Tuesday, January 17, 2006

PIO Vs OCI

Finally the check did arrive. Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card was launched with much fanfare in the recently concluded Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. I have been trying learn more about OCI card and see if it is really different from PIO card which I already have. Both of them (PIO & OCI) are fundamentally same but there are subtle differences in the process and the benefits. Here is what I could gather.. Would love to hear from you if you know more or otherwise.

Application Process
OCI
  1. Apply online, get a registration number and then submit required documentation to the nearest embassy or Indian immigration office.
  2. Applications processed centrally in New Delhi
  3. Applicants must submit their original passport (of the adapted country) to be endorsed.
PIO
  1. Can download forms but a fully manual process. Complete the application and submit with relevant documentation to the nearest embassy or Indian immigration office.
  2. Decentralized processing
  3. Submission of original passport (of the adapted country) NOT required.
Benefits
OCI
  1. Treated on par with Non Resident Indians (NRIs) in all cases except 1) Cannot vote or hold public office 2) Cannot own agriculture property.
  2. Valid for life
  3. Can apply for full fledged Indian citizenship after 5 years (should have lived in India for at least year)
PIO
  1. Treated on par with NRIs in all cases except 1) Cannot vote or hold public office 2) Cannot own agriculture property.
  2. Valid for 15 years (20 in some early cases)
  3. Cannot apply for Indian citizenship.
One area where there is still no clarity is in the financial arena. As a PIO card holder, I was NOT able to open a brokerage account with ICICIdirect.com. Will the OCI card take care this issue? Do you know?

Unrelated tidbit
I went to Shastri Bhavan in Chennai to gather juice on this stuff and observed an interesting phenomenon. Most of the staff at the counter looked distinctly South Indian but were all conversing in Hindi.


Related Links
OCI details
OCI Overview
PIO Card
Indian Embassy - PIO Site
Posted by at

26 comments:

  1. AnonymousTue Jan 17, 09:12:00 PM

    Dear Ram, You are right!! I am still not clear on the rights that PIO/OCI holders enjoy. I am assuming that you should operate freely with financial institutions with OCI. I hope that there is a FAQ available to makes these issues clear. After 5 years, once you acquire the Indian Citizenship, do you have to renounce the US citizenship? Can you hold 2 passports like many european countries allow? I am assuming it is the case with OCI.

    - CV

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ram ViswanathanWed Jan 18, 12:11:00 PM

    CV
    Indian constitution doesn't allow dual citizenship now, If one acquires Indian citizenship, they will have to surrender the other citizenship.

    I see a gradual move to dual citizenship.. So, with the economy booming and globalization.. a constitutional amendment may be in offing in the coming years as well.. So keep your fingers crossed till then..

    The closest to dual citizenship is the OCI card for now..

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFri Feb 10, 02:49:00 PM

    Are there any changes to the PIO scheme recently due to OCI? So far, I've not been able to get one full set of infos about getting the PIO within India , things like the cost, the time to be taken for processing etc., besides the current active phone# of the PIO offices? Any inputs from you folks?!? Thanks a lot in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousWed Jul 26, 11:17:00 PM

    Is there a difference in cousular access between PIO and OCI? I read somewhere that with OCI status, you lose the cousular access rights you otherwise have as PIO. Is that correct? How does one get this question answered?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ram ViswanathanThu Jul 27, 12:56:00 PM

    Annoymous
    The information on OCI is still trickling in.. I found it easy to go Shashtri Bhavan in Chennai and talk to the concerned officer. But, Indian embassy sites should carry some information as well..

    Annoymous
    Sorry.. I don't understand your question.. but here also, some MEA / Indian Embassy staff should be able to answer in your local city..

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousWed Sep 13, 11:58:00 PM

    Does anyone know at what point the indian passport need to be given to the consulate for cancellation once one becomes a US citizen?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ram ViswanathanThu Sep 14, 12:04:00 AM

    Anonymous

    You don't need to 'surrender' your Indian Passport at any time.. However when you do apply for PIO / OCI. Indian embassy will ask for the Indian passport and 'punch' it.. (to make is unusable..)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bengal TigerSat Dec 16, 11:04:00 AM

    With this OCI visa do you get to pay INR rates at hotels and tourist spots in India instead of the bloated USD rates that we are now forced to pay?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ram ViswanathanSat Dec 16, 01:21:00 PM

    Bengal Tiger
    Good Question.. I have no idea...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bengal TigerFri Dec 22, 02:10:00 AM

    I am told that the Gov of RBI said in his directive that OCI/NRI/PIO need not pay the fancy USD rates in USD while travelling in India at hotels and tourist spots but I cannot find this directive anywhere. If you come across it will you please post it? thanks

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSat Dec 29, 01:39:00 AM

    It is on the official website of the Indian embassy that minor children's , whose both parents are Indian citizen are not eligibal to apply for the OCI. This is new rule lot of my friends minor child got the OCI 2 year back and there both parents are Indian Citizen. I do not understand why this new rule and what it mean. I wrote e-mail to embassy so many times but non of them replied anything.
    It is not at all fair.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMon Dec 31, 10:55:00 AM

    Dear Ram,
    Any suggesstion on how to go about in this situation??

