for help there about the passport. I don't even have a proper birthcertificate. Neither did one of my brothers but one of the uncles got him one (when my brother was 19 or something). In those days people didn't get birthcertificates when they were born. I have a certificate issued when I was 7 for purposes of immigration. So far it's worked for Australia and Britain so hopefully that will continue. My father didn't have a birthcertificate. I think his passport is lost too. I had better start I suppose on this process now, hunt around, and rope in one of the uncles. Also I been waiting all this year from UK to bring in dual citizenship like they promised for people in my situation, last time I checked it still hadn't been implemented by the due date. I had better check again. Though I got residency for Britain anyway so it doesn't really matter but it would be useful to avoid visas for Europe if I ever go there again.

pooch · Mar 18th, 2004, 15:26

Samsara, if you can get hold of any other passport do it now even if it's Rwanda. You never know when they could be useful. Laws in India in immigration matters is pretty lax right now but could change anytime. You should see Israelis discussing Romanian, Hungarian or Polish passports, 10 yrs ago it would have been laughable.

UK does allow dual citizenship but I think you mean to say something else.

Samsara · Mar 19th, 2004, 12:48

Yes, oops, pooch, I meant just citizenship. It's a new bill that was passed a year or so ago in the UK Parliament. Formerly if your mother was British and you were born overseas (like me) and she didn't register you before 18 (like my mother didn't) you couldn't apply for citizenship after 18 only Right of Abode (which is permanent residency which allows you all rights of a British citizen but no British passport so no rights for the EU). Right of Abode can be transferred into British citizenship after five years (I think it's 5 years) of continuous residency in the UK. But I only stayed half that time...And also at the time in the 1980s onward Australia bought in a new law not allowing its citizens that didn't already have dual citizenship to obtain a second citizenship and there was no way I would give up my Aussie citizenship.

But at about the same time recently that UK passed this bill (removing discrimation against those whose descent was through the female line and not the male line, since if it was your father you were automatically a citizen) Australia passed a new law saying their citizens can now acquire other citizenships.

But last time I checked at the promised date the bill hadn't been implemented yet. I should check again. It will happen since the bill has been passed but it's the implementation.

Same with India - don't think the bill has even gone through the Parliament? And also I was thinking really like UK is there any difference between a dual citizenship and the PIO that gives you the most rights (which is the one I qualify for).

salima · Mar 24th, 2004, 16:52

i am making progress on my application! i have the name of someone and phone number to call to check on the status, and he said they received it and they would get back to me in two weeks. i hope i am not being naive in believing him. in america they say whatever will get you off the phone...

my 180 days is about to expire, so i will be heading to the police station soon to register as a foreigner. i read that the aids test is no longer a requirement, does anyone know for sure?
salima

salima · Mar 24th, 2004, 16:55

samsara, how do you check if the bill has been passed yet? they are also working on dual citizenship with usa, but i havent seen any update on that since december 23 of last year.

as i understand it, anyone who has a pio card will become an indian citizen automatically or at least be entitled to as soon as the bill is passed for their country of current nationality.

pooch · Mar 24th, 2004, 18:21

salima, when I had my tourist visa converted to a residential permit I was not asked to undergo the AIDS test but when I returned on the entry(X) visa I was asked to undergo one. They tell you where to go and it's a mere blood test. The hospital I was sent to look a wee bit worrisome in terms of " I could walk out of here HIV+" .

Jan 8th, 2004, 23:22	#1
salima Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: america today-new delhi in a week Posts: 189	pio card pooch- i am anxiously awaiting your return. i thought i would start a new thread for pio card questions, where you could post what you learned from the office you visited monday... thanks, salima

Jan 9th, 2004, 13:58	#5
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,243	NonIndianResident has posted some useful PIO info. Click here to read. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

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Jan 9th, 2004, 02:48	#2
Colin Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pai, Mae Hong Son, Thailand Posts: 208	Excuse my ignorance but what is a pio card? What does pio stand for?

Jan 9th, 2004, 05:19	#3
concoran Explorer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Desert Southwest Posts: 317	PIO == People of Indian Origin.

Jan 9th, 2004, 11:44	#4
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Middle East <---->India Posts: 384	salima I was asked to return today when I visited Monday, here's what I was told : 1. Why go for PIO when dual citizenship is now possible. 2. Fees- check with the indian mission in your home country 3. Fees may be drastically lowered in the near future. 4. You may apply for the PIO card whilst resident in India rather than your home country but wait is longer.

Jan 9th, 2004, 15:43	#6
salima Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: america today-new delhi in a week Posts: 189	becoming an indian citizen once dual citizenship is legal would be fine with me-but how would i go about that? i didnt think there would be any difference between the two. if it becomes a law, it was my understanding that a pio would BE an indian citizen. i want to do the fastest and easiest according to my condition (that is being on a tourist visa that expires in middle of may and 180 days expires in beginning of march).

