The Indian Government has not yet launched the scheme to merge the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and People of Indian Origin (PIO), despite an announcement made to this effect earlier in the year.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had told the delegates attending the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi on January 8, 2011 that the idea was to simplify the systems and procedures and treat all overseas Indians with equity.
Since then scores of Indian Newslink readers in New Zealand and other parts of the world have been asking whether the Scheme has been introduced and if they could apply for OCI.
We understand that Indian Embassies, High Commissions and diplomatic missions have not yet been informed as to how to proceed in the matter.
However, the following statement issued to this newspaper by the Indian High Commission in Wellington should clarify the issue.
“Eligibility for both PIO Card and OCI is almost the same except that PIO cards are also issued to foreign wives of persons of Indian origin, who are otherwise not eligible for OCI. Minor children holding foreign passports, whose both parents hold Indian Passports, are not eligible for OCI, but can apply for PIO Cards. Currently PIO cards are issued in the High Commission itself and OCIs come from Delhi.”
The eligibility for both is as under:
PIO Card: Any person who at any time held an Indian Passport; or he or either of his parents or grandparents was born in or was permanently resident in India as defined in Government of India Act, 1935 and other territories that became part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizen of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; or who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin as mentioned above.
OCI: A foreign national, who was eligible to become citizen of India on January 26, 1950 or was a citizen of India on or at any time after January 26, 1950, or belonged to a territory that became part of India after August 15, 1947, and his/her children and grandchildren, provided his/her country of citizenship allows dual citizenship in some form or other under the local laws, is eligible for registration as OCI. Minor children of such persons are also eligible for OCI. However, if the applicant had ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, he/she will not be eligible for OCI.