    I am working in India( indian citizen till date), I have now been intimated that I can choose to be an Australian citizen for which I need to go in person to Australia for confering.

    The situation is that that I need to return back immediatly to India to join my office.
    Would I use the Indian passport to return? and then apply to for the the CIO in India.. or do I need to apply for an Indian visa to get back to India since technically I would cease to be an indian citzen from that moment. Pl. help

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ram ViswanathanMon Dec 31, 04:50:00 PM

    Anonymous
    Well.. you have 'time' challenge in your hand I think..

    Once you take on Australian citizenship, you no longer can use the Indian passport. You will have get your Australian passport, get your Indian visa or OCI card and then reenter India as an Australian citizen..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Psurya909Wed Jan 23, 03:37:00 AM

    Dear Ram,

    Any idea about OCI card and who can apply for it. We had a kid in US and planning to apply for OCI. We(parents) are indian citizens, is my son elgible for OCI card?

    Pls.. help...........

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ram ViswanathanWed Jan 23, 11:29:00 AM

    I think so.. The thumb rule is If that person was / is eligible for an Indian Passport and can get OCI.

    But, don't take my word for it.. visit any of the Indian embassy website and they have lots of info. on this subject..

    ReplyDelete
  16. Psurya909Thu Jan 24, 03:22:00 AM

    Thanks Ram...

    tried to get info from couple of websites but its not sufficient, need to do more search.... I will do that and I will update....

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousMon Feb 18, 10:35:00 PM

    Re: Children of Indian Citizens' children / grandchildren - They are eligible for OCI/PIO cards. Check out this URL :Comparative Chart on NRI/PIO/PIO CARD HOLDERS/OCI : www.mha.nic.in/oci/chart.pdf
    This is from the horse's mouth - mha=Ministry of Home Affairs.
    Check out "OCI Cards" on Google for lots of information/comments

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousSat Jun 21, 06:15:00 PM

    go to this site to get most of your answers answered

    http://www.immihelp.com/nri/pio-vs-oci.html

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousWed Nov 12, 09:07:00 PM

    I am a US citizen, held an Indian passport, born in Pakistan, pre-partition. Do you see any problems in getting an OCI or PIO, and what is the advantage of each.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ram ViswanathanThu Nov 13, 07:07:00 PM

    Annonymous
    Since you held an Indian passport earlier.. you should be able to get OCI / PIO.. To you question on which one is better.. I think both are the same.. but the OCI is valid for longer duration I think..

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousTue Dec 30, 10:52:00 PM

    I HAVE BEEN LIVING AND WORKING IN THE USA FOR LAST 13 YEARS, HOLD AN INDIAN PASSPORT .I GOT MY CITIZENSHIP THIS MONTH . WANT TO KNOW AT THIS POINT WHAT WOULD BE THE WISE THING TO DO ;APPLY FOR A PIO CARD OR OCI ??IT DOES LOOK LIKE THE OCI OFFERS A BIT MORE BENEFITS IN COMPARISON TO THE PIO ....ANY ADVICE?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ram ViswanathanWed Dec 31, 01:02:00 PM

    Anonymous
    I suggest you go in for OCI.. One main 'advantage' with OCI is that you do not have to 'register' with the emigration guys.

    ReplyDelete
  23. KavyaThu Jun 18, 11:29:00 AM

    Hello Mr. Ram !! I am Scottish having UK passport. My mom is British and dad is Indian having Indian passport. My recent Indian father was married to my mom after her divorce.

    But I have my fathers name on my passport and naturization certificate. Can I apply for a PIO?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ram ViswanathanFri Jun 19, 12:22:00 PM

    Kavya
    Don't know.. I suggest you look around here and talk to the nearest Indian consulate
    http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=553

    ReplyDelete
  25. kumarWed Jun 24, 09:57:00 AM

    Dear Mr. Ram,
    Myself and my wife lived in the US for a few years and had a child there. The child has a US passport and a PIO card. We are both Indian citizens and are back in India at Bangalore the last few years. We are required to register the child as a foreigner staying in India every five years at the FRO. Can we apply for OCI for our child now? Will it then be valid for life? Since the child would have most of the education in India, would OCI make any difference?
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ram ViswanathanSat Jun 27, 05:26:00 AM

    Kumar
    Your child is eligible for both OCI and Indian passport. You can apply for either.

    OCI will obviate the need for registration.. In fact that's the route I am taking for my family.

    Ram

    ReplyDelete

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