Persons of Indian Origin Card (PIO Card) is a form of identification issued to a Person of Indian Origin who holds a passport in another country.
PIO Card Eligibility
PIO card can be issues to a “PIO”- ‘Person of Indian Origin’.
According to the official definition, PIO is a foreign Citizen – excluding a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the Government of India from time to time – if,
- He/she at any time held an Indian Passport; or
- He/she or either of his/her parents or grand parents or great grand parents was born in and permanently resident in India, or
- He/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin
The PIO Card can be issued to those foreign citizens who meet the conditions mentioned above.
Benefits of PIO Card:
The main benefits of PIO Card are:
- PIO card holders do not need a separate visa to visit India.