Mar 17th, 2004, 08:47	#7
salima Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: america today-new delhi in a week Posts: 189	how to contact frro--- i mailed my pio application to delhi the end of january and havent heard anything. soon i will have to register since i landed in india oct 5, and getting a pio card wont change that. so i need to know if i have to go to delhi to register or can it be done by mail... secondly, i had a hard time trying to find a valid phone number for the frro office in delhi so i cant follow up by phone to ask about the application. does anyone have a good phone number for the frro office in new delhi? thanks-

Mar 17th, 2004, 09:38	#8
Samsara Sentient Being Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 507	This is a really useful thread as I'm eligible for either PIO or dual citizenship (if it's come in here) but you know the Indian bureaucracy!!! I was born in India and on the form one of the ways to prove it was to put your Indian passport number. And I had one when I left India but it's long lost and I don't know the number. I guess this is a case of jump in and see where it all goes. You eventually get there.

Mar 17th, 2004, 13:04	#9
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Middle East <---->India Posts: 384	salima, most towns and even villages will have a police station where one can register. It's only when you need visa extensions that you will have to make it to the FRRO. samsara, if you know where it was issued and approximately which month of what year you might be able to dig up details. Or visit your grands and you just might find a passport of either parent lying around. My dad's first driving license and British India passport were retained as souvenirs by my grandmother ,no one knew it was there I just stumbled upon them once.

Mar 18th, 2004, 10:27	#10
Samsara Sentient Being Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 507	Thanks pooch, unfortunately my grandparents and my father are deceased but I still have two (aged) uncles in India, I can ask for help there about the passport. I don't even have a proper birthcertificate. Neither did one of my brothers but one of the uncles got him one (when my brother was 19 or something). In those days people didn't get birthcertificates when they were born. I have a certificate issued when I was 7 for purposes of immigration. So far it's worked for Australia and Britain so hopefully that will continue. My father didn't have a birthcertificate. I think his passport is lost too. I had better start I suppose on this process now, hunt around, and rope in one of the uncles. Also I been waiting all this year from UK to bring in dual citizenship like they promised for people in my situation, last time I checked it still hadn't been implemented by the due date. I had better check again. Though I got residency for Britain anyway so it doesn't really matter but it would be useful to avoid visas for Europe if I ever go there again.

Mar 18th, 2004, 15:26	#11
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Middle East <---->India Posts: 384	Samsara, if you can get hold of any other passport do it now even if it's Rwanda. You never know when they could be useful. Laws in India in immigration matters is pretty lax right now but could change anytime. You should see Israelis discussing Romanian, Hungarian or Polish passports, 10 yrs ago it would have been laughable. UK does allow dual citizenship but I think you mean to say something else.

Mar 19th, 2004, 12:48	#12
Samsara Sentient Being Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 507	Yes, oops, pooch, I meant just citizenship. It's a new bill that was passed a year or so ago in the UK Parliament. Formerly if your mother was British and you were born overseas (like me) and she didn't register you before 18 (like my mother didn't) you couldn't apply for citizenship after 18 only Right of Abode (which is permanent residency which allows you all rights of a British citizen but no British passport so no rights for the EU). Right of Abode can be transferred into British citizenship after five years (I think it's 5 years) of continuous residency in the UK. But I only stayed half that time...And also at the time in the 1980s onward Australia bought in a new law not allowing its citizens that didn't already have dual citizenship to obtain a second citizenship and there was no way I would give up my Aussie citizenship. But at about the same time recently that UK passed this bill (removing discrimation against those whose descent was through the female line and not the male line, since if it was your father you were automatically a citizen) Australia passed a new law saying their citizens can now acquire other citizenships. But last time I checked at the promised date the bill hadn't been implemented yet. I should check again. It will happen since the bill has been passed but it's the implementation. Same with India - don't think the bill has even gone through the Parliament? And also I was thinking really like UK is there any difference between a dual citizenship and the PIO that gives you the most rights (which is the one I qualify for).

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Mar 24th, 2004, 16:52	#13
salima Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: america today-new delhi in a week Posts: 189	i am making progress on my application! i have the name of someone and phone number to call to check on the status, and he said they received it and they would get back to me in two weeks. i hope i am not being naive in believing him. in america they say whatever will get you off the phone... my 180 days is about to expire, so i will be heading to the police station soon to register as a foreigner. i read that the aids test is no longer a requirement, does anyone know for sure? salima

Mar 24th, 2004, 16:55	#14
salima Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: america today-new delhi in a week Posts: 189	samsara, how do you check if the bill has been passed yet? they are also working on dual citizenship with usa, but i havent seen any update on that since december 23 of last year. as i understand it, anyone who has a pio card will become an indian citizen automatically or at least be entitled to as soon as the bill is passed for their country of current nationality.

Mar 24th, 2004, 18:21	#15
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Middle East <---->India Posts: 384	salima, when I had my tourist visa converted to a residential permit I was not asked to undergo the AIDS test but when I returned on the entry(X) visa I was asked to undergo one. They tell you where to go and it's a mere blood test. The hospital I was sent to look a wee bit worrisome in terms of " I could walk out of here HIV+" .