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Both the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card services offer a very convenient and long term visa rights and other privileges to the card holders. In general, persons who are of Indian origin are entitled to these cards.
Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Card
If you (or your parents or grand parents) were originally from India, you could be eligible to obtain an OCI card. Once you become an OCI card holder, you are granted multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India with exemption from registration for any length of stay in India. In addition, you will have right to be at par with other non-resident Indians for pursuing profession in India such as doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, advocates, architects and chartered accountants, or to appear for the All India Pre-medical Test or similar tests.
Imagine the convenience of travelling to India at any time, through out your life, without having to apply for a visa! In case you have to travel to India on a short notice in an emergency, an OCI card can be a real boon.
We encourage you to visit http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553 to get more details about the OCI card. Do read the FAQs by clicking here. You may also like to go through a detailed brochure about the OCI card by clicking on http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/oci-brochure.pdf
The holding of an OCI card does not prejudice your status as the citizen of Canada.
To apply for an OCI card, click on http://in.vfsglobal.ca/oci.aspx
A chart explaining differences between OCI card and PIO card is at http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/oci-chart.pdf
See the Notification dated 6 Jan 2009 conferring additional rights to OCI card holders by clicking here.
Although the OCI Card is a life long card, the Card and the Life Long Visa sticker that comes with it must be replaced each time a new passport is issued up to the completion of 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. This is required as both these documents contain photo of the Card holder which needs to be renewed. Read more about it by clicking here.
OCI card holders traveling to India must carry the Passport containing Life Long Visa sticker as well as the OCI Card. When the OCI card holder obtains a new passport, he MUST carry the passport containing U Visa sticker, new passport and the OCI card {total three documents} for visiting India. ALTERNATIVELY, he can apply for a new Life Long Visa sticker for the new passport after paying the requisite fee.
The OCI service has been outsourced. You need to contact one of the offices of our outsourcing agents, VFS Global. Their office addresses, timings, phone numbers and e-mail address can be found by clicking here.
New Announcement
The Government of India has introduced additional security checks before granting the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards. The newly introduced verification steps are undertaken at New Delhi. These take about a month to complete and cannot be fast-tracked. Therefore, the OCI card cases will now take about 8 weeks to complete. Applicants may please keep this in mind while applying for the OCI card and deciding their travel plans. To mitigate the hardship, our outsourcing agents VFS Global have been asked to accept OCI applications along with a photocopy of the Canadian passport instead of the original. Applicants will be required to produce the original Canadian passport at a later stage when the 'Life Long Visa Sticker' is received by us from India. In case, any applicant needs to visit India while his OCI application is under process, he can apply for appropriate Indian visa on his Canadian passport on payment of usual fee applicable.
Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card
ELIGIBILITY
Every person of Indian origin who is not a citizen of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka is eligible to apply for PIO Card, if:
(i) The person at any time held an Indian Passport; or
(ii) Either of his/her parents or grand parents or great grand parents was born in, and was permanently resident in India, provided neither was at any time a citizen of any of the aforesaid excluded countries; or
(iii) Spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (i) or (ii) above
REQUIREMENTS
An application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card shall be made in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by:
* Copy of last Indian passport (you may be required to show the original).
* Three recent passport size (about 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm) photographs in colour, showing frontal view of full face against a light background to be pasted/stapled on the application form.
* PIO Card fee - C$ 480 for persons of 18 years or above and C$ 240 for children below the age of 18 years. (For those applying after 1 Dec, 2010, the fee is C$ 330 for person of 18 years or above and C$ 165 for children below 18 years ------old cases will NOT be reopened.)
* Canadian Passport with a copy.
VALIDITY OF PIO CARD
The PIO Card is valid for travelling to India for a period of 15 years from the date of issue, provided the holder carries a valid passport with him. If you get a new Passport issued, have its number endorsed in relevant column of your PIO card (see FAQs below for details). In absence of this, the Immigration Officer at the port of entry in India may deny you entry in India.
PROCESSING TIME
If the documents are complete, it will take about 10 business days to issue the PIO Card.
FACILITIES & RESTRICTIONS
* PIO Card holder does not require a separate Visa to visit India.
* PIO Card holder is exempt from the requirement of registration if his/her stay on any single visit in India does not exceed 180 days.
* In the event of continuous stay in India of the PIO Card holder exceeding 180 days, he/she is required to get himself/herself registered within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer/Foreigners Registration Officer.
* A PIO Card holder is eligible to engage in activities such as studies, business, employment, tourism etc. by following the prescribed conditions applicable to that particular activity (e.g. licence, statutory approvals, taxes etc.). However, the PIO Card holder is prohibited from acquiring agricultural/ plantation properties.
* Prior permission of the Government of India is required by the PIO Card holders for undertaking mountaineering expeditions, missionary activities, research work, and visits to the restricted/protected areas.
A chart explaining differences between OCI card and PIO card is at http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/oci-chart.pdf
For more details about the PIO card, visit http://www.mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=335
This service has been outsourced. You need to contact one of the offices of our outsourcing agents, VFS Global. Their office addresses, timings, phone numbers and e-mail address can be found by clicking here.
WHAT IF I HAVE PIO CARD AND GET A NEW CANADIAN PASSPORT
You must get the number of the new Canadian passport endorsed on your PIO card. This service is not outsourced to the VFS Global. Following are the FAQs in this regard:
1) What documents need to be produced?
You need to have the old Canadian Passport, new Canadian Passport and the PIO card, all in original. All originals will be returned to you.
2) Is it necessary for the PIO card holder to come personally?
He/She need not come personally.
3) Can it be done at VFS office at Montreal or Ottawa?
VFS offices cannot do it. The documents have to come to the High Commission office in Ottawa.
4) Can I apply through post?
Yes you can apply by post. Please send a return pre-paid envelop with your documents.
5) What are the charges and mode of payment?
The charges for endorsing the number of the new Canadian passport on your PIO card are $ 20. If you are sending your papers by post, you may send this amount by way of Bank Draft payable to "High Commission of India, Ottawa". Please let us know on a plain paper your address, phone number and e-mail address, so that we may contact you. If you are coming in person to our office, you can pay by Bank Draft or by cash.
6) What is the timing to apply in person?
If you come in person, please come to High Commission in Ottawa between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM on any working day. No prior appointment is necessary.
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